Perennial Forage Kochia for Improved Sustainability of Grass-Dominated Ecosystems

Perennial Forage Kochia for Improved Sustainability of Grass-Dominated Ecosystems

Summary

Perennial forage kochia has been seeded on land operated by the Grantsville Soil Conservation District and on land owned by Darrel Johnson. Progress has been slow due to the slow establishment of the forage kochia. Grazing will now begin in the fall of 2007.

Objectives/Performance Targets

Our research objective is to evaluate livestock nutrient intake and performance responses to rangeland with or without forage kochia. This will include an economic evaluation. Our extension objective is to integrate this knowledge with previous knowledge about forage kochia to impact clientele knowledge, awareness, attitudes and skills.

Accomplishments/Milestones

The collaborators visited the pasture range site at the Grantsville Soil Conservation District (SCD) land on a number of occasions in 2006 and determined the growth of the forage kochia was not sufficient to graze in the fall of 2006. The kochia is coming well in most parts of the pasture but is taking longer than anticipated. We will graze in the fall of 2007.

The Darrel Johnson forage kochia stand was infested with the weed “white top” and was sprayed. The spraying set the forage kochia back to the point we were not able to graze in 2006. It is anticipated we will have sufficient growth in the fall of 2007 to graze this stand.

The Tooele County Commission recompensed the funds expended for fencing on land that was later taken out of the forage kochia project.

Collaborators: