KEY GRAZING CONSIDERATIONS ON RIPARIAN AREAS

Recovery RatesNon-Functional

OK Mabel, you hit the woodies, Betty trample the streambanks, and Ethel bomb the water!

Bison

Chart1

1136

2.54

6823

930

65

231

use

% cover

Range Type

percent

Sheet1

use% cover

Breaks1136

Riparian2.54

grassland6823

hilly930

sagebrush65

dog towns231

Sheet2

Sheet3

Cattle

Grazing systems for riparian areas must generallyLimit grazing intensity and season of use to provide sufficient rest to encourage plant vigor, regrowth, and energy storage;Ensure sufficient vegetation is left during periods of high flow to protect streambanks, dissipate energy, and trap sediments, and;Control the timing of grazing to prevent damage to streambanks when they are most vulnerable to trampling.

Other factors to consider when designing a grazing strategy include:Stocking rates & utilization levelsType(s) of streamPost-grazing regrowth and residual cover (especially prior to high flows)Duration of treatments by season (length of time in a pasture regardless of use)Topography of the ranch and riparian areasEconomic feasibility and practicalityWildlife requirements

Average Days Duration of Hot Season (7/1 - 9/15) Grazing TreatmentsSuccessful SystemsUnsuccessful Systems12.5 days 33.4 days+ 10.5+ 10.4

Average Days Duration of Grazing TreatmentsSuccessful SystemsUnsuccessful Systems28.2 days 59.3 days+ 3.7+ 8.1

Riparian Forage ResponseCattle, elk, bison regraze same plant every 7-9 daysPlant reserves adequate for 4-7 daysAfter 7-9 days PSN must kick-in

Riparian Forage ResponseGrazed 30-40%(8hd/ac; 4-6 days)Rested for 60 daysRemove another 40%

Riparian Forage ResponseGrazing season shiftedJune to NovemberJuly to Oct20-25 day grazing periodRecovery possible without killing frostPositive responseBig game and beaver

Number of reaches (polygons) used during each grazing length categoryLength of Grazing PeriodNo. of Reaches

No more than 8 days12Between 9 and 21 days 8Between 22 and 35 days13Between 36 and 45 days14More than 45 days (late Apr-late Dec)13More than 45 days (late Dec-late Apr)11

KGC-27

KGC-28

KGC-29

Figure 5. Average Daily Gain of Calves for the Summer Grazing Season

2.4

2.9

1.9

1.4

0.9

0.4

Pasture DesignInclude as much of a stream as possible.Small stream sections and small riparian areas (springs, seeps) in large pastures cannot be effectively managed.Exclusion fencing is often most practical and economical for small areas.KGC-30

Pasture DesignCenter streams in pasture where possible.Dont use streams as a division line if possible (if so fence one or both sides with water gaps to stream if needed).Have multiple access to pastures that can be rotated to avoid habitual use patterns.Dont plan pasture access along streams if possible (make them find the stream after turn in).KGC-31

KGC-32

Key Grazing Considerations on Riparian Areas by Steve Leonard, Cowdance Consulting.Generalized recovery Rates for Non-functional riparian areas. Illustrates that you cant predict what vegetation type will recover first. Lower Dixie Creek, River Allotment, 1989, Nevada. Historical information indicated willow lined community. So set goal for willow establishment.

Lower Dixie Creek, River Allotment, 1994. Narrowed channel with rushes and willows. Goal wasnt met? Good vegetation though.

Lower Dixie Creek, 1989, Emmigrant Springs Allotment. So knew that with a change in management that sedge/rush would establish.

Lower Dixie Creek, Emmigrant Springs, 1995. Early on-early off grazing. This was with the same grazing system as the River Allotment but the timing was one growing season different. Dont be so specific on what plant communities will come back in. Willows have a very specific timeframe to germinate and require good moisture that stays long enough for the roots to develop and follow a receding water table.

Mabel: Many people want to make cattle the scapegoat for riparian area degradation. Cattle dont intentionally decide to degrade riparian areas. We need to look at management changes and implementing facilitating practices.

Lower Dixie Creek, Nevada. It wasn't too long ago that many folks thought that livestock exclusion was the only alternative. Is this grazed on the left and excluded on the right? This is grazed on both sides.

Will total exclusion heal faster? Bear Creek in 3 mile exclusion just above Nelsons allotment, 1977-98.Nelson allotment, 1977-98. Grazed 6 of 10 years. Exclusion didnt work well on those years that it was supposed to be excluded. Properly grazed portion looks better than excluded site. Results indicate a difference in site capability and potential.Bear Creek, August 1977. Streamside vegetation shows little diversity, streambanks are actively eroding, sediment in water is high during high flows and during the summer, stream flow is intermittent.

