Root and Vigor Response of Big Bluestem to Summer Grazing Strategies

Warm-season grasses e.g., big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii Vitman) are great potential sources of summer forage in eastern Nebraska. Frequent, intensive defoliation can reduce root mass and limit root distribution. Quantifying root structure response to multiple defoliation events in a grazing situation is critical to develop management plans for these types of grasses. This experiment aimed to quantify the cumulative effects of timing and frequency of grazing on root structure and organic reserve estimates in big bluestem pastures