FORAGE SELECTION BY CATTLE ON FESCUE PRAIRIE IN SUMMER OR WINTER

The rough fescue grasslands are important for livestock grazing as web as other values such as wildlife habitat, recreational opportunities, and watershed properties, The impact of Livestock on these grasslands must be better understood in order to manage grazing for optimal use of the resource. A study was conducted from 1992 to 1994 an the rough fescue grassland near Stavely, Alberta, to determine forage selection by cattle in the winter and summer and the effect of canola supplement ation on forage selection. Twelve 1.7-ha paddocks were stocked with 2 cows (Hereford) at 3.2 animal-units-months ha-l in winter; canola supp lements (0.0, 0.4, 0.8, and 1.2 kg animal(-1) day(-1)) were applied in a randomized complete block design. Three additional 1.7-ha paddocks were similarly stocked but grazed in the summer without canola supplem ents, Forage availability, utilization, and relative preference were e stimated for 4 major plant species. In both winter and summer, rough f escue (Festuca campestris Rydb) was utilized most (P < 0.05) and Idaho fescue (Festuca idahoensis Elmer) and smooth aster (Aster laevis L.) were utilized the least. Of total forage utilized, rough fescue and Pa rry oat grass (Danthonia parryi Scribn,) contributed about 90 and 9 %, respectively, in winter and about 62 and 32%, respectively, in summer . In summer, Parry oat grass was utilized in proportion to its availab ility. Rough fescue was the preferred species in both winter and summe r. Percent forage utilization in winter was not affected by supplement ation with canola The high preference for rough fescue appeared to be determined by the accessibility of the large tufted plants to cattle. This was particularly evident in winter when access to plants was impa ired by snow cover. Successful winter grazing on these grasslands is e nhanced with a large proportion of rough fescue plants in the stand.