Botanical Composition of Cattle Diets Grazing Brush Managed Pastures in East-Central Texas

Abstract

More grass was consumed in all grazing periods on tebuthiuron-treated pastures, and in fall and summer grazing periods on mechanically treated pastures, than on untreated pastures. Cow diets were dominated by grasses, mainly brownseed paspalum and little bluestem, regardless of treatment and season. Similar amounts of forbs were selected from all treatments during all seasons. More woody vegetation was selected from mechanically-treated and untreated pastures than from tebuthiuron-treated pastures. Forbs decreased and woody vegetation increased in diets from spring through fall. Grasses and leaves decreased, whereas woody vegetation and stems increased in the diets from the beginning to the end of the grazing periods. Within grazing periods forb consumption decreased in fall but increased in summer and spring with time spent in pastures. Small amounts of dead forage were consumed at irregular intervals.