Native grasslands in the US, especially those east of the Great Plains that once covered millions of acres, have almost completely disappeared.
Patrick Keyser, a professor of forestry, wildlife, and fisheries at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, suggests that those grasses can not only be brought back but can also play a strategic role on farms today.
Grasses like big bluestem are well adapted to the eastern US, and Keyser sees them as a promising solution. Cattle readily consume them, and they produce strong gains on the growing animals. The combination of high yields, strong gains, and low input requirements means that these forages can be produced profitably. Read the full article on The Conversation.
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