Grassland Evaluation Contest Study Guide	Sixth Edition: August 2009
Wildlife Habitat
Three Types of Grasslands: Cool-season grasslands or pastures are dominated by grasses that grow best during the cool spring and fall. These grasses begin their growth early in the spring when the soil temperature reaches 40°F. Their growth slows during the warmest part of the summer when the soil temperature nears 80°F, and resume growth again as the soil cools in the fall. Cool-season grasses are popular with farmers because they are easy to establish and maintain, respond to heavy fertilization, and some persist under poor conditions or management. Fescue, Kentucky bluegrass, and smooth bromegrass, are all sodforming cool-season grasses. Timothy and orchardgrass are similar cool-season grasses that grow in more open stands and provide better wildlife cover. Fescue is the most commonly used grass for pasture and hay in much of the Midwest. It is an exotic grass species and is usually infected with an endophyte fungus that has been found to cause health problems in livestock. Unless managed specifically for wildlife, it normally has very little value for wildlife nesting, brooding, or roosting. Most cool-season grasses need to be grazed or otherwise managed to thin the stand and attract wildlife. Cool-season grasses may be grazed to 2-4” in height, though most wildlife prefer taller vegetation. Grazing below this height will result in lower production, increased soil erosion, and minimal wildlife use. In fact, quail and rabbits prefer vegetation from 6-18” over much of the area, mixed with ample bare ground. Optimizing such specific habitat conditions can be challenging for livestock producers with robust cool-season grasses. These grasses are normally at their peak quality during the peak nesting period for many grassland birds. Coincidentally, cool-season grasses are usually either grazed by livestock or cut for hay when species like bobwhite quail are trying to accomplish nesting activities. Warm-season grasslands or pastures are dominated by grasses that once comprised the natural grasslands and prairies settled by early-American pioneers. In Missouri, most of the current native warm-season grasslands have been established through planting with improved cultivars. Native warm-season grasses grow best when the weather is hot and the soil temperature is high. They begin growing when the soil nears 60°F and continue to grow during the warmest months of the year until the soil temperature reaches nearly 90°F. Although native warm-season grasses have a shorter growing season, their unique process of photosynthesis allows for more efficient use of sunlight, water, and soil nutrients than cool-season grasses. Big bluestem, indiangrass, side-oats grama, little bluestem, eastern gamagrass, and switchgrass are all native warm-season grasses that can be successfully used in a grazing system. By nature, native warm-season grasses are bunchgrasses and grow with considerable space between plants. They do not form continuous sod like most cool-season grasses. Bare ground between grass clumps allows room for animal movement as well as growing space for beneficial food and cover plants. A diversity of seed-producing broadleaf plants which attract many kinds of insects vastly improves grassland for wildlife. These conditions are ideal for young quail and songbirds, whose primary diet consists of insects for the first 2-3 weeks after leaving the nest. Native warm-season grasses should be grazed no shorter than 8” in height, and not until May or June. When grazed at this timing with the proper stocking rate, most ground-nesting wildlife will have already initiated nesting or completed incubation, and nest trampling or abandonment would be less likely. After nest initiation, grazing usually doesn’t interfere with incubation unless too much cover is removed or stock density is high enough to cause nest trampling (>1 animal/ac). Always allow sufficient time for warm-season grasses to regrow, ensuring at least 8-10” of growth by first frost. This important rest period and minimal leaf area rebuilds root reserves for over wintering and initiating spring growth. Residual cover will be excellent for winter roosting and nesting the next spring. Unlike cool-season grasses and alfalfa, haying of native warm-se 3. Native grasslands or prairies are also dominated by a mixture of warm-season grasses. When early- American settlers moved through, Missouri’s native prairies covered nearly one third of the state. Currently, very few tracts of natural grassland or native prairie remain which have not been plowed or otherwise tilled. These remnant native prairies are usually small tracts of diverse grassland that may contain hundreds of grass and broadleaved plant species. They are found primarily in the west central and southwest portions of Missouri. This diversity of plant species can make them very attractive to many species of wildlife. Native prairie remnants along with planted native warm-season grasses provide excellent summer pasture. Grazing should begin about May 15 or whenever the vegetation reaches 8-10” in height. Under normal conditions, native and planted prairies should not be grazed after August 15, and no lower than 8” in height to allow for re-growth before winter dormancy in late fall. Along with planted native warm-season grasses, remnant native prairie also provides quality hay. For best production in Missouri, July is the recommended haying period. Haying earlier or later can have a negative affect on both yield and quality of the hay (haying in June or after late August). The timing of hay cutting within the recommended dates will also dictate the types of plants that will persist within a prairie. Late June to early July will promote grasses over time, while late July-early August will stimulate forbs. Varying the hay cutting dates within the suggested time frame will help maintain greater diversity and grassland health. Prairie remnants should not be fertilized or limed unless they are in excellent condition. Applying fertilizer may favor undesirable, competitive, or weedy plants. Fertilizer can shift the balance of diversity in the prairie toward those relatively few plants that thrive on enhanced fertility conditions at the expense of many desirable species. Similarly, native prairies already contain several beneficial legumes and should never be over seeded with introduced legumes to increase production. Prescribed burns should be conducted on a prairie every few years to maintain healthy grasses and forbs. February to mid March burns encourage the growth of more broadleaves and forbs, while late March to mid April burns encourage grasses. However, prescribed burns can be conducted year around, depending on management goals and slope conditions. Fall burns will help reduce invasion of woody species and will stimulate forbs. Late winter burns will also stimulate forbs. As with haying, it is important to vary prescribed burn timing to maintain diversity and overall health of the prairie. CAUTION: Use fire with great care. Experienced personnel are available to assist in the planning of prescribed burns. Return to Grassland Evaluation Contest Study Guide