RESEARCH OBSERVATION - INFLUENCE OF OVER-WINTERING FEED REGIMEN ON CONSUMPTION OF LOCOWEED BY STEERS

Many producers believe cattle grazing wheat pasture during the winter are likely to graze actively growing locoweed when turned onto short-g rass prairie in the spring, White locoweed (Oxytropis sericea Nutt, ex T&G) consumption was compared in a spring grazing study between steer s wintered on irrigated 'TAM 105' wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) pasture (Wheat) and steers wintered on native range (Range), Range steers con sumed locoweed for 43% of bites compared to 17% for the Wheat steers, and began eating locoweed before steers in the Wheat group, We rejecte d the hypothesis that steers wintered on wheat are more inclined to gr aze locoweed than steers wintered on native range.