Date of Award:

5-2013

Document Type:

Thesis

Degree Name:

Master of Science (MS)

Department:

Wildland Resources

Committee Chair(s)

Juan J. Villalba

Committee

Juan J. Villalba

Committee

Frederick D. Provenza

Committee

Jennifer MacAdam

Abstract

Livestock production systems have emphasized low diversity of high-producing forage species dependent upon costly fossil-fuel inputs. However, diversity of plants in natural systems is common, and diverse plant communities enable herbivores to meet needs for nutrition and health. Plants provide herbivores with nutrients and bioactive compounds – plant secondary compounds (SCs), which at appropriate concentrations can reduce internal parasites and greenhouse gas emissions, improve nutrient utilization and enhance meat quality in ruminants. In addition, SCs confer plants more resistance to environmental challenges such as drought or pests.

With my MS program, I sought to explore foraging behavior in cattle grazing diverse pastures presented as a choice in strips. Some of these pastures contained SCs, like tannins in sainfoin and saponins in alfalfa. Cattle had also available a grass (tall fescue) of lower nutritional quality than alfalfa and sainfoin. This research will help us better understand the ability of herbivores to use diverse forages and its impact on productivity, meat quality and consumer acceptance. Diverse pastures (plant species, chemistries) will contribute to create sustainable agricultural ecosystems, with complementary benefits for soils, plants, herbivores, and people.

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