Rangeland Ecology & Management

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Modeling Variation in Range Calf Growth Under Conditions of Environmental Uncertainty
Author
VanTassell, L. W.
Heitschmidt, R. K.
Conner, J. R.
Publisher
Society for Range Management
Publication Year
1987-07-01
Body

Functional relationships between calf weights and various managerial and environmental factors were developed using 19 years of performance data from 8 cow-calf herds at the Texas Experimental Ranch. Six models were developed to estimate weights at (1) the first weighing at approximately 75 days of age, (2) the second weighing at approximately 152 days of age, (3) the second weighing, using the first weight as a dependent variable, (4) weaning at approximately 237 days of age, (5) weaning, using the first weight as a dependent variable, and (6) weaning, using the second weight as a dependent variable. R2 values for the equations were .79, .83, .90, .84, .89, and .89, respectively. Equations were functions of the grazing treatment (heavy continuous vs. moderate continuous vs. rotational grazing), level of winter supplementation, age of calf at weighing, crossbreeding, linear and quadratic accumulated production year precipitation, and winter/spring temperatures. Performance of the equations was examined by stochastically simulating them for 360 iterations using 36 years of historical precipitation. 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

Language
en
Resource Type
Text
Document Type
Journal Issue/Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
10.2307/3898726
Additional Information
VanTassell, L. W., Heitschmidt, R. K., & Conner, J. R. (1987). Modeling variation in range calf growth under conditions of environmental uncertainty. Journal of Range Management, 40(4), 310-314.
IISN
0022-409X
OAI Identifier
oai:repository.arizona.edu:10150/645207
Journal Volume
40
Journal Number
4
Journal Pages
310-314
Journal Name
Journal of Range Management
Keywords
growth models
variance
liveweight gain
calves
Texas
climatic factors
rangelands
grazing