Cattle Diets on a Fertilized Blue Grama Upland Range Site

Abstract

Botanical composition of cattle diets was similar for cattle grazing a N-fertilized and unfertilized upland range site. Sand dropseed and blue grama [B. gracilis] were the major dietary components on fertilized and unfertilized treatments. Fertilization did not influence the content of these 2 species in the diet. Galleta made up a larger portion of the diet on the unfertilized pasture than on the fertilized pasture during the spring and had a higher preference index on the unfertilized pasture. Scarlet globemallow comprised a greater proportion of the diet of cattle grazing on the fertilized pasture than for those grazing on the unfertilized pasture during the summer. Diversity indices indicated that diets of cattle grazing the unfertilized pasture were more diverse than those of cattle grazing on the fertilized pasture.