Steer and Vegetation Response to Short Duration and Continuous Grazing

Comparisons were made over a 4-year period between 1-herd, 16-pasture short duration grazing (SDG) and continuous grazing (CG) on the Texas High Plains. Animal performance, vegetation response, and diet quality were evaluated. Stocking rate on SDG was equal to that on CG the first year (13.3 ha/AU), double that on CG in the second year, and 1.5 times that on CG the third and fourth years. Average daily gain (ADG) of steers was the same (0.33 kg/day) between SDG and CG the first year. When stocking was doubled on SDG the second year, steers on SDG gained 0.15 kg/day compared to 0.25 kg/day under CG. In the third and fourth years, with stocking under SDG at 1.5 times that on CG, gains were similar. Standing crop biomass on SDG fell below that on CG after 1 year of grazing. In the second year standing crop was greater (P0.05) between CG and SDG were observed for dietary crude protein or in vitro digestible organic matter. SDG did not improve animal performance, diet quality, or forage availability over CG when evaluated over 4 years.This material was digitized as part of a cooperative project between the Society for Range Management and the University of Arizona Libraries.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 202