CONTRASTS OF ESOPHAGEAL-FISTULA VERSUS BITE-COUNT TECHNIQUES TO DETERMINE CATTLE DIETS

To understand how different techniques might affect diet estimates for cattle, the esophageal-fistula and bite-count techniques were compare d using trained cattle, For the Texas Coastal Bend, bite-count was not as reliable a technique as the esophageal fistula, These techniques d iffered in estimation of forage classes and plant species in cattle di ets, The esophageal-fistula technique was more accurate however, the b ite-count technique may be acceptable if analyses are limited to only those plant species making up >2% of the diet.