Tara Cook

Document Type

Thesis - University Access Only

Award Date

2008

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department / School

Animal Science

Abstract

Patch-bum grazing systems have been recognized as a successful livestock management tool in the southern tallgrass prairie. Previous studies have found that livestock have similar weight gains on patch-bum grazing systems as they do in traditional, continuously grazed management systems. Patch-bum grazing has additional benefits for wildlife however. Patch-bum grazing promotes diversity of plant species since grasses are heavily grazed after a fire allowing forbs to become dominant. Patchbum grazing also creates heterogeneity in habitat structure which is beneficial to wildlife. Even though patch-bum grazing systems are recognized as beneficial management tools in the southern tallgrass prairie, little is known about patch-bum grazing systems in the northern tallgrass prairie. This study was conducted to evaluate patch-bum grazing systems in the northern tallgrass prairie. The objective of this study was to compare patch-bum gi-azing systems and continuous graze systems in the northern tallgrass prairie. Two research sites located in north-eastern South Dakota were selected for this study. During the summer of 2006, species presence/absence data was collected to get baseline data. Prescribed bums were conducted in the spring of 2007 and 2008. Species presence/absence data was collected again during the summers of 2007 and 2008 as well as percent cover of functional groups of vegetation and visual obstruction measurements. Visual obstruction results confirmed that patch-bum grazing systems did create heterogeneity in vegetation structure while continuous graze systems did not. Results on species composition were vague for this study. The patch-bum graze system decreased the cover of litter and increased the cover of bare ground on burned locations during one year of the study while the continuous graze system showed no changes. The patch-bum graze system also decreased the cover of introduced grass on burned locations during one year of the study while the continuous graze system showed no changes. Overall, a major decrease in grass dominance and an increase in forb dominance following a fire on the patch-bum graze system was not seen in this study as it is in the southern tallgrass prairie. Thus, patch-bum grazing systems were found to significantly lower visual obstruction on burned locations but were not found to have major effects on species composition when compared to a continuous graze system. Further research is suggested to determine if species composition changes over a greater period of time.

Library of Congress Subject Headings

Grazing

Grasslands -- South Dakota

Range management

Format

application/pdf

Number of Pages

102

Publisher

South Dakota State University

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