By Scout Nelson
At a recent Cattlemen’s Day event, Kansas State University showcased research by graduate students on the ecological impacts of prescribed fire on the Kansas prairie, focusing on cattle grazing, weed control, and tick management.
Zach Duncan, a recent Ph.D. graduate in ruminant nutrition, highlighted the struggle against sericea lespedeza, an invasive weed affecting over 600,000 acres in Kansas, primarily in the Flint Hills.
His research showed that while traditional spring burns in April have been ineffective at curbing this weed, shifting burns to August or September could reduce its presence, albeit with a slight decrease in cattle weight gain.
"Shifting burning from August to October reduced yearling stocker cattle weight gains by 10-14 pounds during a 90-day grazing season," Duncan noted.
Andrea Salazar, working towards her doctorate in entomology, presented findings on tick prevalence in burned versus unburned pastures.
Salazar found that spring- and summer-burned pastures hosted fewer ticks than those burned in fall, highlighting the potential of prescribed burning as a non-chemical method for tick control.
"Significantly fewer ticks were collected from fire-treated areas compared to non-burned areas during eight months of sampling," she reported.
Herman Griese, a first-year entomology graduate student, explored the impact of burning on dung beetles, crucial for nutrient cycling and soil structure in pastures.
Griese's study found no significant difference in dung beetle populations across different burning seasons, suggesting that ranchers can prioritize other objectives when planning burns.
"The difference was not significant," Griese said, regarding the effects of seasonal burning on dung beetle populations.
This work underscores the benefits and considerations of prescribed burning in prairie management, balancing cattle health, invasive species control, and ecosystem services.
Photo Credit -kansas-state-university
Categories: Kansas, Livestock, Beef Cattle