Economic Comparison of Honey Mesquite Control Methods with Special Reference to the Texas Rolling Plains

Abstract

Although economic responses to honey mesquite control varied considerably within and among resource regions in Texas, aerial applications of herbicides generally produced higher annual rates of return on the investment than did mechanical alternatives. Statewide, aerial applications of 2,4,5-T produced the greatest annual rates of return, averaging 15.7% for deep range sites and 11.0% for shallow range sites for projected livestock responses when cattle prices were estimated to average %0.97/kg (%44.00/cwt, 1978 dollars). Statewide, annual rates of return from aerial application of herbicides for honey mesquite control on shallow sites (statewide) varied from-8.3% to l&l%, based on the ! §0.97/kg livestock price. When cattle prices were varied from $O.S2/kg (%37.00/cwt) to $l.O5/kg (%47SO/cwt), annual rates of return from aerial application of 2,4,5-T to deep sites on the Rolling Plains and Rolling Red Plains of Texas ranged from 9.6% to 17.9%. Chaining of honey mesquite on deep sites of the Rolling Plains and Rolling Red Plains proiluced rates of return from 7.1% to 12.5%. While the economic feasibility of herbicides in general was determined to be greater than that from the use of mechanical practices, rates of return from herbicides are more price sensitive than mechanical treatments. Over the 20-year planning period, tame pastures in the Rolling Plains produced the greastest accumulated net present value ($/ha) when the annual interest rate charged to the added investment was 5% or less. When the annual interest rate was 7% or 9%, the net present values of herbicide treatments exceeded those of the mechanical methods. The Texas range livestock industry faces perennial economic problems because of unstable markets, inevitable drought, increasing taxes, livestock losses from predators and poisonous plants, and rising production costs. Economic pressures have forced many ranch firms to increase breeding herd numbers and reduce fixed costs to increase profit potential. However, most ranchers have limited means for increasing land holdings by purchase or lease because of the limited availability of lands and the relatively low

Herbicide Effects on Vegetation Spatial Patterns in a Mesquite Savanna

“…The significant differences found between non-treated areas and areas of up to 22 years post-treatment indicate considerable longevity of the herbicide treatments. This agrees with estimates of treatment longevity of at least 20 years used in studies of the economics of brush control in this region of Texas (Whitson and Scifres 1981). Differing spatial attributes were most pronounced between the nontreated and the WPM plots, indicating a greater impact of WPM than AGM herbicides on woody vegetation amount and spatial pattern.…”

An Economic Comparison of Prescribed Extreme Fire and Alternative Methods for Managing Invasive Brush Species in Texas: a Modeling Approach

“…The cost of using herbicides alone to manage mesquite can be high because repeated applications at about two year intervals are necessary to achieve significant mortality [15]. By contrast, aerial application of herbicide resulted in higher returns to investment in treatments than mechanical methods [19]. The effectiveness of using prescribed fire for treating mesquite has been substantially researched [20].…”

Journal of Range Management, Volume 56, Number 6 (November 2003)

“…In addition to differences in percent cover, the spatial pattern of mesquite following treatment, which can influence the level of competition between mesquite and herbaceous species, has direct implications for production in the herbaceous layer. Spatial patterns of mesquite, such as patch density, size, and arrangement may influence animal movement and foraging behavior (Etzenhouser et al 1998) and Scifres 1981). Differing spatial attributes were most pronounced between the nontreated and the WPM plots, indicating a greater impact of WPM than AGM herbicides on woody vegetation amount and spatial pattern.…”