Forage Use by Cattle and Sheep Grazing Separately and Together on Summer Range in Southwestern Utah

Abstract

Grazing trials were conducted on high elevation summer range in southwestern Utah, with cattle and sheep stocked separately and together in .4-ha paddocks. Vegetation measurements were taken before and after grazing treatments to quantify vegetation utilization as measured by several sampling techniques. Sheep removed less grass and more forbs and shrubs than cattle. Cattle showed a strong reluctance to browse mountain snowberry (Symphoricarpos oreophilus Gray) even when herbaceous forage was greatly reduced. In the common use grazing treatments, all 3 forage categories were well utilized. Cattle and sheep grazing together used more forage, especially mountain snowberry, than calculated from single use averages.