• IMPORTANCE TO LIVESTOCK AND WILDLIFE
• PALATABILITY
• NUTRITIONAL VALUE
• COVER VALUE
• VALUE FOR REHABILITATION OF DISTURBED SITES
• OTHER USES AND VALUES
• MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS

IMPORTANCE TO LIVESTOCK AND WILDLIFE:

Considerable quantities of big sagebrush are eaten by sage grouse, mule deer, and pronghorn [92]. In southwestern Montana, basin big sagebrush is browsed by elk and mule deer from autumn through early spring [104]. In parts of Montana, mule deer use, but do not prefer basin big sagebrush [82,105]. In Oregon, mule deer showed an intermediate preference for basin big sagebrush in winter feeding trials. In fall trials, mule deer used, but did not prefer basin big sagebrush. Mule deer use of basin big sagebrush in Oregon is, in general, described as "intermediate" [93]. For mule deer in Utah, basin big sagebrush is the least preferred of all subspecies of big sagebrush [111]. In some instances, mule deer preference of basin big sagebrush varies greatly by local population [112].

Pygmy rabbits forage extensively on big sagebrush [110]. Pygmy rabbits feed on basin big sagebrush but show preference for certain accessions [112].

Basin big sagebrush generally is not preferred by sage grouse; however, the birds do exhibit preferences for certain individual plants. Sage grouse readily feed on basin big sagebrush where mountain and Wyoming big sagebrush are absent [112].

In fall, domestic sheep in Oregon fed on basin big sagebrush to a limited degree. During the winter months, the sheep exhibited a "moderate preference for basin big sagebrush." In general, domestic sheep preference for basin big sagebrush in Oregon is described as "low" [93]. In Utah, some accessions (mostly tetraploid) of basin big sagebrush were preferred by domestic sheep [111].

Basin big sagebrush may serve as emergency food during severe winter weather, but it is not usually sought out by livestock or wildlife [7]. However, researchers emphasize that although basin big sagebrush is not preferred by wildlife, it is nevertheless, heavily used particularly during winter when preferred taxa are not available. In southwestern Montana, winter leader use by mule deer ranged from 4% to 71% [105].

PALATABILITY:

Palatability varies great among the subspecies of big sagebrush [92]. Basin big sagebrush is the least palatable of the three major subspecies of big sagebrush [82]. Both mountain big sagebrush and Wyoming big sagebrush are preferred [110]. Palatability of basin big sagebrush is in general "low" [66].

The palatability and degree of use shown by livestock and wildlife species for basin big sagebrush is rated as follows [33]:

                     MT        ND        WY
Cattle               poor      poor      poor
Domestic sheep       fair      good      fair
Horses               poor      poor      poor
Pronghorn            ----      good      poor
Elk                  ----      fair      poor
Mule deer            ----      good      poor
Small mammals        ----      fair      fair
Small nongame birds  ----      fair      fair
Upland game birds    ----      good      fair
Waterfowl            ----      poor      poor

NUTRITIONAL VALUE:

In general, big sagebrush is highly digestible and nutritious [105]. It has high levels of protein, carotene, and phosphorus [88]. Digestibility of big sagebrush is influenced by the total terpenoid content [105]. Basin big sagebrush has relatively high levels of crude terpenoids that can reduce palatability [96]. Basin big sagebrush has a higher winter crude protein content than mountain big sagebrush [89].

In-vitro digestibility (%, oven-dried) of basin big sagebrush in Montana has been rated as follows [96]:

                whole sagebrush      terpenoid-extracted sagebrush*
                1/1   2/15   4/1     1/1     2/15      4/1
mule deer       47.2  63.4   62.4    59.5    65.6      75.7
domestic sheep  54.0  55.3   59.6    71.8    72.3      75.2
steer           55.8  56.6   58.4    68.7    69.1      72.3 
*Leaf samples from which terpenoid compounds were removed prior to drying

COVER VALUE:

Big sagebrush provides some shade for domestic livestock and important cover for several upland game bird species [25]. In presettlement times, the range of the sage grouse paralleled the range of big sagebrush. Basin big sagebrush provides important cover for sage grouse [8]. Basin big sagebrush also provides cover for small mammals such as the pygmy rabbit [110].

The degree to which basin big sagebrush provides cover for wildlife species is as follows [33]:

                      
                         CO       UT       WY
Pronghorn                ----     fair     good
Elk                      ----     fair     good
Mule deer                ----     fair     good
White-tailed deer        good     ----     ----
Small mammals            ----     good     fair
Small nongame birds      ----     good     good
Upland game birds        ----     good     good
Waterfowl                ----     poor     good

VALUE FOR REHABILITATION OF DISTURBED SITES:

Basin big sagebrush shows high potential for range restoration and soil stabilization [66]. Big sagebrush grows rapidly and spreads readily from seed. Seed can be broadcast or drilled [92]. It is important to select basin big sagebrush seed adapted to the specific site [73]. Studies indicate that seedling survival is much higher for seed collections planted in a habitat similar to that of the parent population [75].

Transplant stock can also be used in rehabilitation projects [92]. Seedlings are easily transplanted and may be used to stabilize gullies and eroded hillsides. Transplants reproduce and begin to spread from seed in 3 to 7 years [86].

Sagebrush species are associated with mycorrhizal fungus in the genus Glomus. The presence of these fungi may be required for the successful establishment of seedlings. Areas that lose their sagebrush cover due to frequent fire and are dominated subsequently by nonmycorrhizal cheatgrass may no longer have the fungi in the soil. Sagebrush reestablishment may be inhibited on these sites [88].

OTHER USES AND VALUES:

Basin big sagebrush shows promise as a snow hedge [68].

Some Native American peoples used the bark of big sagebrush to make ropes and baskets [52].

MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS:

Management of sagebrush can include regulating animal numbers to levels the plants can tolerate [105]. Excessive fall use by domestic sheep can sometimes kill big sagebrush [82].

The shelter basin big sagebrush provides livestock and wildlife can be evaluated when management options are considered. Its usefulness as wind and sun protection may exceed any benefits gained by its removal. When basin big sagebrush is removed from drainages, soil erosion can become a problem [51].

Big sagebrush can be controlled by burning or with herbicides. Big sagebrush can be controlled with herbicides although variable results have been reported [1,26,27]. Tebuthiuron, 2,4-D, and 2,4,5-T have been effective in killing big sagebrush [53,54,56,69,80]. Success depends on such factors as rates of application, dates of spraying, and types of carriers used [27,53,56,69]. In eastern Oregon, mid-season applications (late May-early June) were most injurious to big sagebrush [56]. Similarly in California, best control was obtained when plants were treated from late May through mid-June [27]. In Wyoming, Hull and others [53] reported that diesel oil carriers were more effective than applications with water. Both aerial and ground applications are effective in controlling big sagebrush [27,53,54].

Length of big sagebrush control is highly variable. In Wyoming, Thilenius and Brown [97] observed some big sagebrush reinvasion within 10 years after herbicide applications. Deferment from cattle grazing for as long as 3 years after big sagebrush control had no effect on herbage production. However, Johnson [61] reported that it is important to manage grazing after sagebrush spraying. Caution should be used where big sagebrush provides habitat for sage grouse. Klebenow [63] found that herbicide application was detrimental to sage grouse populations.

Related categories for SPECIES: Artemisia tridentata ssp. tridentata | Basin Big Sagebrush