Rangeland Ecology & Management

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EVALUATION OF CATTLE GRAZING USE WHEN APPLYING RAFFINATE TO LEAFY SPURGE (EUPHORBIA ESULA L.) INVADED RANGELANDS
Author
Ellig, Tracy
Sedivec, Kevin
Whitted, Dennis
Limb, Ryan
Belland, Kent
Publisher
Society for Range Management
Publication Year
2018
Body

Leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula L.) is a noxious weed that threatens grasslands throughout the northern Great Plains. Leafy spurge threatens prairie communities and not readily grazed by cattle. Currently, herbicides remain the most effective and commonly used practice to manage leafy spurge. However, if we can change the grazing behavior of cattle to consume leafy spurge, we would convert a weed into a valuable forage. In this study we tested the use of raffinate, a molasses extract, as a spray on feed attractant to increase forage and feed palatability of leafy spurge. Study objectives were to 1) determine if raffinate applied at two different ratios would attract cattle to consume leafy spurge and 2) determine if cattle grazing leafy spurge would alter the plant community over time. �The study included three treatments 100% raffinate, 50% raffinate:50% water mixture, salt blocks and a control using a random block design with three replicates. The study was conducted on the Gilbert C. Grafton Military Training Base (South Unit) near McHenry, ND. Treatments were grazed with cow/calf pairs throughout the study duration. Treatments were applied in mid-June, mid-July and again in early September.� We determined degree of disappearance by clipping 0.25 m2 plots at eight meter intervals along transects at the end of the grazing season.� We recorded graminoid species presence;absence using 0.1m2 every 5 m, and density of leafy spurge and other broad leaf forbs using a 0.25m2 plot every 5 m. �Leafy spurge stem density declined on the salt and 50% raffinate:50% water treatments, indicating cattle grazing impacted the leafy spurge population. Furthermore, the salt and 100 percent raffinate treatments had a greater disappearance of leafy spurge standing crop after three applications of raffinate and continued presence of salt. Leafy spurge standing crop was reduced by 88 and 45 percent on the salt and 100 percent raffinate treatments, respectively. The application of raffinate to leafy spurge changed the grazing behavior of cattle, with cows consuming almost 50 percent of the leafy spurge biomass.� Selective placement of salt also provided an effectively management strategy to achieve cattle consumption of leafy spurge on sands ecological sites.

Language
English
Resource Type
Text
Document Type
Conference Proceedings
Conference Name
SRM Reno, NV