Enhancing Grass Production and Diversity Rotational grazing and resting strategies with moderate grazing pressure have the potential to enhance grass productivity and biodiversity and improve degraded watersheds. Coping With Drought By providing a drought forage reserve within a rotational grazing system, ranchers can avoid selling the core breeding herd or decrease reliance on purchased feed during droughts. This strategy reduces or eliminates capital expenditure and improves economic stability. We propose to burn deferred pastures to reduce brush in adequate rainfall years or use these pastures as a forage reserve in dry years. Enhancing Wildlife Habitat Wildlife habitat must meet specific food, cover, water, and space requirements.
Many wildlife species require a mosaic of woody and grassland vegetation.
Both fire and rotational grazing management have the potential to create a variety of wildlife habitats. Wildlife have specific habitat requirements. Assessing Economics Landowners must make a profit to stay on the land, yet society increasingly demands agricultural products at less risk to health and the environment. Economic and environmental costs and benefits of proposed management strategies will be assessed. Solutions for the Rolling Plains To determine the best management strategy to achieve these objectives, Texas Agricultural Exper-iment Station scientists will compare strategies at the Y Experimental Ranch and at the Kite Camp of the Waggoner Ranch.