Burning Bluestem Range

Abstract

The effect of time of burning on weight gains of steers, botanical composition, herbage yield, and soil moisture relations were investigated over seventeen years. Time of burning in relation to period of growth was important in the reaction of individual species. Cool-season species were reduced by spring burning and the desirable warm-season species were favored. Fire also favored some weedy species which had phenology similar to the desirable warm-season grasses. Herbage yields were reduced by early and mid spring burning but remained the same as unburned when late spring burning was applied. Gains on steers were greatest under mid and late spring burning and least under no burning and early spring burning. Higher gains on steers mid and late spring burned pastures came early in the growing season.