Simulated 8-pasture short duration grazing systems were studied in 1985-86 to determine the effect of grazing schedule and stocking rate on defoliation patterns of individual grass tillers of big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii Vitman) and little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium (Michx.) Nash). Treatments consisted of 3 grazing schedules (2, 3, or 4 rotation cycles per 152-day grazing season) and 2 stocking rates (1.3 and 1.8 times the recommended normal). Grazing schedule and stocking rate did not affect the percent tiller height reduction per grazing period except for the combination of 2-cycle grazing and heavy stocking which increased percent height reduction. Percent tiller height reduction per grazing period decreased over the grazing season for the 3 and 4-cycle grazing schedules. Grazing schedule and stocking rate had little effect on the height at which tillers were defoliated. Increasing the number of grazing periods reduced the percentage of tillers defoliated per grazing period but increased the cumulative defoliation frequency over the grazing season. Grazing schedule did not affect the percentage of tillers ungrazed over the entire grazing season. Big bluestem was consistently defoliated more intensely and frequently than little bluestem. This material was digitized as part of a cooperative project between the Society for Range Management and the University of Arizona Libraries. The Journal of Range Management archives are made available by the Society for Range Management and the University of Arizona Libraries. Contact lbry-journals@email.arizona.edu for further information. Migrated from OJS platform August 2020
Scholarly peer-reviewed articles published by the Society for Range Management. Access articles on a rolling-window basis from vol. 1, 1948 up to 5 years from the current year. Formerly Journal of Range Management (JRM). More recent content is available by subscription from SRM.