. Best management practices for grazing Montana . Grazing; Range management. GRAziNq MANAqEiviENT For tIhe Dormant Season ancJ WInter FeecJ Areas In general, grazing use levels of herbaceous plants during the dormant season (October through April) can be higher than during the growing season without significantly stressing the plants. Consider the following factors when planning dormant grazing use: • Amount of plant cover needed to protect soil resources. It is important to maintain ground cover to decrease the amount of soil exposed to wind and water erosion. • Physical damage to plants if t
. Best management practices for grazing Montana . Grazing; Range management. GRAziNq MANAqEiviENT For tIhe Dormant Season ancJ WInter FeecJ Areas In general, grazing use levels of herbaceous plants during the dormant season (October through April) can be higher than during the growing season without significantly stressing the plants. Consider the following factors when planning dormant grazing use: • Amount of plant cover needed to protect soil resources. It is important to maintain ground cover to decrease the amount of soil exposed to wind and water erosion. • Physical damage to plants if they are grazed too close. The crown ot the plant must remain intact, as that is where the growing points are. If this is removed, the opportunity for the plant to begin growth in the spring is gone. It is also important to maintain enough cover to pre- vent the crown from being frozen, especially if there is not a snow cover to serve as insulation tor the plants. • The amount of plant height and cover needed to trap snow and retain moisture. • Periods of warm weather may break true dormancy and grazing must be managed accordingly. • Targeted grazing use levels during the dormant season should not exceed 65 percent use of current year's growth unless special considerations are given for higher use levels. One caution against higher use is that livestock will often select woody browse when herbaceous plants are dormant, which may lead to over use. Protect deciduous trees and shrubs by limiting grazing access when woody plants have green leaves at the begin- ning or end of the dormant period. • Place feed and mineral sites as far as pos- sible from riparian areas or watercourses. Traditionally, winter feeding areas have been located along streams for a dependable source of water. Development of year-round off- Stream stockwater will reduce trampling damage and buiklup ot manure within the riparian I, ',1/ ^e^ KfitvA^eft^et^ PoA^tCcfci. (KHP^) ^i QiA^^. Please no
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, booksubjectgrazing, booksubjectrangemanagement
