Habitat restoration with the use of Prescribed Fire may decrease Smutgrass vigor while enhancing nutritive value to cattle. Smutgrass (Sporabolus indicus) is an invasive in Florida sandy soils. Smutgrass becomes non-palatable with maturity. This weed is prevalent in central and south Florida where temperatures seldom drop below freezing and hard frost events are infrequent. Cattle avoid grazing smutgrass after the emergence of seed stalks and when leaves become tough. However, young smutgrass growth is palatable to cattle and nutritious. High stocking densities in combination with severe defolation have proven deletious for the grass. This study evaluated the use of increased stock density and rotational grazing management for three years following a one-time defoliation by mowing or burning smutgrass infested pastures.
Oral presentation and poster titles, abstracts, and authors from the Society for Range Management (SRM) Annual Meetings and Tradeshows, from 2013 forward.