GRASS UTILIZATION AND GRAZING DISTRIBUTION WITHIN INTENSIVELY MANAGEDFIELDS IN CENTRAL ALBERTA

Grazing distribution and grass utilization was evaluated in intensivel y managed fields in the southern Aspen Parkland near Kirriemuir, Alber ta. Three fields, 130 ha in size (with dimensions .4 x 3.2 km) were gr azed by 1,000 cow/calf pairs for 5 days each, Stock water was accessib le only from one end of each field, Grazing distribution was evaluated by monitoring grass utilization daily during grazing and after grazin g at 0.1, 0.8, 1.6, 2.4, and 3.1 km from water, Final utilization did not differ within fields, except for a decline at the maximum distance from water (3.1 km), Temporal utilization patterns existed and could best be described as a wave, with defoliation beginning near the water source on day 1 of grazing and proceeding outward from water until th e ends of the fields were grazed on day 5, Final utilization was unifo rm; selective grazing of areas close to water was not removed by inten sive management, but was masked by a rapid rate of defoliation.