In this study, the vegetative response to continuous grazing was compared to rotational grazing, under different stocking rates (low, medium, and high), in a crested wheatgrass pasture over 4 years. Crested wheatgrass tillers increased under rotational grazing at low stocking rates; while under high stocking rates, tiller densities were similar to continuous grazing, but standing crop of crested wheatgrass was lowest. The density of small sagebrush plants also increased in the rotational grazing pasture with the high stocking rate, possibly due to the increased defoliation of the crested wheatgrass and the increase in water available to sagebrush seedlings. Angell recommends using rotational grazing in crested wheatgrass pastures under low stocking densities, but not with high stocking rates, due to the risk of sagebrush encroachment. However, Angell also notes that precipitation varied greatly during this 4-year study and this may have affected the results.
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