Fire in North American Wetland Ecosystems and Fire-Wildlife Relations: An Annotated Bibliography

220. Shepherd, W. O., and E. U. Dillard. 1953. Best grazing rates for beef 
          production on cane range. N.C. Agric. Exp. Stn. Bull. 384. 23 pp.

Cane range in Washington County, NC, can produce 4,482 kg dry weight of edible herbage/ha/year (2 tons/acre/year). On 6 experimental ranges, 55% to 60% utilization was the maximum degree of permissible summer grazing to produce sustained yields of forage and bee£ This was equivalent to 1.1 ha (2.8 acres)/cow and calf for the 6.5-7 month grazing season. Reduction in fire hazard of the cane was roughly proportional to the degree of grazing. Continued heavy grazing will kill cane and allow replacement by more flammable weeds. Regrowth of cane is prompt after spring burns. Fall burns after summer drought destroy cane stands by removing peat down to the water table. [K-L-S]

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