Relationship of Distance Traveled with Diet and Weather for Hereford Heifers

Abstract

Distance traveled by Hereford heifers under continuous and high-intensity low-frequency (HILF) grazing was highly correlated with crude protein, digestible energy, forb content, and the ratio of grass leaf blade to stem plus leaf sheath obtained from diets collected via esophageal fistula. Observations confirmed that availability of palatable forbs was positively correlated with animal travel under HILF grazing management. Animal travel decreased under both management systems between July and December. Maximum diurnal temperatures and maximum diurnal water vapor, expressed as maximum mixing ratio, were significantly associated with travel under HILF grazing. Calculations indicated that the energy cost associated with horizontal travel for range cattle is greater than that allowed in the basal metabolism requirement set forth by the National Research Council.