This series of photos shows (left) a one-paddock continuous graze situation, (middle) three paddocks set up, and (bottom) a 12 paddock set-up. Note the increased health of the land with increased paddocks allowing for greater management of animal and increased recovery periods.
ranch staff in monitoring so they could do the baseline monitoring in 1981. In 1986, there was a 5-8% increase in herbaceous cover and an increase in the diameter of grasses, except for the areas that were being grazed during the growing season. That is why Deseret does not graze almost a third of its land every growing season, providing adequate recovery for those grasses. Sagebrush is a different story. Rick notes, “If you rest sagebrush, you get more of it. If you graze sagebrush, you get more of it.” So the DLL leases 1,000 sheep in October-December and in three weeks they graze 50-100 acres (20-40 ha). Stock density can be as much as 1,000 sheep on two-five acres (.8-2 ha) for two to three days. They have been putting ewes there prior to breeding but may choose to continue treating land during breeding season. The sheep are put on the sagebrush at this time of year when the terpenes of the sagebrush are down in the roots and the sheep can browse it more heavily. Animal impact and herd effect are increased by placement of protein supplements that balance the terpenes ingested. Supplementation also includes corn. Each animal receives 1/2-pound (1/4 kg) of supplements over the two-three days they are in the area. Total cost of treatment for herders and supplements averages about $25/acre ($62.50/ha). Ranch staff also uses some herbicide and fire to pressure the sagebrush further to create mosaics and edge effect. The herbicide they selected was Spike which they were told only kills sagebrush. They also have bitter brush and want to keep that. The Spike is mixed with clay pellets and then spread from a plane. Using Spike adds an additional $25/acre cost. Using mechanical (approximately $35/acre) or fire treatment (approximately $5/acre) can mean additional costs, and if federal money is used, an archeological survey alone can cost $20/acre. Rick says that where they did no sagebrush treatment, there was a sagebrush encroachment of 5% more sagebrush over a 25 year period. Likewise there was no species diversity. Where there were treatments there was a reduction of 75-90% of the sagebrush, thus allowing for other species. All of these treatments came through the range cost center which was paid for through the wildlife and cattle departments. The results of these treatments in terms of forage production were significant. What had been 600-800 pounds/acre (675 –900 kg/ha) of shrub production and 200-300 pounds/acre (225-338 kg/ha) of herbaceous matter (grass and forbs) per year annual growth was now the opposite. After treatment there was 600-800 pounds/acre (675 –900 kg/ha) of herbaceous matter and only 200-300 pounds/acre (225-338 kg/ha) shrubs. Ranch staff treats (includes all different treatments) approximately 1-2% of its landbase each year to shift
the succession away from the sagebrush dominance. Historically fire only burned through the ranch at the same rate as the ranch staff is treating this land base, once every 50-100 years, so the DLL works to mimic nature in this way. That diversity of plants is the key to DLL’s range management. Rick notes, “I think we have this idea that perennial grasses are so good and what we need to manage for exclusively. We forget to really appreciate how good annuals are as well. You need the mix. For example, we have exclosures that are 20 years old that nothing can get into bigger than a mouse. In there you see a few perennial bunch grasses with dead centers, sagebrush and some other woody forbs, and capped soils with huge cracks. “We also have exclosures that only keep the cattle out but large wildlife CONTINUED ON PAGE 14
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