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Thesis (M.S.)--Auburn University, 2008. / Abstract. Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Cattle grazing patterns on Lehmann lovegrass rangelands often create heavily-grazed (HG) areas surrounded by lightly-grazed (LG) or ungrazed patches. The purpose of this study was to characterize the forage resource and ingestive behavior of cattle grazing Lehmann lovegrass plants in both LG and HG patches on the Santa Rita Experimental Range. The general hypothesis was that residual bunchgrass vegetation resulted in sward characteristics which physically inhibited the efficiency of cattle grazing by increasing the manipulative activity per harvested bite. The overall heights of residual stems and green tillers averaged 70 and 49 cm for LG, 8 and 9 cm for HG patches. Biomass of total standing crop (SC), residual vegetation (RV) and green herbage (GH) averaged 4159, 3395 and 764 kg/ha for LG, 345, 185 and 160 kg/ha for HG patches, respectively. Bulk density of SC, RV and GH of LG and HG patches averaged 58, 48, and 19 [(gm/cm³) X 10⁻⁵] for LG, 38, 23 and 20 [(gm/cm³) X 10⁻⁵] for HG patches, respectively. The ratio of green herbage to residual vegetation averaged 0.22 for LG and 0.86 for HG patches. The different sward structure of LG and HG patches affected the ingestive behavior of the grazing cows. Overall handling time for each grazing bite averaged 1.5 and 1.2 sec/bite in LG and HG patches, respectively. Cows employed different foraging tactics in response to the dynamic changes of the sward conditions. Cows employed top biting extensively to harvest the seed-head and other green herbage at the top of the sward surface. As the height of residual stems increased and dominated the upper strata of the sward, side and low biting were mainly used by the cows as grazing methods to bite the plants to reduce the manipulative activity. Avoidance of LG patches or preference for HG patches was related to the sward structure and largely shaped by the build-up of residual vegetation. Removal of residual vegetation through fire, mowing or heavy utilization for short periods late in the growing season to allow for more accessible green herbage could improve both animal and pasture utilization of the range resource.

The abundance of Lehmann lovegrass (Eragrostis lehmanniana, Nees.) on Arizona ranges prompted this research to evaluate the animal production and winter palatability of this species. Sulfurcoated urea (SCU) was applied to desert grassland range to minimize the risks of fertilization that are brought about by drought and unseasonable rainfall. Tebuthiuron (TEB) was also applied to pasture to document any beneficial effects on forage production and palatability. During the 2 years of this project, two experiments were conducted. A preference study examined forage and animal responses to one-time applications of fertilizer or herbicide treatments and combinations. The second experiment compared the potentials for improved animal production from SCU and SCU + TEB with untreated range. Results indicated that the fertilizer and combination treatments produced more forage than the untreated plots. Tebuthiuron improved forage production by 200 percent in the first year but reduced yields in the second year. The high rate of TEB was detrimental in both years. Forage utilization was improved by all treatments. Nitrogen increased the crude protein content of the grasses proportional to the rate applied. Tebuthiuron also enhanced the protein content of the forage. Total available carbohydrates were lowest in TEB treated forages, but digestibility was increased. Only the 31 lb SCU appeared to be economically profitable. However, excellent carry-over by the 60 SCU treatment suggested profitability after 3 years. Results from the grazing study indicated that production was significantly improved by both treatments. Although forage production was similar for the treatments, the SCU-only pasture provided superior animal gains and greater carrying capacity than the SCU + TEB pasture, even though forage digestibility and apparent disappearance were greater on the combination pasture. The difference in animal performance was attributed to low levels of carbohydrates available from the combination pasture. Treatment of Lehmann lovegrass/blue grama range with 40 SCU/acre appeared profitable for raising growing beef animals, but not for maintenance of a breeding cow herd.

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Two trials were conducted to demonstrate diet selected by grazing cattle. Selection criteria were investigated on the basis of cattle selection for plant species, green leaf in preference to dry leaf or dry stem and the chemical contents of esophageal samples versus those in the standing crop. The influence of residual old vegetation on selection ability was studied by mowing all or part of the pasture. Cattle consumed Lehmann lovegrass in preference to shrubby species (Table 1). The esophageal samples contained higher levels of protein, phosphorus and IVDMD than that in the standing crop in both Trial 1 and Trial 2. Neutral detergent fiber was higher in the standing crop than in the esophageal samples, whereas in Trial 2, there appeared to be no difference in NDF. Removal of old vegetation by mowing had no effect on selection for plant parts. Cattle selected green leaf, in preference to dry leaf or dry stem regardless of the presence of old material. Free ranging cattle selected a diet that was higher in nutrient density and more digestible than the available forage.

A fifteen month experiment was conducted to study the pattern of utilization of Lehmann lovegrass by cows during different seasons at three stocking rates on four patch types (grazed, open; grazed, under-mesquite; mowed, artificial; and ungrazed control) at the Santa Rita Experimental Range. The purpose of the research was to determine the influence of standing biomass, proportion of green material and nutrient content of patch types on the relative time cattle grazed patch types. Cattle biting rate on patch types was also measured. Height of leaves and flowers, dry biomass (kg/ha and %), green biomass (kg/ha) and total biomass were greater on ungrazed patches. Proportion of green was greater in grazed than ungrazed patches. Protein, phosphorus, Calcium and IVDMD were higher in green and complete samples of grazed than ungrazed patches. Cattle concentrated grazing upon upland, open grazed patches and under-mesquite canopy. These selected areas were higher in proportion of green biomass and nutrient value and lower in total standing crop and total green biomass than ungrazed areas. Nutrient density, rather than biomass appeared to govern cattle grazing.