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LIVESTOCK USE OF WOODLANDS Alabama State Technical Committee Meeting August 22, 2012

LIVESTOCK USE OF WOODLANDS Alabama State Technical Committee Meeting August 22, 2012. EXPERIENCES WITH WOODLAND GRAZING. AS AN OUTREACH EFFORT TO LIMITED RESOURCE PRODUCERS AND OTHERS NRCS OFFERED FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE THROUGH EQIP IN IMPLEMENTING WOODLAND GRAZING PRIMARILY WITH GOATS

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LIVESTOCK USE OF WOODLANDS Alabama State Technical Committee Meeting August 22, 2012

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  1. LIVESTOCK USE OF WOODLANDSAlabama State Technical Committee MeetingAugust 22, 2012

  2. EXPERIENCES WITH WOODLAND GRAZING • AS AN OUTREACH EFFORT TO LIMITED RESOURCE PRODUCERS AND OTHERS NRCS OFFERED FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE THROUGH EQIP IN IMPLEMENTING WOODLAND GRAZING PRIMARILY WITH GOATS • BASIC GUIDANCE ON AVAILABLE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE AND PLANNING WAS PREPARED IN THE VERY SHORT WINDOW OF TIME • NRCS CONDUCTED STATE-WIDE TRAINING TO EMPLOYEES ON SMALL RUMINANTS WITH DR. ANN WELLS, DR. SANDRA SOLAIMAN AND MR. MICHAEL HALL.

  3. EXPERIENCES WITH WOODLAND GRAZING • NRCS CONTINUES TO SEEK GUIDANCE ON BETTER WAYS TO ASSIST LAND USERS IN THE MANAGEMENT OF WOODLAND GRAZING AND DEVELOPING CONSERVATION PRACTICE STANDARDS AND GUIDE SHEETS • RECENT FIELD REVIEWS HAVE DEMONSTRATED NRCS NEEDS ADDITIONAL TRAINING AND GUIDANCE TO EFFECTIVELY PROVIDE ASSISTANCE IN THIS AREA • IT ALSO REVEALS LAND USERS NEED MORE TRAINING

  4. EXPERIENCES WITH WOODLAND GRAZING • INITIALLY OUR GUIDANCE FOLLOWED OUR EXISTING PRESCRIBED GRAZING PRACTICE (528) • LIMITS GRAZING PERIODS TO LESS THAN 15 CONSECUTIVE DAYS WHILE PROVIDING SIGNIFICANT PERIODS OF REST FOR PADDOCKS • FORAGE AND ANIMAL BALANCE WORKSHEETS HAVE NOT BEEN DONE FOR WOODLAND SITES • DRY MATTER AVAILABILITY REQUIRES APPROPRIATE SAMPLING PROCESS • PUBLISHED PRODUCTION INFORMATION HAS NOT BEEN FOUND • BROWSE AVAILABILITY AT EACH SITE IS USUALLY DIFFERENT BECAUSE OF • TYPE (SHRUB, GRASS, FORBS, VINES, TREES) • DENSITY • AVAILABILITY (TIME OF YEAR, HEIGHT) • SPECIES • SHADING • FOREST MANAGEMENT

  5. EXPERIENCES WITH WOODLAND GRAZING • PLANNING • < 15 CONSECUTIVE DAYS OF GRAZING • ROTATION COULD BE SOONER WHEN 50% OF DESIRABLE BROWSE REMOVED • ROTATION WAS TO OTHER WOODLOTS OR PASTURES • MONITORING WAS REQUIRED TO LIMIT OVER-BROWSING • RESTING WAS REQUIRED TO ENSURE SURVIVAL OF BROWSE AND PROMOTE A SUSTAINABLE SYSTEM • THE CREATION OF OPENINGS MAY BE NEEDED ON SOME SITES TO ALLOW SUNLIGHT TO REACH THE FOREST FLOOR • STOCKING WAS LIMITED TO 2-3 GOATS PER ACRE

  6. EXPERIENCES WITH WOODLAND GRAZING

  7. OTHER WOODLAND GRAZING INTERESTS

  8. KEYS TO MAKING WOODLAND GRAZING SUSTAINABLE Management is key when ruminants browse woodland. Woodland sites MUST have adequate openings to allow sunlight to reach forest floor. They should have greater than 50 percent openings and have a mixture of grasses, forbs, shrubs and trees within the openings to provide browse. Rotational stocking should start at 2 – 3 goats per acre. Grazing periods should be short, < 15 consecutive days. Rotate livestock when about 5O% of preferred browse has been removed. Grazed woodlands should rest 60 days or longer. Use woodlands for limit-grazing to provide desired browse and beneficial tannins when availability is limited. Many woodlots are not suitable for browsing in a sustainable manner. Woodland grazing should be used to supplement the grassed-based grazing system.

  9. LIVESTOCK USE OF WOODLANDS ARE WE HELPING TO SOLVE A RESOURCE CONCERN OR ARE WE CREATING RESOURCE CONCERNS?

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