Conditions in 1976:75 AUMsApril to September grazing season200 pounds of forage per acre3.8 acres of riparian area per mile creek = 1 mile of creek to support 1 cow for 1 month (at 800 pounds / AUM)water storage in riparian area about 500,000 gallons per mileflows often intermittentTreatments:Partially rested 1976- 1978Grazed for 1 week in September 1979 & 80Full rest 1981- 1984Divided into 3 pastures 1985

Grazing season changed from season long to late winter / early spring (mid- Feb. to mid- April) using 3 pasture rotationBear Creek, October 1988. The channel is fully recovered from a 1987 flood and the floodplain is over two feet higher than in 1976. This means an increase in surrounding vegetation.

Percent use by bison on riparian areas is relatively low.Cattle spend more time grazing and resting in the riparian area versus the upland. Grazing "systems" for riparian areas must generally:Limit grazing intensity and season of use to provide sufficient rest to encourage plant vigor, regrowth, and energy storage;Ensure sufficient vegetation is left during periods of high flow to protect streambanks, dissipate energy, and trap sediment.Control the timing of grazing to prevent damage to streambanks when they are most vulnerable to trampling. Trampling effect on silt/clay substrate with 25% use detrimental as compared to a 70% use of cobble soils.

Other factors to consider when designing a grazing strategy include:Stocking rates and utilization levelsType(s) of streamPost-grazing regrowth and residual cover (especially prior to high flows)Duration of treatments by season (length of time in a pasture regardless of use. Make sure pasture is clean of livestock.)Topography of the ranch and riparian areaEconomic feasibility and practicalityWildlife requirementsStocking rates in most, but not all, areas is not the problem. Reducing stocking rates simply changes the utilization patterns, just not on as big a scale. Try to set utilization standards. What is the amount we always heard to use? Take , leave (50-50). Does this always work?

Streambank with 25% utilization and already seeing bank damage. Streambank with 50% utilization shows obvious effects from trampling and grazing.

Streambank with 60%+ utilization showing no effects from grazing and trampling because of a change in soils.

Management Stress/Natural Stress. Emphasize economic feasibility and practicality. Adjust your thinking of what is appropriate utilization to the stream type capability.

Look at what is left instead of what is gone. Fred Hall suggests that grazing from 3 down to on the most preferred species will cause damage to those preferred species for bank stability.

Fitzhugh Creek shows little regrowth opportunities, but

With a change in management, the amount of regrowth will allow recovery to proceed.Average number of days of hot season grazing treatments successful vs. unsuccessful hot season use. Thirty days of hot season use is too long to maintain healthy riparian systems.

The average number of days of all grazing systems successful vs. unsuccessful treatments all season. Sixty days use of riparian areas may be too long to sustain a healthy system. Riparian Forage Response

Cattle, elk, bison regraze same plant every 7-9 daysPlant reserves adequate for 4-7 daysAfter 7-9 days PSN must kick-inPSN = photosynthesisRiparian Forage Response

Grazed 30-40%(8hd/ac; 4-6 days)Rested for 60 daysRemove another 40%Riparian Forage Response

Grazing season shiftedJune to NovemberJuly to Oct20-25 day grazing periodRecovery possible without killing frostPositive responseBig game and beaverNumber of reaches (polygons) used during each grazing length categoryLook at elevation changes of pastures before developing rotation systems.Length of Grazing PeriodNo. of ReachesNo more than 8 days12Between 9 and 21 days 8Between 22 and 35 days13Between 36 and 45 days14More than 45 days (late Apr-late Dec)13More than 45 days (late Dec-late Apr)11Longer grazing periods (>30 days) can be successful, but generally in conjunction with other management practices (such as offsite water, supplements or herding).

Livestock distribution is affected by the topography of the ranch and riparian areas. For example, Beaver Creek has gentle terrain.

The Trout Creek Mountains has steep terrain. Livestock expend more energy to reach forage on steeper terrain.

Yearling and Calf Gain season long use. 2.2 lbs./day. Make things practical and feasible to make it worthwhile for the producer. The greatest proportion (~2/3) of gain is done by the end of June. Rates of gain have really dropped off through October.

Average daily gain is bumped up with one more move. Nutrient status is pretty low by that time but forage intake is up, with moderate use.Pasture DesignInclude as much of a stream as possible.Small stream sections and small riparian areas (springs, seeps) in large pastures cannot be effectively managed.Exclusion fencing is often most practical and economical for small areas. Pasture DesignCenter streams in pasture where possible.Dont use streams as a division line if possible (if so, fence one or both sides with water gaps to stream if needed).Have multiple access routes to pastures that can be rotated to avoid habitual use patterns.Dont plan pasture access along streams if possible (make them find the stream after turn in).

Interactive effects of water and thermal foci as they affect energy maintenance and intake of ruminant animals. TNZ is the thermoregulation zone.