Changes in vegetation were measured over six years in pastures exposed to different grazing systems and stocking rates on the Edwards Plateau of Texas. In general the moderate continuously grazed pasture had greater total cover and a higher percentage of midgrass species compared to the pastures that became dominated by shortgrass species under heavy continuous or rotational grazing management. Midgrass species also increased in a livestock exclosure that was created during the study, indicating that grazing pressure was causing the changes in species composition among treatments. Based on these results the authors do not recommend the use of continuous heavy grazing or short-duration grazing in the Edwards Plateau area because the intense utilization reduces vegetative cover and the percentage of desirable midgrass species.
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