Greenbriar suppression with goat mob browsing

摘要

Littleinformationisavailableonthesuppressionofgreenbriar(Smilaxspp.),aninvasivenativevineofNorthAmerica,bygoats.nbsp;Goatswillreadilybrowsegreenbriarbutlittleisknownabouthowpermanentthisvegetationremovalisandifitpositivelyaffectsthesubsequentdevelopmentoftheherbaceouscanopy.nbsp;Whenlandmanagersareunwillingtosprayherbicidesorunabletoaffordchemicalormechanicalmeansofcontrollinginvasiveplants,theymaybewillingtohiregoatstoachievethesamegoal.Woodedpaddocksinnorth-centralTexasweresplitintomechanicallycut(toallowgoataccesstoallgreenbriarleaves)anduncut(goatsgivenaccessonlyupto2m).nbsp;nbsp;Daysto95%leafremovalof12kids/harequiredanaverage48dayswhilepaddockswith24and36kids/haaveraged30days(P0.05).nbsp;Longtermsuppressionofgreenbriardidnotvarybystockingrateormechanicalcut(P0.05).nbsp;However,herbaceousgrasspercentageofherbagemassdidincrease(P0.05)inallbrowsedpaddockscomparedtounbrowsedareas.Ourresultsindicatethatcompleteremovalofgreenbriarleavescanbeachievedwithinashorttimebutdestructionofplantsmayrequirelongtermbrowsingoruseofherbicidesonregrowthfollowingbrowsing.nbsp;Shortdurationmobbrowsingmayprovideflockownersasourceofincomeinexchangeforriddinglandofunwantedgreenbriarherbage,butsuppressionwillonlybetemporarysinceplantsarenotdestroyedduringsuchshortperiodsofherbageremoval.