Horses and Cattle Grazing in the Wyoming Red Desert. II. Dietary Quality

Abstract

Botanical composition of horse and cattle diets from fecal analysis and nutrient quality of hand-harvested forages used by these herbivores were evaluated to assess dietary quality during the summer and winter seasons of 1981 in the Wyoming Red Desert. Dietary crude protein estimates averaged 7.5 +/- 0.1% and 9.0 +/- 0.5% during the summer for horses and cattle, respectively. Dietary crude protein estimates in the winter were lower, averaging 6.1 +/- 0% and 6.0 +/- 0% for horses and cattle, respectively. Estimated dietary calcium levels for both herbivores were high through the summer and winter, while dietary phosphorus levels appear to be deficient during both seasons. Average in vitro dry matter disappearance coefficients for horses and cattle during the summer were 52 +/- 2% and 52 +/- 2%, respectively. During the winter these values dropped to 39 +/- 1% and 40 +/- 1% for horses and cattle, respectively.