Range Burning and Fertilizing Related to Nutritive Value of Bluestem Grass

Abstract

The influence of range burning and nitrogen fertilization on the nutritive value of big and little bluestem in Kansas True Prairie were studied. Late spring burning decreased dry matter, crude fiber, cell wall constituents, cellulose, and lignin, and increased crude protein, ether extract, nitrogen free extract, and ash. Nitrogen fertilization decreased nitrogen free extract and increased crude fiber, lignin, and ash. Big bluestem was higher than little bluestem in nitrogen free extract, and lower in crude fiber, cell wall constituents, lignin, and cellulose. Range burning is a widely used management tool in the True Prairie region of Kansas because of improved steer performance (Smith and Owensby, 1972). Aldous (1934) reported burning increased range forage protein levels. Smith and Young (1959) reported higher crude protein and ash levels in little bluestem following burning. Smith et al. (1960) noted that burning increased apparent digestibility of dry matter and crude fiber. Although nitrogen fertilization of native True Prairie rangeland has not been widely used, recent attempts to increase carrying capacity have stimulated

The effects of grazing, fire, nitrogen and water availability on nutritional quality of grass in semi-arid savanna, South Africa

“…In this study, nitrogen fertilizer had a positive influence on CP content of grass, consistent with the results of Grünow et al (1970), Allen et al (1976), Jones and Wilson (1987), Mitchell et al (1994) and Cohen et al (2004).…”

“…This may be attributed to the new growth of grass with higher CP content in burned grass than in unburned grass (Allen et al, 1976;Christensen, 1977;Tainton et al, 1977;Griffin and Friedel, 1984;McNaughton, 1985;Frost and Robertson, 1987). Fire removed the dead old grass, resulting in young growth of grass tissue.…”

Effect of urea fertilization on biomass yield, chemical composition,in vitrorumen digestibility and fermentation characteristics of forage oat straw in Tibet of China

“…Lemus et al (2008) noted that the hemicellulose content of switch grass was decreased (<5%) in response to a urea and/or ammonium nitrate fertilization rate increase from 56 to 224 kg N/ha, but no effect of N fertilization was seen on the hemicellulose content of FOS in the present study. Allen et al (1976) also reported no effect on bluestem grass hemicellulose content by urea N fertilization.…”

Natural diet and food habitat use of the Tarim red deer, Cervus elaphus yarkandensis

“…Furthermore, we think that the plants grow on burned area can provide more nutrition. Some studies showed that herbaceous plants growing on burned area contain more crude protein [22 -25] , less crude fiber [22,23,26] . Thus, the food digestible rate is increased [27] Sciences (KZCX3-SW-343) and "Xi Bu Zhi Guang" Project of CAS and (200233104) and Mr. Wolfgang Frey (former editor of German Journal of Wildlife ) for financing this research.…”