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ARS Home » Plains Area » Las Cruces, New Mexico » Range Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #376917
Research Project: Science and Technologies for the Sustainable Management of Western Rangeland Systems

Location: Range Management Research

Title: Vegetation selection of heritage vs. conventional beef cows grazing Chihuahuan Desert rangeland

Author
item NYAMURYEKUNG'E, SHELEMIA - New Mexico State University
item CIBILS, ANDRES - New Mexico State University
item Estell, Richard - Rick
item Gonzalez, Alfredo
item MCINTOSH, MATTHEW - New Mexico State University
item Spiegal, Sheri
item CONTINANZA, GUADALUPE - New Mexico State University

Submitted to: Society for Range Management Meeting Abstracts
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/14/2019
Publication Date: 2/17/2020
Citation: Nyamuryekung'e, S., Cibils, A., Estell, R.E., Gonzalez, A.L., McIntosh, M., Spiegal, S.A., Continanza, G. 2020. Vegetation selection of heritage vs. conventional beef cows grazing Chihuahuan Desert rangeland [abstract]. Society for Range Management Meeting. Feburary 17-20, 2020. Denver, Colorado. #104

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: We examined vegetation selection patterns of mature Angus crossbred (AH) and Raramuri Criollo (RC) cows grazing Chihuahuan Desert rangeland during the growing and dormant seasons for 3 consecutive years (2015-2018). Breeds grazed two adjacent pastures (12A=1190ha, 12C=1165ha) separately in a crossover experiment for 4 weeks per trial. Plant species included honey mesquite, soap-tree yucca, broom snakeweed, fourwing saltbush, broom dalea, ephedra, black-grama, dropseeds, threeawns, tobosa and burrograss. GPS locations of animal grazing points logged with Lotek 3300-LR GPS collars deployed on 7 to 9 cows per breed were overlaid on a vegetation map classified on the basis of the two dominant species of each mapping unit. Ivlev’s electivity index (E) for each vegetation class was calculated for a herd within each pasture (n=24). During the growing season in pasture 12A, RC showed higher preference than AH for bare ground areas (ERC = 0.61; EAH = -1.0; P=0.07), and higher avoidance of ephedra/mesquite dune (ERC = -0.59; EAH = -0.04; P=0.02). During the dormant season, RC showed higher preference for ephedra/mesquite (ERC = 0.26; EAH = -0.73; P<0.01), lower avoidance of mesquite/black-grama (ERC = -0.21; EAH = -0.99; P=0.06) and mesquite-dune/fourwing saltbush (ERC = -0.19; EAH = -1.0; P=0.05), and higher avoidance of mesquite-dune/threeawn areas (ERC = -0.87; EAH = 0.39; P<0.01). During the growing season in pasture 12C, RC showed lower avoidance (vs. AH counterparts) of mesquite/black-grama areas (ERC = -0.21; EAH = -1.0; P=0.06), whereas during dormant season, RC showed higher preference for mesquite-dune/burrograss (ERC = 0.72; EAH = -0.12; P=0.08), mesquite-dune/fourwing saltbush (ERC= 0.29; EAH= -0.55; P=0.07), and mesquite-dune/black-grama areas (ERC = 0.08; EAH = -0.90; P<0.01). Relative to AH, Criollo cattle appeared to prefer bare ground areas in summer, possibly seeking annual forbs, and shrub-dominated areas in winter, possibly including more browse in their diets.