September 19, 2023

Problems of Traditional Grazing Practices

Llewellyn L. Manske PhD Scientist of Rangeland Research Dickinson Research Extension Center 701-456-1118 llewellyn.manske@ndsu.edu

Traditional grazing practices are primarily designed to only provide forage for livestock and not ecosystem functionality, and are antagonistic to rhizosphere organism activity and the internal grass growth mechanisms. Grass lead tillers produce surplus carbohydrates during vegetative growth stages that could supply the needed short chain carbon energy to the rhizosphere microbes.    However, traditional grazing practices inhibit the surplus carbon energy from being exudated through grass roots into the rhizosphere causing the microbe biomass to remain low preventing the transformation of organic nitrogen into mineral nitrogen at threshold quantities at 100 lbs/ac or greater which then prevents the internal grass growth mechanisms from being activated resulting in decreases in grass density and herbage biomass production.    After a few years these losses in productivity are substantial. The deferred-rotation treatment caused a 70.6% decreases in available mineral nitrogen after 35 years. The 6 month seasonlong treatment caused a 41.9% decrease in mineral nitrogen and a 51.2% decrease in rhizosphere volume after 20 years. The 4.5 month seasonlong treatment caused a 27.7% decrease in mineral nitrogen and a 33.7% decrease in rhizosphere volume after 20 years.   For More Information Go To:  https://www.ndsu.edu/agriculture/ag-hub/publications/grazing-handbook

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