Manipulating Sandpaper Oak for Livestock and Wildlife Forage and Cover

View the project final report

Commodities

• Animals: bovine

Practices

• Animal Production: feed/forage
• Education and Training: extension, on-farm/ranch research
• Natural Resources/Environment: habitat enhancement, wildlife

Sandpaper oak, a low-growing shrub that inhabits the Southwestern United States, including northeastern Mexico, is the primary forage for livestock and wildlife in the late spring and early summer. The shrub is only palatable for approximately 45 days until spring growth ends or the plant becomes infested with scale insects. Sandpaper oak then produces little new growth and leaves the land absent of nutritional feed. Ranchers must provide protein supplements, which diminishes their economic efficiency.

Sid Goodloe of Carrizon Valley Ranch, a range-finished beef operation, will utilize his Farmer/Rancher Grant to study the effectiveness of mowing the sandpaper oak, which would stimulate new growth after late June, a crucial time for adequate dietary intake in lactating and breeding animals. Mowing reduces the risks from burning and provides ground cover, which prevents erosion and returns humus to the soil.

Goodloe and his technical advisor, Samuel Smallidge, New Mexico State University Extension range specialist, will conduct tours and workshops and see that an extension bulletin and refereed scientific journal article are written and distributed to extend findings to the public.