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Annual Kochia: 1. Is an annual weed. 2. Establishes in disturbed sites throughout the United States. 3. Invades millions of acres of cropland. 4. Is rarely found on rangelands unless the area has been completely reduced to bare soil. 5. Is not a preferred forage plant for livestock or wildlife. Forage Kochia as Livestock and Wildlife Forage Forage kochia makes excellent feed for both wildlife and livestock. During winter periods or dry seasons the protein content of grass drops below the typical required 8 percent level required by most animals. Shrubs, such as forage kochia, are generally higher in protein than grasses. Forage kochia's protein content runs from 8-14 percent depending upon the time of year (Welch 1984). Its protein level peaks in August around 14.7 percent and drops to a low of 8.9 percent in March (Davis 1979 & 1985). Between August and March is when grasses are at their lowest protein levels; thus forage kochia used with grasses at this time can complement the nutritional levels required by livestock. Forage kochia is palatable to livestock yearlong. A study comparing the winter diets of sheep grazing forage kochia and crested wheatgrass, and winter fat and crested wheatgrass found forage kochia amounted to 51.1 percent of the diet on the first year and 44.6 percent of the diet on the second year. Winterfat, awell-known, highly palatable shrub, was 27 and 19 percent of the diet in each of the years. In part the higher consumption of forage kochia can be explained by the greater amount of forage produced by forage kochia, but it also shows its high palatability (McKell, 1990). As long as adequate amounts of forage kochia are available, it will provide adequate protein to meet the needs of grazing animals during the late season (McKell, 1990). In the Dunphy Hills area (Elko BLM District) forage kochia, grasses and shrubs were seeded on degraded rangeland that was considered "critical" winter habitat for mule deer. The first year after seeding, annual plants still dominated, however forage kochia was evident. Forage kochia becomes a stronger part of the plant complex, and after four years, evidence of Wyoming big sage, thickspike wheatgrass, and other native bunchgrasses and forbs were becoming visible. As a consequence mule deer fawn ratios have increased in recent year (Clements, 1994). Replacing Cheatgrass on Nevada Rangelands Cheatgrass is a winter annual. If adequate moisture is available, it will germinate in the fall or late winter. If winter moisture is inadequate it germinates in early spring. Cheatgrass grows very quickly in the spring, uses available water, forms seeds, and then dries out in early summer. The mature seeds are deposited on the ground and are ready to grow with adequate moisture. Cheatgrass can start growth earlier in the spring than the natives can. This usually results in cheatgrass out- competing the seedlings of perennial plants on the low precipitation/elevation rangelands in Nevada. Fire is a recurring event on many rangelands in Nevada. Fires burn every 50-110 years in native range, while cheatgrass invaded ranges often burn every 3-5 years (Whisenant, 1990). Cheatgrass dries out early in the season, and forms an even blanket of fuel, which often allows fires to start and burn. This constant burning eliminates the range of woody plant species and decreases perennial forbs and grasses. The result is a replacement of the native vegetation with cheatgrass.