Effects on Protein Content and Digestibility of Fall Diets in the Nebraska Sandhills

Authors

Trey Patterson, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Terry J. Klopfenstein, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Don C. Adams, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Walter H. Schacht, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Patrick E. Reece, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Jacqueline A. Musgrave, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Amy Johnson, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow

Date of this Version

January 1999

Comments

Published in 1999 Nebraska Beef Cattle Report. Published by Agricultural Research Division & University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension , Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Abstract

Four blocks of Sandhills rangeland (three pastures/block) were used to test summer grazing date and fall grazing intensity effects on protein content and digestibility of fall diets. Summer treatments applied to each block were 1) no summer grazing, 2) June grazing and 3) July grazing. Each block was grazed in sequence at six different stocking rates the following fall by six esophageally fistulated cows (two per pasture). Digestibility of fall diets declined linearly and crude protein declined quadratically as fall stocking intensity progressively increased. June grazing increased the CP content of fall diets compared to July or no summer grazing, but no summer by fall grazing interactions were detected.