reducing bacteria with best management ......reducing bacteria with best management practices for...

REDUCINGBACTERIAWITHBESTMANAGEMENTPRACTICESFORLIVESTOCK

PRESCRIBEDGRAZINGNRCSCODE528

JenniferL.Peterson,ExtensionProgramSpecialist,TexasAgriLifeExtensionService

LarryA.Redmon,ProfessorandStateForageSpecialist,TexasAgriLifeExtensionServiceMarkL.McFarland,ProfessorandStateSoilFertilitySpecialist,TexasAgriLifeExtensionService

Description:Thecontrolledharvestofvegetationwithgrazingorbrowsinganimals,managedwiththeintenttoachieveaspecifiedobjective.Thispracticeemploysutilizationofgrazingmanagementprinciplesthatdefinestockingrate;restperiods;andintensity,frequency,duration,andseasonofgrazingtopromoteecologicallyandeconomicallystableplantcommunitiesthatmeetboththelandmanager’sobjectivesandresourceneeds.ModeratestockinghasbeenshowntonotsignificantlyincreaseE.colilevelsabovebackgroundlevelsandprovideadditionalbenefitstoproducers.This,incombinationwithdeferredgrazingoncreekpasturesduringrainyperiodsanduseofotherpracticescansignificantlyreducebacterialrunoff.BenefitstoProducer:

• Greaterdistributionofgrazingandutilizationofforage.

• Reducessupplementalfeedcosts.

• Improvespropertyaestheticsandincreasespropertyvalue.• Improveswaterqualitybyreducingsediment,nutrient,bacterial,

organic,andinorganicloadingtothestream.• Reducesstreambankdestabilizationandassociatederosiondueto

tramplingandovergrazingofbanks.• Improvedhealthandvigorofdesiredplantstomaintainastable

plantcommunity.

• Providesandmaintainsfood,cover,andshelterforwildlife.• Maintainsandimprovessurfaceand/orsubsurfacewaterquantity

andquality.• Reducesacceleratedsoilerosionandmaintainsorimprovessoil

condition.

• Improvesormaintainsanimalhealthandproductivitybyprovidingbetterquantityandqualityofforageforgrazing.• Allowsforregenerationofriparianzonevegetationtoactasafullorpartialbuffer.

BacterialRemovalEfficiency:

• Prescribedgrazingresultedinthefollowingbacterialreductionsbasedonscientificresearch:o E.coli:66to72%o Fecalcoliform:90to96%

• Prescribedgrazingistypicallyusedinconjunctionwithotherpracticessuchasfencingandalternatewateringfacilities.Thesepracticeshavebeenshowntoreduceconcentrationsofbacteria.

OtherBenefits:

• Increasedpotentialforranchprofits.• Reducedsuspendedsedimentby8%andnitrogenloadsby34%

whencombinedwithotherpractices.• Runofffromaheavilygrazedpasture(1.35AUM/acre)was1.4

timesgreaterthanfromamoderatelygrazedpasture(2.42AUM/acre),and9timesgreaterthanfromalightlygrazedpasture(3.25AUM/acre).

• Increasedfishproductionby184%wherelivestockusewaslight.• Reducedsoilcompactionunderlighttomoderategrazing

intensities.

Intensivegrazingsystemwherecattlehavegrazedfor3weeksontheleftsideofthefenceandwillbemovedtotheothersideaftera3weekgrazingrotation.PhotobyJeffVanuga,NRCS.

Paddockfencingisusedtoimplementarotationalgrazingsystem.PhotobyBobNichols,NRCS.

ESP-415 7/11

• Increasedinfiltration,runoffattenuation,andsoilmoistureretentionwhenappropriaterestperiodsareutilized.

• Enhancedherbaceousplantdiversity.

• Controlofnoxiousweeds.EstimatedInstallationCosts:

• Ifadditionalfencingisrequired:o Permanentelectriccrossfence:$1.80/foot(onnormalsoils).o Four‐strandbarbed‐wirecrossfence:$2.16/foot(onnormalsoils).o Four‐strandbarbed‐wirefence:$3.05/foot(onsteeporrockysoils).

AvailableCost‐SharePrograms:

• EQIP(upto75%cost‐share).

ForMoreInformation:• ContactyourlocalCountyExtensionAgent,SoilandWaterConservationDistrict

(http://www.tsswcb.state.tx.us/swcds)ortheNaturalResourcesConservationService(http://www.usda.nrcs).• Visithttp://forages.tamu.edu/pubs.htmlforpublicationsrelatedtograzingandforagemanagement.