Animal and Vegetation Response to Modified Intensive–Early Stocking on Shortgrass Rangeland

Harmoney, Keith R.; Jaeger, John R.

doi:10.2111/rem-d-10-00149.1

Cited by 8 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 14 publications

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“…They reported that increased regrowth availability in the late season likely allowed for an increased stocking rate without a reduction in individual animal gain for animals that grazed the entire grazing season. Harmoney and Jaeger (2011) reported that a similar grazing scheme in a central Kansas shortgrass prairie, which they termed ''modified intensive-early stocking,'' also showed no reduction in per head gains. Indeed, in the Flint Hills study, those animals that grazed the entire season where the pasture had been preconditioned by grazing at twice the normal rate had a higher season-long gain than steers that grazed at the normal season-long stocking rate.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Comparison of Season-Long Grazing Applied Annually and a 2-Year Rotation of Intensive Early Stocking Plus Late-Season Grazing and Season-Long Grazing

Owensby

Auen

2013

Rangeland Ecology & Management

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This research measured steer gains, aboveground biomass remaining at the end of the growing season, and economic returns of tallgrass prairie grazed under season-long stocking (SLS-C) and a grazing system that included a 2-yr rotation of SLS-rotated (SLS-R) and intensive early stocking (IES; 23 normal stocking rate)þlate-season grazing at the normal stocking rate (IESþLSG-R). We hypothesized that even though the stocking rate on the IESþLSG-R pasture was above the recommended rate, the greater regrowth availability in the late season would result in steers gaining as well as or better than those stocked SLS at the normal rate. By rotating the IESþLSG treatment with SLS over 2 yr, we anticipated that the aboveground biomass productive capacity of the IESþLSG pasture would be restored in one growing season. Further, we hypothesized that the increased stocking rate with IESþLSG would increase net profit. Comparing traditional season-long stocking to the system, which was a combination of SLS and IESþLSG rotated sequentially over a 2-yr period, the system increased steer gains by 7 kg Á hd À1 and by 30 kg Á ha À1 , had a consistent reduction of 429 kg Á ha À1 biomass productivity, and increased net profit by $55.19 per steer and $34.28 per hectare.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Comparison of Season-Long Grazing Applied Annually and a 2-Year Rotation of Intensive Early Stocking Plus Late-Season Grazing and Season-Long Grazing

Owensby

Auen

2013

Rangeland Ecology & Management

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“…Greatest animal gains on the mixed‐grass rangelands of this study are usually experienced during the early summer growth period (Olson et al, 1993; Harmoney and Jaeger, 2011), and this was evident in the current study by the rangeland‐only cows acquiring most all of their weight gain for the whole season during the April‐mid June period. The cows in the complementary systems lost weight after transitioning to native rangeland, similar to the other studies in which steers gained less weight during the last half of the summer grazing period compared to the first half on southern warm‐season rangelands (Olson et al, 1993; Harmoney and Jaeger, 2011), or northern mixed grass rangelands (Smoliak and Slen, 1974). The reduced weight gains during the last half of the season in these other studies occurred even though pastures may not have been deferred, for which deferment would increase plant maturity and decrease quality even more (Olson, 2005).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 55%

Tall Wheatgrass and Western Wheatgrass Used for Complementary Cool-Season Forage Systems

Harmoney¹,

Jaeger²

2019

Crop, Forage & Turfgrass Management

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Core Ideas• Western wheatgrass provides greater individual animal gain potential than tall wheatgrass in the spring.• Deferred grazing of rangelands can potentially reduce late season animal performance.• Native rangelands with a significant cool-season grass component provides high early season animal gain potential similar to complementary cool-season forage. AbstractSeeded monocultures of tall wheatgrass [Thinopyrum ponticum (Podp.) Z.-W. Liu & R.-C. Wang] and western wheatgrass [Pascopyrum smithii (Rydb.) Á. Löve] have demonstrated good yield potential and persistence in plot studies within the southern Great Plains region.These cool-season grasses have potential to serve as a complementary forage in a grazing system with warm-season dominated mixed-grass rangelands, but few studies have included their use under such systems to provide animal data. Multiparous cows with calves at side were stocked on one of three replicated grazing systems:(1) native mixed-grass rangelands from April to October [NR-only],(2) seeded tall wheatgrass from April to mid-June followed by native mixed-grass rangelands from mid-June to October [(TW)NR], or (3) seeded western wheatgrass from April to mid-June followed by native mixed-grass rangelands from mid-June to October [(WW)NR]. Cows grazing native rangelands or western wheatgrass typically had greater spring body weight gain than cows grazing on tall wheatgrass. Spring calf gains on the native rangeland system were similar to calf gains on western wheatgrass, but were greater than calf gains on tall wheatgrass. For the total growing season, cows only on native rangeland had greater total body weight gain than the western wheatgrass and tall wheatgrass complementary systems in two and three of the five years, respectively. Calf body weight gain for the entire growing season was similar in most years. Deferred grazing in the native rangeland portion of the complementary cool-season grass systems allowed indigenous western wheatgrass composition to increase over time. Benefits of the seeded cool-season grasses were masked by the deferred grazing of the native rangeland component and the relatively high beginning proportion of indigenous western wheatgrass in the native rangeland-only system.

