1982 experiments were conducted to examine several aspects of forage quality in relation to animal nutrition, including the differences in quality between forage types (legumes or grasses), species and varieties; between years; between two hay mixes; and between three harvest dates. In addition, the importance of quality relative to yield is examined. In the first experiment, acid detergent fibre, neutral detergent fibre, crude protein, and nylon bag dry matter disappearance determinations were used to assess the variation in quality between forage types, species and varieties, and between years. In the second, voluntary dry matter intake and digestibility results were used to assess the variation in quality between hay mixes and harvest dates. The results of the first experiment indicate that the legumes were of higher quality than the grasses; red and alsike clover were of higher quality than alfalfa, and orchardgrass was of higher quality than timothy. With the exception of red clovers, where Lakeland and Pacific varieties were of higher quality than Altaswede, there was little difference in quality between varieties within a species. Neutral detergent fibre analysis results suggest a difference in intake between forages grown in different years while acid detergent fibre analysis results indicate no difference in digestibility would be expected between years. The results of the second experiment indicate there was a difference in quality between forage mixtures (the early maturing mixture was best), and harvests (early and mid bloom harvests were better than the late bloom harvest). The parameter with the largest variability was yield. Differences were greater between years than between types and species (the clovers highest, alfalfa and timothy intermediate, and orchardgrass lowest) with the least variation occurring between varieties within species. The red clover-timothy (late maturing) forage mixture was the highest yielding. Within forage mixtures the full bloom harvest (100% bloom of the legume component) had the highest yields. Since yield was more variable than the quality parameters studied, it was concluded that the most important consideration when selecting a forage mixture was yield. Since there tended to be little difference in quality parameters between varieties within a species, selecting the highest yielding combination would provide the largest amount of useable nutrients per hectare of land base. / Land and Food Systems, Faculty of / Graduate

The seasonal development and yields of four major plant communities, of the important winter ranges of California bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis californiana Douglas) in the Ashnola region, and their relation to basic climatic factors, were studied from May 1967 through December 1968. The four communities were: 1) Da bunch grass community dominated by Agropyron spicatum, 2) a sod grass community dominated by Poa pratensis, 3) a tree understory community dominated by Calamagrostis rubescens and 4) a half-shrub community dominated by Artemisia frigida. The climatic variables measured were: ambient air temperature, precipitation, including snow, evaporation and wind. Run-off, soil moisture and soil temperature were also measured. To reduce climatic variations between communities, all study sites were located at approximately the same elevation and were close to one another. Virtually all forage production in the four communities, in the growing seasons of both 1967 and 1958, occurred before the end of July. After this time, due to shattering, leaching and decay, decreases in herbage weights, ranging from 23 to 35 percent occurred by autumn, and further losses, ranging from 7 to 36 percent occurred over winter. The mean growth rates were essentially the same in the two years, but the cessation of growth two weeks earlier in 1968, resulted in lower production than in 1967. The dates spring growth commenced coincided closely with the dates that mean daily temperatures rose to 42 degrees Fahrenheit, whereas the dates growth ceased coincided closely with the dates that available soil water was exhausted. Both ambient air temperatures and soil temperatures remained favourable for growth until early autumn. The length of the growing season is the main factor determining net productivity of the Ashnola bighorn winter ranges; temperatures determine the beginning of the season and soil moisture deficits terminate the season. Moreover because the growing season is relatively short, climatic influences are important factors determining how much of the forage produced will remain potentially available for overwintering bighorn. / Land and Food Systems, Faculty of / Graduate

The production of forage in British Columbia plays and integral role in sustaining livestock herds within the province. Forage is an important component in the daily feed requirements of horses, sheep, and cattle. Fluctuations in the availability of forage due to drought or bad weather conditions can impose considerable costs on farmers who raise livestock. Wide—spread drought conditions can significantly limit the availability of forage crops within certain regions, causing prices within those regions to become inflated. Under standard insurance in British Columbia, farmers are only insured against shortfalls in production; there is no compensation provided against increases in the price of forage. For those purchasing forage, a Wide—Spread Drought (WSD) insurance scheme would provide insurance against the price—risk associated with drastic weather conditions. However, since forage prices are required to operate such a policy and are non—observable, a mechanism is needed in order to estimate them. A regional spatial price—equilibrium model which relates regional prices to regional production is developed in this thesis. The model will eventually be used to predict prices and hence determine whether a particular region is eligible for a payout under the WSD insurance scheme. A key assumption behind the model is that according to the ‘Law of One Price’; prices are perfectly arbitraged. In a competitive setting, in which agents maximize individual welfare, total welfare is maximized and prices between regions will not differ by more than the transportation costs. This spatial price—equilibrium model is applied to British Columbia forage production. The regions incorporated in the study include the Peace River, Central Interior, Cariboo—Chilcotin, Thompson—Okanagan, and Kootenay Regions. The Lower Mainland/Fraser Valley and Vancouver Island are excluded as they do not typically fall under the forage crop insurance plan in British Columbia.

The production of forage in British Columbia plays and integral role in sustaining livestock herds within the province. Forage is an important component in the daily feed requirements of horses, sheep, and cattle. Fluctuations in the availability of forage due to drought or bad weather conditions can impose considerable costs on farmers who raise livestock. Wide—spread drought conditions can significantly limit the availability of forage crops within certain regions, causing prices within those regions to become inflated. Under standard insurance in British Columbia, farmers are only insured against shortfalls in production; there is no compensation provided against increases in the price of forage. For those purchasing forage, a Wide—Spread Drought (WSD) insurance scheme would provide insurance against the price—risk associated with drastic weather conditions. However, since forage prices are required to operate such a policy and are non—observable, a mechanism is needed in order to estimate them. A regional spatial price—equilibrium model which relates regional prices to regional production is developed in this thesis. The model will eventually be used to predict prices and hence determine whether a particular region is eligible for a payout under the WSD insurance scheme. A key assumption behind the model is that according to the ‘Law of One Price’; prices are perfectly arbitraged. In a competitive setting, in which agents maximize individual welfare, total welfare is maximized and prices between regions will not differ by more than the transportation costs. This spatial price—equilibrium model is applied to British Columbia forage production. The regions incorporated in the study include the Peace River, Central Interior, Cariboo—Chilcotin, Thompson—Okanagan, and Kootenay Regions. The Lower Mainland/Fraser Valley and Vancouver Island are excluded as they do not typically fall under the forage crop insurance plan in British Columbia. / Land and Food Systems, Faculty of / Graduate