Date of Award:
5-2014
Document Type:
Thesis
Degree Name:
Master of Science (MS)
Department:
Wildland Resources
Committee Chair(s)
Juan J. Villalba
Committee
Juan J. Villalba
Committee
Elizabeth Burritt
Committee
Ralph Whitesides
Abstract
Ranchers, farmers, land managers, and resource management agencies have been plagued with various types of invasive weeds for decades, ultimately affecting millions of acres of viable wildlife habitat, grazing, and recreational opportunities. Invasive weeds often have nutritional contexts that negatively affect animals in some way, increasing the incentive to avoid consuming it by various animal species and domestic livestock. With the current amount of land infested with this weed, and the limited knowledge of the reason for avoidance, the underlying causes of livestock avoidance require in-depth and fundamental understanding.
In my MS program, I sought to explore the relationship of plant and herbivore interactions in regards to grazing, animal diet selection through the use of supplementation, along with understanding the chemical compounds that cause avoidance of medusahead by domestic animals. This research will help us better understand the reasoning behind grazing avoidance and preference, and provide further understanding and management approaches using livestock as an alternative management tool in hopes of creating sustainable ecosystems with complementary benefits for soils, plants, animals, and land managers.
Checksum
5524737774e1d996e6677a5993ca07dc
Recommended Citation
Hamilton, Tyler, "Assessing the Impact of Supplements, Food Aversions, and Silica on Medusahead Use by Sheep" (2014). All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023. 3703.
https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/etd/3703
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