VALUE AND USE
SPECIES: Hesperostipa spartea | Porcupine Grass 



WOOD PRODUCTS VALUE : 
NO-ENTRY


IMPORTANCE TO LIVESTOCK AND WILDLIFE : 
Porcupine grass is an important early season forage of good but not
choice palatability for all classes of livestock.  As the species
matures the leaves become somewhat tough for sheep but are still grazed
to some extent.  The value of porcupine grass as forage is relatively
higher in the fall than in midsummer because it remains green after most
grasses have dried [24].




PALATABILITY : 
Palatability varies with phenological development.  Palatability is
highest in the spring and early summer when plants are young and
succulent.  Porcupine grass remains moderately palatable until the
seedheads mature, at which time long, sharp awns may injure grazing
livestock and render the plant less palatable [18,40].
  
The relish and degree of use shown by livestock and wildlife species for
porcupine grass in Montana and North Dakota has been rated as follows
[12]:

                            MT     ND
Cattle                     Fair   Fair
Sheep                      Fair   Poor
Horses                     Fair   Fair
Pronghorn                  ----   Poor
Mule deer                  ----   Poor
White-tailed deer          ----   Poor
Small nongame birds        ----   Poor
Upland game birds          ----   Good



NUTRITIONAL VALUE : 
The nutritional value of porcupine grass during five major stages of
growth are [26] (values are percentage of dry weight with the exception
of carotene which is in mg/kg):

              Leaf
              Stage       Heading    Seed-ripe    Cured    Weathered

Dry Matter     94.0         92.0        92.0        94.0      94.0
Protein         9.1          6.2         7.3         4.3       4.5        
Crude Fat       3.4          3.2         4.2         4.3       3.5
Crude Fiber    28.0         34.0        29.0        31.0      32.0
Ash             7.0          5.6         6.6         8.2       8.0
Calcium         0.3          0.3         0.3         0.4       0.4
Phosphorus      0.1          0.1         0.1         0.1       0.1
Carotene       20.0         24.0        67.0         6.9       2.9



COVER VALUE : 
The degree to which porcupine grass provides environmental protection
during one or more seasons for wildlife species has been rated as
follows [12]:

                           ND
Pronghorn                 Good
Mule deer                 Good
White-tailed deer         Fair
Small nongame birds       Good
Upland game birds         Good
Waterfowl                 Fair


VALUE FOR REHABILITATION OF DISTURBED SITES : 
Trail restoration was conducted in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, on old
trails found on a steep (2:1), sandy, south-facing slope.  Seeds found
in prairie hay mulch (primarily needle-and-thread grass (Hesperostipa comata)
and porcupine grass) held down by jute mesh blankets successfully
germinated and established new growth [10].

Porcupine grass is difficult to establish by seed.  Germination varies
from 0 to 12 percent [21], and seeds are extremely difficult to clean,
which reduces purity.  Transplanting has been fairly successful but is
very costly [37,41].  Porcupine grass mulch seems to be the best choice
for successful, low-cost establishment.


OTHER USES AND VALUES : 
Native Americans of the Missouri River Region used the stiff awns to
make hair brushes [17].


MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS : 
Porcupine grass decreases with overgrazing.  Moderate to severe grazing
pressure greatly reduces later growth and seed production [14,49].
Slight to light use removes standing litter, increasing growth of
porcupine grass [44].

Frequent early mowing (June or July) results in a decrease in cover of
porcupine grass, whereas delaying mowing until August may increase its
cover [8,9].

Porcupine grass does poorly under drought conditions but is able to
recover once conditions have returned to normal.  Seedling survival
during simulated drought conditions ranged from 0 to 54 percent [36].
Porcupine grass was listed among species which had high mortality during
the 30's drought.  Mortality was thought to result from the relatively
shorter roots on these grasses.  However, once drought conditions ended,
porcupine grass regained its original territory and spread widely [48].

Related categories for Species: Hesperostipa spartea | Porcupine Grass