Soil-Ingestion Rates of Steers Following Brush Management in Central Texas

Abstract

Fecal soil concentrations and soil-ingestion rates were estimated for steers grazing pastures treated 1 year prior with herbicide or bulldozing and stacking. Mean fecal soil concentration was higher on mechanically treated, 16.6%, than those chemically treated, 12.5%, or untreated, 10.9%, under similar forage utilization levels (50%). With one exception, fecal soil concentration decreased over the study period on treated pastures. Fecal soil concentration was correlated with forb availability (r = 0.72) and percentage bare ground (r = 0.85) on treated pastures. At the forage utilization level of this study, no relationship between fecal soil concentration and stocking pressure was apparent.