Landscape nutritional patterns and cattle distribution in rangeland pastures |
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| Authors: | David C Ganskopp David W Bohnert |
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| Institution: | 1. Agricultural Science Research Technician, US Department of Agriculture–Agricultural Research Service, Rangeland Resources Research Unit, Cheyenne, WY 82001, USA;2. Ecologist, US Department of Agriculture–Agricultural Research Service, Fort Keogh Livestock and Range Research Laboratory, Miles City, MT 59301, USA;3. Nutritionist, US Department of Agriculture–Agricultural Research Service, Fort Keogh Livestock and Range Research Laboratory, Miles City, MT 59301, USA;4. Assistant Professor, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM 88003, USA;1. Assistant Professor, Department of Natural Resources, The Hashemite University, P.O. Box 330127, Zarqa 13133, Jordan;2. Professor, Department of Animal and Range Sciences, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM 88003, USA;3. Research Assistant and Assistant Professor, Department of Computer Science, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM 88003, USA;4. Professor Department of Economics, Applied Statistics, and International Business, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM 88003, USA;5. Ranch Manager, SRP_McGinley Ranch, Gordon, NE 69343, USA;6. Extension Beef Cattle Specialist, Department of Animal and Range Sciences, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA;7. Assistant Professor, Department of Animal Science, University of Tennessee, Crossville, TN 38571, USA;8. Research Leader, USDA-ARS Fort Keogh Livestock and Range Research Laboratory, Miles City, MT 59301, USA;1. Former Graduate Student, School of Natural Resources and the Environment, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA;2. Former Graduate Students, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM 88003, USA;3. Professor, School of Natural Resources and the Environment, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA;4. Professors, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM 88003, USA;1. Former Graduate Student, School of Animal and Comparative Biomedical Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA;2. Professor, Department of Animal and Range Sciences, New, Mexico State University, Las Cruces 88003;3. Professor, School of Animal and Comparative Biomedical Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA |
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| Abstract: | On rangelands, uneven or unmanaged livestock distribution can adversely affect plant community composition, riparian function, or displace wildlife. These issues have historic precedents and are still a challenge for those managing rangelands. A thorough understanding of the mechanisms governing livestock distribution can help land and livestock managers avoid or ameliorate many deleterious effects. To that end, this research tested hypotheses that grazing cattle seek nutritionally superior portions of rangeland pastures. Global positioning system (GPS) collars were used to track cattle movement and activity in three, 800+ ha pastures where the spatial distribution of standing crop, crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF), and forage digestibility (in situ dry matter disappearance (ISDMD)) were mapped in late spring. Four of five analyses implied grazing cattle spatially responded to forage quantity/quality attributes. Analyses indicated cattle favored higher than average CP (P = 0.006) and ISDMD (P = 0.078), and lower than average NDF (P = 0.003) and standing crop (P = 0.069) locales. No significant effect (P = 0.954) occurred with ADF analyses. Correlations among those variables imply cattle may simultaneously respond to more than one nutritional attribute as they select foraging locales. Stepwise regression, however, relating grazing distribution to geophysical and forage quantity/quality characteristics were extremely poor predictors of where cattle grazed. Listed in order of entry, the model implied elevation above or below stock water, horizontal distance to stock water, forage CP content, and degree of slope were the site specific attributes most associated with cattle distribution. We speculate that cattle interactions with landscape level nutritional dynamics may at least partially explain seasonal changes in distribution and forage use by cattle across the landscape. These findings should help land and livestock managers understand, explain, and manipulate livestock distribution on their holdings. |
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