Botanical and chemical compositions of Angora goat (Capra hircus) diets, determined with esophageally cannulated animals, were studied with and independent of a cattle-sheep-goat herd in a short-duration grazing (SDG) system. The study site consisted of 2 pastures in a 14-pasture, 1-herd SDG system. Each collection period in both pastures began when 44 animal units of livestock moved into either pasture 1 or 2. This methodology allowed a comparison of diet selection with and without grazing pressure. Goats selected more grass during the summer and fall than during the winter and spring. Browse was preferred over grass and forbs. Generally, higher crude protein values tended to be associated with large amounts of browse and forb selection. In vitro digestibility was highest in April and lowest in August. Crude protein was highest in April and lowest in November. Under this particular stocking rate (.19 animal unit years/ha) and weather conditions, we concluded that increased grazing pressure, caused by a 4-day graze period in a SDG system, had little effect on goat nutrition. This material was digitized as part of a cooperative project between the Society for Range Management and the University of Arizona Libraries. 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
Scholarly peer-reviewed articles published by the Society for Range Management. Access articles on a rolling-window basis from vol. 1, 1948 up to 5 years from the current year. Formerly Journal of Range Management (JRM). More recent content is available by subscription from SRM.