Evaluation of Hoof Action to Break Up Clubmoss and Dryland Sedges

Introduction

Clubmoss (Salaginella densa) is a native plant in Eastern Montana that has the undesirable ability to take over and occupy large areas of rangeland generally considered due to excessive use in past years. When clubmoss gets a foot hold it greatly reduces the productivity of the area it covers. Small patches are not of much concern yet when they become large or numerous the impacts to forage production is significant. Traditional control is mechanical through chiseling; chemicals have been used with success in killing the plant but can require some time to break-up naturally before the site will recover by desired plants.

Objectives

Many times clubmoss patches occur on landscapes that are either to rough or too remote for mechanical treatment. This project explored the potential use of livestock (cattle) and hoof action as an alternative treatment for controlling clubmoss.

In 2004, the Wibaux Conservation District in Wibaux, Montana, received funding from the Montana Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative (GLCI) to implement a demonstration project using livestock and hoof action to break up clubmoss dominated areas.

Study Area

The area chosen for this study is in south of Wibaux on private land owned by the Nelson Livestock Company. The site is a remote area consisting of a loamy ecological site with a sandy loam surface.

Methods

On October 27, 2004, the study site was designed as follows: a two-acre control site; a one-acre single pass with aerator, not fenced; one-acre double pass with aerator, not fenced; one-acre single pass with aerator, fenced; a one-acre double pass with aerator, fenced; and a two-acre with livestock hoof action, fenced.

A solar powered electric fence enclosure was constructed. A four-acre plot was fenced and then divided in half, each with two-acre paddocks. One paddock received the hoof action treatment and the other received two treatments using an Aerway aerator.

Each paddock was sampled using permanent 100-foot line transects to capture cover data, two 9.8 hoops were used to clip each transect for production. Cover date was collected by using a 200-foot pace transects which was conducted in each treatment area.

On October 28, 2004, 244 head of cattle were penned in the first paddock for 24 hours. The fall season was chosen when ambient temperatures were cool so that the cattle could be confined without water and not be stressed. That night, the site received 1.5 inches of precipitation which made the cattle mill around in the pen. After the 24-hour period, the cattle were released.

On the other paddock, the producer rented the 15-foot Aerway pasture renovator from the Wibaux Conservation District. Half of this area received a single pass with the Aerway. The other half was passed over twice using the Aerway. The paddocks remain fenced so that livestock will not have access to the areas for two growing seasons, as per NRCS’s technical guidance.

The treatments with Aerway were implemented on the non-fenced sites.

Results

In 2005, after the growing season, each of the treatment areas was sampled to determine effect. Preliminary results are as follows: single pass with aerator had little to no effect to clubmoss cover, double pass with aerator indicated approximately 60% reduction in clubmoss cover, and the hoof action indicated approximately 100% reduction in clubmoss cover (the timing of the precipitation is reflected in these results).

These results are preliminary and the final results are yet to be determined. The sites will be sampled again in 2006 and the fence will be removed. The sampling in 2007 will occur after livestock have had an opportunity for free access. Future sampling will be necessary to determine the long-term impacts on the clubmoss using the various treatments.

Contact information

• Robert Kilian, NRCS, Miles City area office, (406) 232-7905 ext.114
• Katrina Johnson, NRCS, Wibaux field office, (406) 796-2211 ext.101
• Renee Nelson, Wibaux Conservation District, (406) 796-2211 ext. 106