Highlight: Significant relationships were found between yield and age of bitterbrush. Individual plants that were heavily grazed during the spring and early summer produced more forage than plants that were moderately grazed during late summer and fall. Under the heavy grazing treatment, however, plant longevity was sharply reduced and fewer plants survived until the age of maximum production. As a result, only 88 kg/ha of air-dry forage was produced under heavy early-season grazing compared with 172 kg/ha under moderate late-season grazing.
A study of ways to increase winter use by elk of Pncliic bunchgrass foothill range in southeastern Washington employed fertilizing and rangehtnd burning, with and without spring cattle grazing. First-year response of elk to fertilizer applied in fall (56 kg N/ha) was a 49% increase ln use; however, no significant carry-over effect was noted in subsequent years. Fall burning to remove dead standing litter and enhance forage palatability provided no increase in elk use in winter. Intensive cattle grazing in spring to promote regrowth did not increase elk use. In fact, cattle grazing decreased winter elk use by 28% in 1 of the 3 yearsstudied. The cost effectlveness of increasing elk use by fertilizing appeared marginal except perhaps in special situations. A discussion of forage allocation to both elk and cattle is presented. Manuscript receded October 28, I98 I. 1 Formerly (Cervus canadensis nelsonii).
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