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Re: forages for riparian zones



Jimmy: 

Just a comment, based on our observations of riparian zones over the 
last several years.  I coordinate a multi-department study that is 
being conducted at the farms of various cooperators around the 
province, with the aim of understanding what motivates cattle 
behavior in/near water - where we limit consideration to flowing - 
not static - watercourses.  

Among other measurements, we have documented "grazing proximity" to 
the edge of the stream/drainage ditch, cowpie density in strata 
leading away from the ditch, and made time course observations to 
document time spent in/near water.  In this study, cattle spend 
remarkably little time actually in the water (1-3 minutes, once or 
twice a day), and very seldom foul the water, but can still have an 
impact simply by tracking very close to the edge of the stream, which 
seems to destabilize the stream bank.  If there are trees, they also 
congregate and leave a substantial burden of feces/urine which is 
then washed into the stream during the spring/fall runoff.  So, we 
have shifted our emphasis from simply "how to keep them out of the 
stream" (a non issue, in our experience) to "how to keep them away 
from the edges of the steam".  

Trees/shrubs are not an option, because many of these watercourses 
are in floodplains, subject to extensive ice damage in the spring.  
Cattle are also very damaging to young trees, and it is more bother 
than it is worth to try to fence them out long enough to let the 
trees establish.  But what does appear to have some promise is 
unpalatable forbs - broadleaves that the cattle do not eat.  These 
are naturally growing species, such as:

ladys thumb
nettles
curly dock
smartweed
mints
milkweed

I am tempted to try to dig up and propagate some of these (using only 
species that are already growing on site, to avoid risk of spreading 
something undesirable) and then plant them out to see if we can 
manage grazing proximity.  Suitable species would be those which are 
unpalatable, native, short-statured, and with an adaptation to wet places 
to keep them from spreading back into the pasture proper.

Hope this gives you some ideas.  Ann

ACLARK@crop.uoguelph.ca
Dr. E. Ann Clark
Associate Professor
Crop Science
University of Guelph
Guelph, ON  N1G 2W1
Phone:  519-824-4120 Ext. 2508
FAX:  519 763-8933
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