The University of Nevada recently took a deep dive into cheapgrass. Environmental groups have tried to blame cattle for its spread but researchers tell aginfo.net their findings show why grazing permits are important on federal lands.
“If you graze it down, you see a significant reduction in cheapgrass that comes back the next year. And we were trying to figure out why, right? So this study from the University of Nevada-Reno says that if you graze it down, you’re not going to have the germination next spring. And that allows these native grasses to sprout up, to outcompete the the cheapgrass and return to a more native grass scenario,” said Caitlin Glover.
Glover says activists have falsely claimed cattle are spreading the seeds through their manure, but the study found seeds that had been digested are not able to germinate.
