Planting Kochia helps out-compete Cheatgrass

[TheElitehornhunter]

In many areas of the west then ranges are being overtaken by cheatgrass which is very unproductive to wildlife such as deer. It's also a fire hazard.

Kochia is known to outcompete cheatgrass and deer love it.

We should be planting more and more Kochia. We have a little in some areas. but we need to do more.

"Nevada has several million acres of rangeland that is dominated by cheatgrass and other annuals.
This acreage is expanding every year with the major contributing factor being rangeland wildfires.
Many rangeland managers thought that if given time and protection from grazing, native grasses
would again dominate cheatgrass infested ranges. However, on low elevation rangelands (that
comprised of Wyoming big sage before burning), cheatgrass has remained the dominant plant.
Forage kochia can be an important tool for competing with cheatgrass, providing forage and habitat
diversity for wildlife and livestock, and helping to control fire."

"Forage Kochia as Livestock and Wildlife Forage
Forage kochia makes excellent feed for both wildlife and livestock. During winter periods or dry
seasons the protein content of grass drops below the typical required 8 percent level required by
most animals. Shrubs, such as forage kochia, are generally higher in protein than grasses. Forage
kochia?s protein content runs from 8-14 percent depending upon the time of year (Welch 1984). Its
protein level peaks in August around 14.7 percent and drops to a low of 8.9 percent in March
(Davis 1979 & 1985). Between August and March is when grasses are at their lowest protein
levels; thus forage kochia used with grasses at this time can complement the nutritional levels
required by livestock."

http://www.unce.unr.edu/publications/files/nr/other/FS9848.pdf

In the Dunphy Hills area (Elko BLM District) forage kochia, grasses and shrubs were seeded on degraded rangeland that was considered ?critical? winter habitat for mule deer. The first year after seeding, annual plants still dominated, however forage kochia was evident. Forage kochia becomes a stronger part of the plant complex, and after four years, evidence of Wyoming big sage, thickspike wheatgrass, and other native bunchgrasses and forbs were becoming visible. As a consequence mule deer fawn ratios have increased in recent year (Clements, 1994).

Forage kochia is one of the few plants found that can be seeded into cheatgrass ranges, establish itself, and over time out-compete cheatgrass.

 

[theox]

yes forage kochia is a great feed for everything. i disagree to a point with one thing. dont get me wrong i hate it and its not good by any means but i would say cheatgrass is 100x better than pinyon juniper and sagebrush overgrowth.
here is why.
1. pjs offer no food.

2. if sage was so great and the deer ate it so well why dont we have a million deer in utah? I believe it to be a last resort. and most the time i believe when people see deer looking like they are eating sage brush they are actually seeing the deer digging down through it to get the grass growing up in it. also i do believe the chew on it a little for something to do sorta like a bubblegum to us. I have seen what happens when sagebrush is cleared. it consumes 6times the amount of water grass does and it soaks it up extremely fast about as fast as it hits the ground. it doesnt allow grasses and forbes to get the water they need. it takes up alot of area. ( i know ill get greif for the sagebrush comment because everyone is brainwashed into thinking its this crucial feed when infact its more of a hinderence)

3. cheat grass provides food in early spring for animals(althoguh not the most nutrious its still more food than a p&j provides) once the awns start growing and the grass turns brown its no longer eaten(usually only about a month or two of use) dont get me wrong id love to get rid of the cheat grass but its more valuable than overgrown sagebrush and P&Js imo.

that being said if forage kochia could outcompete it then i think its a great start to restoring habitat. we have planted some without much luck but the seed may have been a bit old to be very effective.

 

[TheElitehornhunter]

2. if sage was so great and the deer ate it so well why dont we have a million deer in utah? I believe it to be a last resort. and most the time i believe when people see deer looking like they are eating sage brush they are actually seeing the deer digging down through it to get the grass growing up in it. also i do believe the chew on it a little for something to do sorta like a bubblegum to us. I have seen what happens when sagebrush is cleared. it consumes 6times the amount of water grass does and it soaks it up extremely fast about as fast as it hits the ground. it doesnt allow grasses and forbes to get the water they need. it takes up alot of area. ( i know ill get greif for the sagebrush comment because everyone is brainwashed into thinking its this crucial feed when infact its more of a hinderence)

Theox I believe you need to re-think your post here.

 

[LOWCOUNTRY]

Elite for the first time I agree with you 100%. just a big hurdle to get federal land managers to put another non native species out there even though it nakes sense to do it. It would save a ton on fire suppression and may also promote a shrub dominated landscape whereas it wouldn't burn up every few years like cheat grass tends to do. Forage kochia is great stuff.

 

[theox]

i dont need to rethink anything! i dont understand why everyone thinks its so critical. its a last resort type food if that. i know ill get flak for it, but i know first hand what it does and i completley disagree with it being this importnat critical feed.

 

[theox]

LAST EDITED ON Feb-18-12 AT 06:54PM (MST)[p]bitterbrush is way way way more critical feed than sage ever would be

 

[DRHORNHUNTER]

Certain forms of it are poisonous to elk if remember right?? Not sure if its the same variety o p is referring to tho?

 

[bonepiler]

Theox, you are right, bitterbrush is an awesome shrub and great forage for deer. But, it usually grows a little higher in elevation than the areas deer are forced to go during hard winters. That is where sagebrush kicks in.

There are about 5 different types of sagebrush in Utah, some more beneficial than others. During winter months, deer rely heavily on sagebrush to survive. Why? During the winter, most grasses and other plants have less than 2% crude protein. Deer need something like 8-10% to maintain. Only sagebrush, (and now kochia in some areas) have enough crude protein to meet deer needs during the winter. Even then, it is somewhat of a controlled starvation for deer until spring comes.

My only concern with kochia is that is doesnt grow tall enough. I worry that in deep snow, it will not be available. If possible, Wyoming sagebrush should be preferred, but in areas dominated by cheatgrass, kochia is a dream come true.

 

[oakbrush]

Ox
What your saying is true for cattle, but deer need a different make up of plants to survive. Some guys that run cows think that what they see their cows getting fat on will work for deer. There is some cross over, but in most cases, it doesn't. And as far as P&J having no food, I have seen deer eating pine nuts off the ground several times. Although that is not an option in deep snow. That is when the sage brush comes into play and they can eat the tops that are still above the snow. Sage brush has been out west long before humans, cheat grass or cattle existed here. And deer have specifically adapted to it.

oakbrush.