Comparing techniques for determining steer diets in northern Chihuahuan Desert.

Abstract

Diets determined by bite count and microhistological analysis of esophageal extrusa and feces were compared for steers grazing on grass-shrublands in the northern Chihuahuan Desert. The study was conducted on the Chihuahuan Desert Rangeland Research Center near Las Cruces, New Mexico. The purpose was to determine the similarity of 3 dietary techniques on arid, heterogeneous rangeland. It was proposed that the number of bites of each species eaten was directly proportional to the weight eaten as determined by the 2 microhistological techniques. Samples of diets were collected in 4 seasons from 2 steers grazing in a continuous yearlong pasture and in season-long rotation pastures. The 3 dietary techniques did not give similar (p