So far, there's been no noticeable difference in cattle
performance in patch-burn pastures that are part of a long-term
study at Kansas State University (KSU).  “Forage growth has
shifted toward annual grasses and forbs, and there's been a
decrease in basal cover. Sericea lespedeza plants have decreased
in height because of the grazing pressure,” explains Walt Fick,
KSU Extension range management specialist. “Most importantly for
producers, though, is maintaining the long-term health of the
pasture; with increased grazing pressures, the pasture may not
be able to recover. We have three more years to determine this.”
This is the third year of the six-year project aimed at
evaluating the viability of patch-burn grazing. Though it’s a
relatively new concept in rangeland management, Fick says it has
occurred naturally for hundreds of years.  Historically, Fick
explains Native Americans purposely started prairie fires, and
lightning did the same thing naturally. Bison and other native
herbivores were attracted to