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“…In fact, this strategy to remove the heaviest animals at midsummer was useful on the "modified intensive early stocking" system applied in shortgrass prairie (Harmoney and Jaeger, 2011). Most ranch owners who graze steers in the summer on Flint Hills range and those who lease Flint Hills pasture for grazing steers in the summer have switched to IES, and, as a consequence, the number of feeder steers in the fall has been reduced.…”

Section: Implications Of the Researchmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In both the 3‐year rotation and the 2‐year rotation studies, net returns for the IES+LSG rotations were greater than SLS or IES applied annually. Harmoney and Jaeger (2011) reported that a similar grazing scheme in a central Kansas shortgrass prairie, which they termed “modified intensive‐early stocking”, showed no reduction in annual per head gains for steers grazed the full growing season following IES. Since IES increases gain per acre compared to SLS without reducing individual animal gains (Smith and Owensby 1978), the next logical step was to compare a 2‐year rotation of IES+LSG and IES with SLS and IES applied annually.…”

Section: Previous Research On Flint Hills Grazing Systemsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Owensby et al (2008) and Owensby and Auen (2013) both concluded that a producer could sort off the heavier steers in mid‐summer on the IES+LSG pasture and retain the lighter steers during the latter half of the growing season so that they could reach a desired weight for entering the feedlot. In fact, this strategy to remove the heaviest animals at mid‐summer was useful on the “modified intensive early stocking” system applied in shortgrass prairie (Harmoney and Jaeger, 2011). Most ranch owners who graze steers in the summer on Flint Hills range and those who lease Flint Hills pasture for grazing steers in the summer have switched to IES, and, as a consequence, the number of feeder steers in the fall has been reduced.…”

Section: Implications Of the Researchmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Steer and Pasture Productivity Influenced by Intensive Early Stocking plus Late Season Grazing

Owensby

Auen

2018

Crop Forage & Turfgrass Mgmt

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Steer gains, aboveground biomass (AGB) remaining at the end of the growing season, and economic returns of Kansas were measured on annually-burned Kansas Flint Hills rangeland under different grazing management schemes. These systems included: Season-Long Stocking (SLS-C), Intensive Early Stocking (IES-C) and a grazing system which included a two-year rotation of IES-Rotated (IES-R), and IES + Late-Season Grazing at the normal stocking rate (IES+LSG). No supplemental feeding occurred. Each treatment was applied each year; therefore there is a comparison of IES-C and IES-R. Previous work has shown that grazing at twice the normal stocking rate until mid-season resulted in greater regrowth availability which, in the late season, resulted in steers gaining as well as or better than those stocked SLS-C at the normal rate even though the stocking rate was higher than normal. The remaining AGB at season's end on pastures grazed under the IES+LSG treatment was lower than annual IES in seven of the 10 year, but that on IES-R pastures did not differ from IES-C. Average SLS-C steer gains (lb/ steer) were less in eight of the 10 year than gains for steers grazed season-long under the IES+LSG. In the other two years, SLS-C steer gains were equal to that of the steers grazed season-long under the IES+LSG. Steer gains per acre were always greater on pastures grazed under IES or for the two-year rotation of IES+LSG and IES-R system compared to SLS-C. Net returns ($) per acre were approximately 50% greater under IES and 75% greater for the two-year rotation system compared to SLS-C pastures. Previous Research on Flint Hills Grazing SystemsTypically, grazing system research on rangelands has focused on improving range condition and has largely ignored the impact on livestock performance and economic return. The research reported here sought to increase livestock performance and net returns while maintaining a quality range resource. To get the greatest steer gain and maintenance of a quality Kansas Flint Hills pasture, late spring burning must occur on an annual basis (Anderson et al., 1970). Therefore, all grazing systems should include fire. Subsequent research on a seasonal suitability system that stocked pastures at a greater density only during the first half of the growing season, termed Intensive Early Stocking (IES), increased per acre gains while improving tallgrass dominance on a sustained basis compared to stocking burned Crop Forage Turfgrass Manage. 4:170011.

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Animal and Vegetation Response to Modified Intensive–Early Stocking on Shortgrass Rangeland

Cited by 8 publications

References 14 publications

Comparison of Season-Long Grazing Applied Annually and a 2-Year Rotation of Intensive Early Stocking Plus Late-Season Grazing and Season-Long Grazing

Comparison of Season-Long Grazing Applied Annually and a 2-Year Rotation of Intensive Early Stocking Plus Late-Season Grazing and Season-Long Grazing

Tall Wheatgrass and Western Wheatgrass Used for Complementary Cool-Season Forage Systems

Steer and Pasture Productivity Influenced by Intensive Early Stocking plus Late Season Grazing

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