Grazing Management

Lonesome May Not be Lonesome for Long

/ Rangelands and Ranching: A Study of Proper Use of Rangelands & the Environment by Frank S Price / 1 Comment

A lonesome survivor from the past has shown itself after a grubbing program focused on a dense cedar area. The Big Bluestem plant has most likely been ‘hiding’ within the heavy cover of cedar for a very long time, as the continuous grazing program had been in place for perhaps 150 years and no sign of Big Blue could be found on the open areas that cattle could get too. Within the past 3 years this grazing program has been abandoned, and a long rest-recovery short graze regime has been put in place.

There is little doubt, if the continuous graze program was still in place, even with the one-time 90-day deferment as prescribed with an EQIP brush management program. This lonesome Big Blue would soon perish because of grazing pressure and lack of continuing recovery on a planned basis. Being the highly preferred grazing plant that it is, even under light grazing cattle would continuously return to the area and graze it off after very little growth, preventing the root system from recovering after sending stored energy to promote new leaf growth, thus resulting in yet another dead-lost highly preferred plant.

Since Big Blue is a rhizomatous plant, new plants will soon show themselves to join ‘lonesome’ in nature’s planned recovery program. Yes, seedlings will also appear, but the process of Big Blue growing new plants from seed is a slow process that can take a few years to make a strong showing. Alternatively, those new plants coming from the rhizomes of ‘lonesome’ will quickly show promising results, provided that the focused graze-rest program is adhered to. Look closely at the base of the Big Blue in the first picture, rhizomes are already producing new growth that should increase the size of the plant rapidly.

Way to go Mother Nature and thanks to the Lord for providing ‘Nature’ with the tools to provide healthy robust grazing lands.

THE BETTER IT GETS, THE FASTER IT GETS BETTER

A tall grass growing among dry branches and sparse vegetation on a sunny day, with a clear blue sky in the background.
A close-up of tall grass with a blue sky in the background, featuring green and yellowish stalks and fine flower heads.

Soil Erosion is Unacceptable

/ Rangelands and Ranching: A Study of Proper Use of Rangelands & the Environment by Frank S Price / Leave a comment

Soil erosion is a large player in degraded rangelands. The loss of soil results in loss of fertility as the topsoil is the heart of the stored carbon and active growth of the perhaps millions or trillions of microorganisms, earthworms, protozoa, nematodes, the list goes on, that build and maintain the rangeland. Once that soil is lost, nature must start its process over and that can take a very long time to get back to its original state, perhaps it never will. The next net destruction of erosion is the lost soil goes downstream and fills the lakes and reservoirs with silt, reducing the amount of water available for human use and the shallow water storage of the reservoir makes evaporation an even greater loss of water.

The photo below shows how far erosion can go. The circled area is where soil around the mesquite tree was when the seed germinated. To the right of the circle are what some would call limbs but are only bare roots that were exposed by erosion, some five feet of lost soil. (Observe the roots as they turn down going into the remaining soil)

With the advent of an effective grazing program, when the grasses have been allowed to reestablish providing soil stability, the process has been reversed. No expensive terraces-diversions have been put in place, only an effective grazing program and a secondary utilization of a brush management program. Keep in mind that the brush management should always follow the continuing-effective grazing program, as without proper grazing the erosion issue will not be resolved. No reseeding has taken place, only the native seed bank has been utilized.

Isn’t Nature an awesome process that can rebuild what we humans have destroyed. All she asks of us is to figure out what we did wrong to disrupt her amazing work. When we correct the cause (Poor grazing practices-management) she will do the rest. This natural recovery of rangelands requires patience; This site has been under a structured grazing program for more than 30 years. Yes, the techniques have changed as the managers’ knowledge of grazing is a continual learning process, but worth every moment of time and effort.

                                     THE BETTER IT GETS, THE FASTER IT GETS BETTER

A close-up view of a grassy area with a bush and some dry branches in a natural landscape.

Screwworm Outbreak and the Use of Insect-Parasite Control Products

/ Rangelands and Ranching: A Study of Proper Use of Rangelands & the Environment by Frank S Price / Leave a comment

The current screwworm outbreak can likely be contained and pushed back to Panama through sterile fly releases, much like the successful eradication effort of the 1960s. That program remains one of the most effective biological control efforts ever carried out. While today’s infestation differs in several ways, the same approach should still lead to successful control.

One important change since the earlier infestation problem is the availability of more effective anthelmintics and insecticides for treating and perhaps preventing infected animals. In the past, “worm dope” worked mainly by direct contact with the worm and often required repeated applications. Today, treatment is generally closer to a single application followed by careful observation. The greater challenge is finding and identifying infected animals in the first place.

These modern products should be used carefully, because overuse may ultimately cause more long-term damage than the screwworm itself. Excessive mass preventive treatment can drive parasite resistance and leave livestock and wildlife more vulnerable to internal parasites, flies, lice, ticks, and other pests. Over time, parasites can become harder to control, while animals may lose some of their natural genetic resistance to infection-infestation. This risk applies not only to screwworms, but also to many other parasites and insect pests.

Adding feed-grade ivermectin and other very effective products to a wildlife-livestock feeding program may seem like an easy solution. Some argue that wildlife value justifies the cost, but over time this practice could create a net loss for both wildlife and livestock operations.

The time has passed for trying to “kill all the bad guys”—insects, bacteria, nematodes, viruses, and others—at the expense of beneficial organisms. In fact, when studied closely many of the ‘bad guys’ have a place in Natures realm of treasures. (When referring to Nature with a capital N, I am referring to the Lord’s work.) Many grazers have found that routine worming of cattle and sheep, along with treatments for flies, grubs, and lice, is not always needed or even necessary within an effective controlled grazing program. Avoiding unnecessary treatments can improve soil and animal health while helping restore the natural biota that once characterized the New World and its rangelands. Not to mention the cost savings of not applying those added controls, thinking through and applying the ‘whole’ to the ranching program is essential.

Management decisions should be based not only on current conditions, but also on long-term consequences.

THE BETTER IT GETS, THE FASTER IT GETS BETTER

Recently controlled White Brush – Mesquite. Southwest Bristle Grass response has been amazing. Hard to visualize from picture, but livestock and wildlife will have a difficult time getting to it as it is tucked tightly within the dead ‘it is hoped’ white brush. How long it will take for dead white brush to deteriorate is subject to observation.