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Using a grazing pressure index to predict cattle damage of regenerating tree seedlings
Author
Pitt, M. D.
Newman, R. F.
Youwe, P. L.
Wikeen, B. M.
Quinton, D. A.
Publisher
Society for Range Management
Publication Year
1998-07-01
Body

This research investigated the potential for using cattle grazing pressure (AU Mg-1 ha-1) and stocking rate (Animal Unit Days ha-1) for predicting basal scarring and browsing of lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta Dougl.) seedlings on cutblocks in southern British Columbia from 1989 to 1992. Cattle browsing on lodgepole pine seedlings occurred almost exclusively during the first 2 years of grazing. Browsing increased (P < 0.05; r2=0.71) with increasing stocking rate only during the first year of grazing. Browsing increased with increasing grazing pressure in 1989 (P < 0.05; r2= 0.38) and 1990 (P < 0.05; r2 = 0.39). Basal scarring peaked during the second year of grazing, but was correlated (P < 0.05; r2 = 0.79) with stocking rate only during the first year of grazing. Increasing grazing pressure was associated with higher (P < 0.05) basal scarring during all 4 years of the study, and likely better predicts trampling damage than does stocking rate, particularly during the first year of grazing. Basal scarring during 1989 generally increased to > 10% of sample trees when grazing pressure exceeded 12.0 AU Mg-1 ha-1. This threshold grazing pressure value of 12.0 AU Mg-1 ha-1, however, cannot likely be extrapolated directly to other sites. Grazing pressure values and associated basal scarring are unquestionably influenced by many factors (e.g., pasture size, kind of grazing animal, forage species, tree height, water availability, topography, and weather patterns during the grazing period). Nonetheless, our work provides evidence that grazing pressure provides a useful index for predicting the potential for trampling damage of lodgepole pine seedlings by cattle. 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)
10.2307/4003326
Additional Information
Pitt, M. D., Newman, R. F., Youwe, P. L., Wikeen, B. M., & Quinton, D. A. (1998). Using a grazing pressure index to predict cattle damage of regenerating tree seedlings. Journal of Range Management, 51(4), 417-422.
ISSN
0022-409X
OAI Identifier
oai:repository.arizona.edu:10150/644190
Journal Volume
51
Journal Number
4
Journal Pages
417-422
Collection
Rangeland Ecology & Management (REM)
Journal Name
Journal of Range Management
Keywords
silvopastoral systems
British Columbia
Pinus contorta
seedlings
stocking rate
grazing intensity
browsing damage
cattle
trampling