Steers were used to evaluate the effects of stocking density on grazing behavior, dietary selection, forage intake, digesta kinetics, and growth rates of Carex nebraskensis and Juncus balticus in a riparian pasture on upper Big Grizzly Creek in Plumas County, California. Prior to the study, the site was grazed for 2 weeks (June-August) as one pasture of a three-pasture rotational grazing system. Three experimental pastures were created with one of 3 treatments: no grazing (control), grazed to leave 1,500 kg forage/ha (low) and grazed to leave 1,000 kg forage/ha (moderate). Grazing by 12 ruminally canulated and 6 non-canulated steers occurred in May-June (1992) and July-Aug (1993). Within each year, standing crop biomass by clip date, diet botanical and chemical composition (dry matter, ash, nitrogen, neutral detergent fiber, ADF, ADL, and ADIN), grazing behavior and area of use, forage intake, and digesta kinetics were analyzed.
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