Rangeland Ecology & Management

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Cattle preferences for Lambert locoweed over white locoweed
Author
Ralphs, M. H.
Greathouse, G.
Knight, A. P.
James, L. F.
Publisher
Society for Range Management
Publication Year
2001-05-01
Body

White (Oxytropis sericea Nutt. in T. G.) and Lambert (O. lambertii var. biglovii Pursh) locoweed grow adjacent to each other on the foothills of the Rocky Mountains from southeastern Wyoming to northeastern New Mexico. Lambert locoweed matures later and flowers about 3-4 weeks after white locoweed, thus potentially increasing the critical period of poisoning when livestock graze areas infested by both species. The objective of this study was to evaluate cattle consumption of these 2 species as they progress phenologically. In 1998, 15 Hereford cows grazed a 32 ha pasture infested with both species from the time white locoweed flowered in mid June until both species were mature and senesced in August. In 1999, 4 cows were placed in a 5 ha pasture infested with both species for 4 days in each of the following periods: (1) flower stage of white locoweed, (2) flower stage of Lambert locoweed, immature pod at white locoweed, (3) immature pod stage of Lambert locoweed, mature pod while (4) mature pod and seed shatter stage respectively. Diets were estimated by bite-count. Lambert locoweed was preferred over white locoweed in the season-long grazing trial in 1998, and in each of the 4 intensive grazing trials in 1999. The cows consumed white locoweed as availability of Lambert locoweed declined in 1998, but little white locoweed was consumed in the 4 intensive grazing trials in 1999. The toxic locoweed alkaloid swainsonine ranged from 0.04 to 0.06% in white locoweed, but was not detected in Lambert locoweed in this study. The Journal of Range Management archives are made available by the Society for Range Management and the University of Arizona Libraries. Contact lbry-journals@email.arizona.edu for further information. Migrated from OJS platform August 2020

Language
en
Resource Type
Text
Document Type
Journal Issue/Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
10.2307/4003245
Additional Information
Ralphs, M. H., Greathouse, G., Knight, A. P., & James, L. F. (2001). Cattle preferences for Lambert locoweed over white locoweed. Journal of Range Management, 54(3), 265-268.
IISN
0022-409X
OAI Identifier
oai:repository.arizona.edu:10150/643867
Journal Volume
54
Journal Number
3
Journal Pages
265-268
Journal Name
Journal of Range Management
Keywords
flowering date
Oxytropis lambertii
pods
plant development
developmental stages
Weeds
alkaloids
Infestation
Oxytropis sericea
selective grazing
cattle
phenology
New Mexico
feeding preferences
poisonous plants
Oxytropis lambertii
Oxytropis sericea
poisonous plants
cattle grazing
swainsonine