Wildlife, Animals, and Plants
VALUE AND USE
SPECIES: Quercus havardii | Sand Shinnery Oak
WOOD PRODUCTS VALUE :
IMPORTANCE TO LIVESTOCK AND WILDLIFE :
Browse: Sand shinnery oak browse is a valuable wildlife food . It
is readily eaten by deer throughout much of the Texas plains [4,6]. In
some areas it is an important livestock forage , but in most it is
primarily used as an emergency food during droughts . Sand shinnery
oak browse has caused some livestock poisoning . It is generally
most toxic during spring when new foliage is sprouting . Browse is
particularly poisonous to cattle and can cause damage to the kidneys and
the digestive tract . Sand shinnery oak browse is occasionally
toxic to domestic sheep and goats, especially in drought years .
However, domestic goats can consume it with impunity where it grows
interspersed with other forage , and in some areas it contributes
significantly to overall goat nutrition . In west Texas, goat
consumption has reached 31 percent in June, 45 percent in July, and 51
percent in August .
Acorns: Sand shinnery acorns are readily eaten by many wildlife
species, including prairie chickens, bobwhites, and the collared
peccary, and by livestock. Sites dominated by sand shinnery oak are
prime summer foraging areas for the prairie chickens . In New
Mexico, small amounts of sand shinnery acorns are eaten by the scaled
quail during the summer .
Acorns of many oaks are eaten by the wild turkey, grackle, starling,
common crow, ruffed grouse, and sharp-tailed grouse, ring-necked
pheasant, northern flicker, brown thrasher, jays, woodpeckers, titmice,
chickadees, and nuthatches [25,44]. The red squirrel, fox squirrel,
gray squirrel, rock squirrel, eastern chipmunk, white-footed mouse,
flying squirrels, and numerous other rodents feed on acorns [25,44].
The black bear, raccoon, opossum, deer, cottontails, and foxes also seek
out acorns [25,44].
Sand shinnery oak browse is at least somewhat palatable to deer and to
domestic goats. It is relatively unpalatable to cattle . The high
tannin levels present in oak browse presumably reduce palatability to
The large, sweet acorns are highly palatable to a variety of wildlife
species  and to domestic livestock .
NUTRITIONAL VALUE :
Browse: Crude protein values of sand shinnery oak browse are relatively
low, averaging 8 to 9 percent [46,47]. Tannin levels remain relatively
constant from June through September but vary throughout the rest of the
year. Twigs typically exhibit slightly higher tannin levels than do
leaves. In several studies, condensed tannin ranged from 34 to 38
milligrams per gram . Percent seasonal tannin values were
documented as follows in west Texas :
April May August October
15.1 8.7 7.7 4.2
In west Texas, the following nutritional values were recorded for
current season growth :
crude protein 7.6%
neutral detergent fiber 48.7%
in-vitro organic matter
Acorns: Most acorns are nutritious  and relatively high in
carbohydrates . Acorns of the white oak group are relatively low in
tannins (0.5 to 2.5 percent) and lipids (5 to 10 percent) . Protein
content of white oak acorns averages approximately 8 percent .
COVER VALUE :
Sand shinnery oak provides valuable cover for many species of birds and
mammals . Thickets provide good summer thermal cover for mule deer
on the hot, sunny Texas plains . However, this short oak may have
relatively poor concealment value for deer . Sand shinnery oak
provides shade for pronghorn, and prairie chickens and other birds
[5,29]. The stems and foliage offer vertical screening and excellent
nesting cover for prairie chickens .
VALUE FOR REHABILITATION OF DISTURBED SITES :
Sand shinnery oak can grow on some harsh, sandy, erosion-prone sites.
Potential value for rehabilitation has not been documented. It can be
propagated by means of acorns or by separating rootstocks [42,43].
Methods of propagating oaks (Quercus spp.) have been described [2,31].
OTHER USES AND VALUES :
The acorns of many oaks were traditionally an important staple of some
Native American peoples . Acorns of sand shinnery oak are large and
sweet  and may have been utilized as a food source.
MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS :
Competition: Sand shinnery oak has an extensive underground root system
and competes vigorously with palatable grasses and other forage species
[29,42]. Under dense stands of sand shinnery oak, forage production can
be reduced by as much as 90 percent . Sand shinnery oak contributes
to increased brush development on some heavily grazed sites and is
considered a management problem in parts of Texas [32,54].
Consequently, management objectives have often focused on reducing sand
shinnery oak through the use of herbicides, fire, or mechanical
Chemical control: Many herbicides have been used to control sand
shinnery oak. Tebuthiuron, 2,4,5-T, and various phenoxy herbicides have
proven effective when properly applied [18,32,35,42]. In southeastern
New Mexico, best results have been obtained after spring applications
. A single application can kill 20 to 30 percent of the roots and
70 to 92 percent of the top growth. Multiple applications increase
mortality. Up to 90 percent of the plants can be killed after two or
three consecutive annual applications of 2,4,5-T . Grass yields can
be increased three to nine times within two growing seasons after
treatment . Despite the rapid increase in forage growth, managers
recommend resting pastures for at least one growing season after
Mechanical treatment: Experiments suggest that it may be difficult to
root-kill sand shinnery oak by mechanical shredding. Plants typically
sprout from surviving portions of the stem base after treatment, thereby
actually increasing stem density .
Biotic controls: In some areas, sand shinnery oak can be effectively
controlled by 3 consecutive years of goat browsing .
Insects: Sand shinnery oak is susceptible to various insects, such as
galls and grasshoppers .
Biomass: An estimated 90 percent of the total biomass of sand shinnery
oak is located belowground . Carbohydrate allocation to biomass
varies seasonally and with chemical treatment. Biomass characteristics
have been examined .
Wildlife: Sand shinnery oak thickets serve as important deer habitat in
some areas. Where management aims include preserving wildlife habitat
value, selected clumps or motts of oak should be left when treating sand
shinnery oak range. Some brushy areas adjacent to treated oak range
should also be left intact .
Removal of sand shinnery oak can prove detrimental to prairie chickens
[17,29]. During a summer survey, Olawsky  reported an average
density of 1.3 prairie chickens per acre (0.51/ha) on chemically treated
plots and 1.0 per acre (0.41/ha) on untreated plots. During winter, an
average density of 1.3 birds per acre (0.53/ha) was observed on
chemically treated sites and 0.8 birds per acre (0.41/ha) on nearby
untreated sites. Although there were slight increases in density on the
treated sites, birds on the untreated sites were in better physical
condition . The distributional range of the lesser prairie chicken
has decreased dramatically since 1800's due to destruction of habitat
. Lesser prairie chicken habitat value can often be maintained by
interspersing treated and untreated blocks of sand shinnery oak. Herbel
and others  reported that the lesser prairie chicken prefers a
mosaic composed of grassland and sand shinnery oak motts.
Populations of small songbirds, such as meadowlarks, may also be reduced
by the elimination or reduction of sand shinnery oak. Olawsky and
others  studied meadowlark densities in four areas in eastern New
Mexico and west Texas; two plots previously treated with tebuthiuron
were compared with adjacent untreated plots. Meadowlark densities were
greater on the untreated sand shinnery oak plots than on the treated
plots. Summer surveys revealed an average density of 0.22 meadowlarks
per acre (0.08/ha) on untreated sites and 0.09 per acre (0.04/ha) on
treated sites. In winter, densities were estimated at 0.10 per acre
(0.04/ha) on untreated sites and only 0.05 per acre (0.02/ha) on treated
Grazing: Long-term goat browsing can produce a shift toward more
grasses on sand shinnery oak range . Because of the toxicity of
new growth [see Importance to Livestock and Wildlife], cattle should be
removed from sand shinnery oak range during leaf development .
Related categories for Species: Quercus havardii
| Sand Shinnery Oak