Forest grazing can have both positive and negative impacts on vegetation in plantations. While competition between young trees and existing vegetation can hinder growth, controlled grazing by livestock can help in reducing weeds, preparing the site for tree planting, and decreasing the risk of fire. However, potential damages from livestock such as trampling and browsing need to be carefully managed to maintain the balance between vegetation growth and animal grazing.
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A Problem in Plantations: Competition between young seedlings and existing vegetation can reduce growth of young trees. Dense ground vegetation can improve habitat for voles, and other small rodents, which can damage trees. Dense vegetation can increase risk of fire. Grazing could provide a solution... but grazing can also cause damage.
Controlled Grazing... A Potential Solution Heavy livestock grazing can reduce weeds and prepare site before tree planting. Grazing can reduce herbaceous fuels and risk of fire. Grazing can reduce herbaceous vegetation that competes.
Grazing reduces root growth of competing herbaceous plants. Orchard Grass Response 0.5 0.4 0.3 Root Biomass 0.2 0.1 0 0-5 cm 5-10 cm 10-15 cm Soil Depth Ungrazed Grazed
Increased Tree Grows Percent increased Douglas Fir diameter and height growth as a result of livestock grazing. (Reported in Sharrow 1994. Sheep Research Journal) Livestock species Diameter % increase Height % increase Age of stand Source Sheep 8 10 33 Jaindl & Sharrow, 1998 Sheep ---- 27 12 Hendrick & Keniston, 1966 Cattle 31 7 3 Doescher et al., 1989 Sheep 7 5 6 to 8 Sharrow et al., 1989 Cattle 26 18 18 Kruerger & Vavra, 1984 Sheep 22 6 11 Sharrow et al. 1992 Sheep -- 20 10 Cleary, 1978
Potential Damage from Livestock: Trampling by livestock reduced soil infiltration in forests of south-western Wisconsin (Stoeckler 1959) Trampling of seedlings Treatment Vegetation Type Infiltration rate (cm/h) Soil compaction Ungrazed Native Oak Woodlands 19.0 Grazed Native Oak Woodlands 0.1 Ungrazed Scotch Pine 28.0 Grazed Scotch Pine 3.1
Potential Damage from Livestock: Browsing Depends on - Season Livestock species Understory vegetation. Can be severe 30% or more of young trees can suffer browsing damage.
Plantation Grazing Guidelines Effectiveness of prescribed grazing depends on species of tree and understory. Deciduous trees are generally more palatable than evergreens. Evergreens differ in their palatability among species. Understory must contain abundant and palatable forage. Herbaceous forage species can be selected and planted during site prep for tree plantings.
Plantation Grazing Guidelines Palatable herbaceous forage must be available. Depends on species of animal Cattle generally eat more grass than sheep. Cattle generally cause more trampling damage than sheep. Sheep more readily browse deciduous trees than cattle. Goats can be used, but this is difficult because they are browsers. Season When herbaceous forage is available and palatable. Before conifers start bud break.
Plantation Grazing Guidelines If moisture in region is limited... graze before stored moisture is depleted. Animal numbers and distribution must be controlled. Herding and fencing. Careful placement of water, salt, and supplement. Appropriate stocking rate. Consistent monitoring.
Orchard & Vineyard Grazing Lamb in the Vineyards: The Benefits of Targeted Grazing https://youtu.be/C0quSRoBnSk Or, search Lambs in the Vineyards
Orchard & Vineyard Grazing Orchard trees planted in traditional wide-spaced patterns can be grazed. Ground cover must be managed for orchard health and productivity. Excess ground cover competes with trees for water and nutrients. Sheep and goats have been used for centuries to graze understory vegetation. Livestock must be monitored carefully to avoid overgrazing or browsing.
Orchard & Vineyard Grazing The number of animals needed for targeted grazing fluctuates during the growing season. Livestock should be removed when the orchard is wet. May need to remove animals for orchard management and harvest. May be health considerations with fecal material in orchards and vineyards. Livestock can remove fruit that falls to ground.
Literature Referenced Cleary, B.D. 1978. Vegetation management and its importance in reforestation. Oregon State University, Forest Resources Lab., Corvallis. Res. Note 60. 4. Doescher, P.S., S.D. Tesch, and W.E. Drewien. 1989. Water relations and growth of conifer seedlings during three years of cattle grazing on a southwestern Oregon plantation. Northwest Science 63:232-240. Hedrick, D.W. and R.F. Keniston. 1966. Grazing and Douglas-fir growth in the Oregon white-oak type. Journal of Forestry 64:735-738. Jaindl, R.G. and S.H. Sharrow. 1988. Oak/Douglas-fir/sheep: A three-crop silvopastoral system. Agroforestry Systems 6:147-152. Krueger, W.C. and M. Vavra. 1984. Twentieth year results from a plantation grazing study. 20-24. IN: Research in rangeland management. Oregon Agriculture Experimental Station Special Report 715. p. 20-24 Sharrow, S.H., W.C. Leininger, and B. Rhodes. 1989. Sheep grazing as a silvicultural tool to suppress brush. Journal of Range Management 42:2-4. Sharrow, S.H., W.C. Leininger, and K.A. Osman. 1992. Sheep grazing effects on coastal Douglas-fir forest growth: A ten-year perspective. Forest Ecology and Management 50:75-84. Sharrow, S. H. 1994. Sheep as a silvicultural management tool in temperature conifer forest. Sheep research journal. Special Issue pp. 97 104 Stoeckler, J.H. 1959. Trampling by livestock drastically reduces infiltration rate of soil in oak and pine woods in southwestern Wisconsin. USDA For. Serv., Lake State Forest. Exp. Sm. Tech. Note 55
