Rangeland Ecology & Management

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Effect of Grazing Stubble Height and Season on Establishment, Persistence, and Quality of Creeping Bluestem
Author
Kalmbacher, R. S.
Martin, F. G.
Pitman, W. D.
Publisher
Society for Range Management
Publication Year
1986-05-01
Body

Creeping bluestem (Schizachyrium stoloniferum) was grazed every 60-days to 15 or 30-cm stubble heights during the following 4 periods (seasons): (1) June, Aug., Oct. (JAO); (2) Oct., Dec., Feb. (ODF); (3) Feb., Apr., June (FAJ); (4) year-long (YL). Average diameter (37 cm) of plants grazed in JAO and YL to 15-cm stubble was less (P<0.05) than plants (43 cm) grazed to 30 cm. There was no difference in diameter of plants grazed to 15 and 30-cm stubble in ODF and FAJ (45 cm). Tiller density was influenced by stubble height only in 1982 and 1983 when density for the 15 cm stubble averaged 111/m2 vs. 142/m2 for the 30-cm stubble. Tiller density in 1980, 1982, and 1983 was less (P<0.05) in JAO and YL treatments (109/m2) than in ODF and FAJ (167/m2). Forage dry matter yield in 1979-80 and 1982-83 depended on stubble height and seasons. Average yield at 15-cm height was greater for the FAJ treatment (1,700 kg/ha), similar for JAO (910 kg/ha) and ODF (910 kg/ha) and lowest for YL (660 kg/ha), but yield was similar at all seasons (510 kg/ha) at 30-cm stubble. Crude protein and IVOMD were influenced more by grazing time within a season than by seasons or stubble height. Poorest quality forage was at the beginning of the seasons (especially ODF and FAJ treatments). Best quality came from regrowth. Winter or spring grazing resulted in better stands of creeping bluestem than summer or year-long grazing. 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

Language
en
Resource Type
Text
Document Type
Journal Issue/Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
10.2307/3899053
Additional Information
Kalmbacher, R. S., Martin, F. G., & Pitman, W. D. (1986). Effect of grazing stubble height and season on establishment, persistence, and quality of creeping bluestem. Journal of Range Management, 39(3), 223-227.
IISN
0022-409X
OAI Identifier
oai:repository.arizona.edu:10150/645310
Journal Volume
39
Journal Number
3
Journal Pages
223-227
Journal Name
Journal of Range Management
Keywords
seasons
spread
Schizachyrium stoloniferum
grazing time
stubble
Florida
nutrient contents of plants
tillering
grazing intensity
establishment
crop yield
grazing
plant height