Livestock grazing practices on public and private rangelands throughout the western United States are subject to increasing scrutiny. Much criticism arises from the tendency for livestock to concentrate in riparian areas and to disproportionately use the vegetation to the degree that riparian function and vegetation are compromised. The purpose of this synthesis article is to evaluate grazing-management strategies that encourage beef cattle to use forage resources away from riparian areas and areas where topographical features limit grazing use. Specifically, this paper evaluates individual management strategies and attempts to quantify the changes in distribution patterns and vegetation use. An effective strategy uses water development to encourage uniform distribution. Likewise, timing and duration of grazing have dramatic influences on cattle distribution in riparian and upland range areas. In general, early in the grazing season, when upland forage is green and growing, cattle tend to distribute more uniformly than later in the season, when upland vegetation is dormant and cattle disproportionately use riparian areas. In addition, early in the season, cattle grazing forested rangelands seem to prefer south-facing aspects with more open canopies when compared with late-season distribution patterns when concentration switches to northerly aspects, denser canopies, and more diverse diets. Other factors that appear to influence distribution include cow breed, age, and stage of production. In addition, recent research suggests that as cows age, distribution patterns change: Older cows have been reported to travel further from water than their younger contemporaries as long as adequate forage is available in the uplands. Additional research is needed on beef cattle selection, technological applications, efficient herding practices, supplementation strategies, and whole-range management systems that encourage the sustainable use of rangeland resources. Resumen En los pastizales pú blicos y privados del oeste de Estados Unidos las prá cticas de apacentamiento están sujetas a un creciente escrutinio. Una gran crítica surge de la tendencia del ganado a concentrarse en las áreas ribereñ as y utilizar en forma desproporcionada la vegetació n, al grado de que la funció n ribereñ a y la vegetació n se ven comprometidas. El propó sito de este artículo de síntesis es evaluar las estrategias de manejo del apacentamiento del ganado para carne que motivan al ganado a usar los recursos forrajeros fuera de las á reas ribereñ as y á reas donde las características topográ ficas limitan el uso mediante el apacentamiento. Específicamente, este articulo evalú a las estrategias individuales de manejo e intenta cuantificar los cambios en los patrones de distribució n y utilizació n dela vegetació n. Una de las estrategias má s efectiva es usar aguajes para propiciar una distribució n uniforme. Asi mismo, la época y duració n del apacentamiento tienen dramá ticas influencias en la distribució n del ganado relació n a las áreas ribereñ as...

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To quantify the effects of season of use on beef cattle distribution relative to the riparian area, 52 cow/calf pairs were used to evaluate 1) early summer grazing (mid-June to mid-July), and 2) late summer grazing (mid-August to mid-September) during the summers of 1998 and 1999. Within a block, cow/calf pairs used during early summer were also used during late summer grazing periods. Pastures were stocked to achieve 50% utilization of herbaceous vegetation after a 28-day grazing trial. Livestock location and ambient air temperature were recorded hourly during two, 4-day periods in each season of use. Locations were transcribed to a geographical information system for the study area. Ocular vegetation utilization estimates, forage quality, and fecal deposits within 1-m of the stream were recorded post-grazing. During early summer, cattle were further from the stream (P < 0.01) than late summer, averaging 161 and 99-m, respectively. Cows were observed closer (P < 0.01) to the stream when ambient air temperatures were higher. Fecal deposits within 1-m of the stream were similar (P = 0.13) following early and late summer grazing. Forage quality varied (P < 0.01) between seasons, with early summer forages having lower dry matter, greater crude protein, lower fiber, and greater in situ dry matter disappearance compared with late summer forages. Utilization of riparian vegetation was lower and use of upland vegetation greater during early summer than late summer (P < 0.05). In summary, season of use affected cattle distribution relative to the riparian area, with late summer pastures having more concentrated use of riparian vegetation.

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