Henry A. Pearson

Esophageal, fecal and exclosure estimates of cattle diets on a longleaf pine-bluestem range.

Microhistological analysis of esophageal or fecal materials provides an accurate and efficient method for evaluating botanical compositions of cattle diets on native longleaf pine-bluestem range. For practical purposes fecal analysis is the preferred method. Plant species that were most important to cattle during the present study were the bluestems and panicums. Southern pine ecosystems serve as range for livestock and wildlife. These forest ranges have potential for high production of red meat with minimum inputs (Pearson and Whitaker 1974; Pearson 1975; Sternitzke and Pearson 1975). Cattle impact on ecosystems is related to the animal’s dietary needs, preferences, and available forage. The purpose of this study was to estimate cattle diets on longleaf pine-bluestem range. Specific objectives were to contrast cattle diets estimated from esophageal and fecal samples with estimates obtained from exclosures. Study Areas

Shade tolerance of grass and legume germplasm for use in the southern forest range.

A series of experiments was conducted during 1978,1979, and 1980 to screen selected cultivars of grasses and legumes for their adaptation and performance under a multiple harvest system in a shaded environment. Acceptable stands of all species except Unioh sessiliflora Michx. were obtained under each shade treatment. The most shade tolerant species were ‘Nangeela’ subclover (T#olium subternzneum L.), ryegrass (Lolium mul@7orium Lam.), Per&n clover (Trifolium resupinatum L.) and crimson clover (Trifolium incarnatum L.). Shade reduced the height of species with an upright growth habit while decumbent type species (subclover) showed less reduction. Nitrogen content was not affected by shade while potassium and phosphorus levels increased for all species under 5% shade. In separate field experiments the yield, stand density, and persistence of sericea lespedexa [Lespdeza cuneata (Dumont) G. Don) decreased with increasing shade although crude protein content was not affected. Cultivars of 4 species, (‘Mt. Barker’ subclover, ‘Tibbee’ crimson clover, ‘Kentucky 31’ tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.), and ‘Gulf ryegrass), had acceptable stands and yields under 50% shade in a multiple harvest regime. These results demonstrate that several forage species are sufficiently shade tolerant to warrant consideration for use in forested environments. It has been demonstrated that potential forage biomass production is higher in the South than in any other range area of comparable size in the United States (Grelen 1978). However, native range production is declining rapidly due to accelerated pine regeneration and the establishment of fast-growing slash (Pinus elliottii Engelm.) and loblolly pine (P. taedu L.), which results in drastically reduced herbage production within a few years. Grelen stated that operational scale multiple-use research is badly needed to evaluate compatability of tree production, wildlife, livestock, and other resources. One promising possibility for improving the southern forest range is the introduction of shade tolerant forages. Such germplasm could provide better quality forage over an extended period for both wildlife and livestock, could serve as a groundcover to reduce erosion during the winter, and could contribute to soil organic matter levels and add nitrogen in the case of legumes. This study reports an evaluation of the effects of shade on morphological and physiological characteristics of selected forage species. Authors are professor and associate professor of agronomy, P.O. Box 5248, Department of Agronomy; research agronomist, Crop Science Research Lab., USDA-AR& Mississippi Agr. and Forestry Exp. Sta., Mississippi State 39762; and project leader, USDA Southern Forest Exp. Sta. Pineville, La. 71360. This research isa contribution from the Dep. of Agronomy, Mississippi State Univ:, and the Mississippi Agr. and Forestry Exp. Sta. Approved by the Director as Techmcal Paper No. 5432. The research was conducted under Cooperative A8reement No. 19-299 between the U.S. Forest Service, Southern Forest Exp. Sta., Range Management Research and the Mississippi Agr. and Forestry Exp. Sta. This project is endorsed by the U.S. Man and Biosphere Program (MAB-3) contributing to grazing land management objectives. Manuscript received March 30, 1983. JOURNAL OF RANGE MANAGEMENT 37(3), May 1984 Experiment 1A Twenty species and/or cultivars of cool-season grasses and legumes were planted on a prepared seedbed on October 20,1978, at Mississippi State, Miss. (Table 1). All species were planted in Table 1. Species and wricties of grass and legume germphsm subjected to shade malugement at Mississippi State University, 1978. Species Variety Common name VANCE H. WATSON, CHARLES HAGEDORN, WILLIAM E. KNIGHT, AND HENRY A. PEARSON Wjolium subterraneum L. Nangeela Woogenellup Daliak Geraldton Miss. Ecotype Tallarook Mt. Barker Dwalganup Sub Clover W~olium vesiculosum Savii. Amclo Yuchi Meechee Trifolium nigrescens L. ---I Tkvolium resupinatum L. TQfolium akxandrinum L. Wjolium incamarum L. Chief, Tibbee Festuca arundinacea Schreb. Kentucky 3 1 Lolium mullzjlorium Lam. Marshall Uniola sessiliflora Michx. Arrowleaf Clover Vicia villosa -Roth. Ball Clover Persian Clover Berseem Clover Crimson Clover Tall Fescue Ryegrass Uniola (Broadleaf)

