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Grazing
Management - Techniques for Reducing
Intensity of Use by Influencing Distribution
Drift
Fences or Other Obstacles
In entrenched channels or on hilly topography, livestock are likely
to use the riparian area and the streambed itself as a travel corridor.
Drift fences or other obstacles which deflect movement out of and
away from this corridor can greatly reduce pressure on the riparian
area. The dead willows shown in Figure 3-16 have been placed to
discourage cattle from walking along this riparian area in Beaverhead
County. These barriers are located immediately downstream from the
crossing shown in Figure 3-12 and serve to push cattle back up the
hill after they have crossed or drunk.
Figure
3-16
Often, on-site material can provide effective barriers.
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Figure
3-12
Willows used to push cattle up the hill after thay have crossed
or drunk. |
In hilly topography,
such as that shown in Figure 3-17, it
is common to see pasture gates situated in or immediately beside
the riparian corridor. While this is often the most convenient location,
it means livestock start in the most sensitive area and often have
little incentive to move to the uplands. The result is damage to
the riparian area and inefficient use of all the available forage.
Conversely,
selection of a more appropriate turn-in location can delay up to
two weeks the arrival of livestock to the riparian area. In an allotment
south of Darby, for example, moving cattle directly to grassy, open
hilltops above the narrow riparian bottoms, combined with the development
of water in these uplands, improved livestock distribution.
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Figure
3-17
The healty willow community show here is partly the result
of NOT using ripairan corridor to move livestock. |
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