1. Training Lambs to be weed-eaters Conditioning Ovis Airies for use in the biological control of Brachypodium sylvaticum- a non-native bunchgrass Ryan Scholz Dr. Howard Meyers Dr. Deborah Clark

2. Slender False Brome Brachypodium sylvaticum –“Class B” Invasive Species First reported as naturalized in 1939 near Eugene, OR Centralized in Willamette Valley Recently discovered in Josephine County and Northern California

3. Background Slender False Brome (cont.) –Native to Europe, Asia, Africa Habitat Common in shaded forest understories Gradually moves into un- shaded regions Out-competes many native plants

4. Background Control –Spray Accord ® (Glyphosate) Velpar ® (Hexazinone) –Super-heated foam Waipuna machine –Mechanical Removal –Burning/ mowing Appears to be ineffective

5. Background Control (cont.) –Grazing Observations indicate grazing is effective Studies are underway to investigate this Appears to be relatively low on sheep palatability hierarchy

6. Hypothesis Lambs grazed on B. sylvaticum with their mothers prior to weaning will have an increased affinity for B. sylvaticum as adults when compared to unexposed sheep.

7. Experimental Design Pre-Trial Training –Treatment- Grazed on B. sylvaticum –Control- Grazed on standard pasture –All lambs grazing for 3 week training period First 2 weeks with ewes Last week weaned

8. Experimental Design Confinement Feeding Trial- wethers –Offered fresh cut B. sylvaticum after overnight fast –To determine the relative preference for B. sylvaticum after training Pasture Grazing Trial- ewes –Grazed on a series of plots containing B. sylvaticum –To measure: Relative preference in a pasture setting Continued preference over extended period of time

9. Confinement Feeding Trial Procedure –Lambs removed from field at 4:00pm and individually penned –~250g B. sylvaticum placed in each feeder at 10:00am Allowed to eat for 30 minutes Removed from pens Leftover and wasted B. sylvaticum collected and weighed –Repeated following morning Conducted immediately following training and again one month later

10. Data- Trial 1 TreatmentControl 100.0g B. sylvaticum

11. Data- Trial 2 TreatmentControl 250.0g B. sylvaticum

12. Analysis Shows training to be effective –Treatment lambs ate more –Observations indicated treatment lambs to be less timid when eating Some conditioning occurred with control –Likely situational conditioning Treatment Control

13. Pasture Grazing Trial Procedure –Lambs grazed on series of 100m 2 plots containing B. sylvaticum –Four 1m 2 clippings taken before and after grazing Determine biomass composition Determine amount biomass removed –Grazing patterns will be recorded using time-lapse video surveillance system –Forage consumption and grazing patterns analyzed using forage maps

14. Data

15. Analysis Final Analysis not complete –Observations indicate training to be effective Treatment lambs consumed more B. sylvaticum Treatment lambs spent more time grazing Trial cut short due to uncontrollable circumstances

16. Further Planned Research Pasture training study –Yearling trial –Study replication Bummer lamb study –Bummer lambs fed milk with B. sylvaticum extract Seed viability –Digested seed tested for viability

17. Questions