Forage Response to Overstory Reduction on Loblolly-Shortleaf Pine-Hardwood Forest Range

Herbage and browse production after selectively cutting unevenaged stands of loblolly-shortleaf pine to various densities were generally related to residual pine basal area and site quality. Exceptions were at least partially the result of shrub and hardwood crown cover development on the triennially burned range. Uniolas were the principal forage species under stands having high residual pine basal area, bluestems were the major forage component on clearings. Browse made up about one-fourth of the forage under stands having high residual pine basal area but represented considerably lower proportions on clearings. Loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) and shortleaf pine (P. echinata) are the dominant trees in the most extensive forest type in the South. Although timber production is the principal use of these forests, they also provide valuable habitat for white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and are grazed extensively by cattle. Management techniques for maintaining or improving the forage resource need refinement, however. This paper reports a study to determine the relation of quantity and composition of understory vegetation to a wide range of overstory densities. The study, begun in 1969, was carried out in uneven-aged stands subjected to a 3-year rotational winter burn.

Calculating grazing intensity for maximum profit on ponderosa pine range in northern Arizona.

capacity is complete. May and June are again the limiting months for the reasons mentioned above. Thus, our estimate of the yearlong breeding cow carrying capacity of the ranch is 125. It should be noted that once the limiting feed months (May and June) have been identified, solution of the algebraic equations for these months is sufficient to calculate yearlong carrying capacity. For the purpose of illustration we have included solutions to all 12 equations in Table 4. We have also provided a solution in terms of total annual feed requirement and availability which also yields the correct estimate of 125 head: 16.97X= 2134, X= 125. Since 125 cows are currently being carried (and this number has been adequately supported for the last several years), the 125 cow estimate yielded by the “algebraic” method appears better than those obtained by either the “average” or “limiting” methods. If the rule of thumb for the number of AUMs required per breeding cow month had been set at 1.4 in our example, both the “average” and “limiting” methods would have produced the correct estimate of 125 head. It is the use of the inflexible rule of thumb factor of 1.3 which is responsible for the incorrect estimates of carrying capacity by these two methods. The greater accuracy of the “algebraic” method is due to its ability to compare month-by-month estimates of feed requirement with monthly feed availability. Future use of the “algebraic” method will result in more accurate estimates of yearlong carrying capacity and help avoid both overand understocking of seasonal ranges.

Liquid Supplements for Cattle on Southern Forest Range

The study was conducted on the Palustris Experimental Forest in central Louisiana on an area where moderate yearlong grazing has been practiced since 1951. Cattle stocking rates are 1.5 acres per animal unit month, and utilization averages about 42% of the current year’s herbage growth. Soils vary from poorly drained flatwoods to well-drained sandy loams with slopes up to 10%. Longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Mill.) was clearcut in 1965, and only a scattering of small pines and some scrub oaks (Quercus spp.) remain. The herbaceous vegetation is mainly slender bluestem (Andropogon tener (Nees) Kunth), pinehill bluestem (A. scoparius var. divergens Anderss. ex Hack.), other bluestems, and panicums (Panicurn spp.). The primary shrub is southern waxmyrtle (Myrica ceriferu L.). Annual herbage production

Effect of Delays in Inoculum Collection on Artificial Rumen Digestibilities

Range forage samples were digested (in vifro) with rumen inoculum collected after delays of 2, 6, 10, and 14 weeks after fhe forage collection. Inoculum collected after the 6week delay gave equivalent forage digestibility values as the a-week delay: IO-week inoculum delay resulted in digestion values statistically related to but lower than the a-week delay values. Inoculum collected after a 14-week delay could not be used fo estimate range forage digestibility.

Estimating Cattle Gains from Consumption of Digestible Forage on Ponderosa Pine Range (La Estimacion de Ganancias del Ganado Bovino por el Consumo de Forraje Digestible)

Se llev6 a cabo el estudio en un pastizal tipo pino ponderosa cerca de Flagstaff, Arizona, E.U.A. Las ganancias de1 ganado bovino fueron relacionadas directamente con el consume de forraje digestible y el consume ordinario. El consume de forraje digestible explica el 80% de las ganancias y el consume ordinario explica el75.3%. Se concluy6 que la mejor evaluacih de 10s pastizales es el consume de forraje digestible.