Patch-burning Improves Forage Nutritive Value and Livestock Performance over Rotational and Continuous Grazing Strategies
Abstract
Rangelands simultaneously support livestock production while maintaining ecosystem functionality. Patch-burning is a grazing management strategy with benefits for wildlife habitat and conservation. However, previous work pertaining to livestock has not examined potential benefits to livestock production. We assessed forage nutritive value, and cattle performance on patch-burning compared to continuous and rotational grazing. We also examined how prescribed fire alters forage mineral content through time since patch-burning. The recently burned patch had better forage nutritive value than patches with longer time since fire and no fire grazing methods, meeting the highest proportion of cow requirements. In 2017, a mild-drought year, cows performed better on patch-burned pastures. Without the mild-drought year, patch-burn cattle performance was similar to continuous, but better than rotational grazing. Mineral content varied seasonally, but was greater in recently burned patches than other patches. Our results indicate patch-burning can benefit livestock production while working to achieve rangeland conservation goals.