Twenty Years After the Dude Fire: Targeted Cattle Grazing of Weeping Lovegrass Through the Use of Protein Supplementation

Abstract

On the Ground The 1990 Dude Fire on the Mogollon Rim in Arizona and the following restoration resulted in an invasion of weeping lovegrass. Ecosystem restoration required successful collaboration between federal, state, and private individuals. We used protein supplementation to redistribute grazing pressure on the rangeland and to increase use of nutrient-poor old-growth weeping lovegrass forage. We observed that cattle hoof action worked in concert with targeted grazing to achieve the desired effect on weeping lovegrass. After 2 years of targeted grazing, we saw a short-term reduction in weeping lovegrass and increased competitive opportunities for native vegetation.