Effect of pregnancy on forage intake and utilization in spring-calving beef heifers wintered on flint hills range

Authors

E.S. Vanzant
R.C. Cochran

Keywords

Cattlemen's Day, 1990; Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station contribution; no. 90-361-S; Report of progress (Kansas State University. Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service); 592; Beef; Heifers; Pregnancy; Intake; Digestibility; Winter range

Abstract

Six ruminally and eight bi-fistulated (ruminal and esophageal), 2-yr-old beef heifers were used to study the effects of pregnancy on forage intake and utilization under grazing conditions. During the third trimester of gestation, pregnant heifers ate more (P<.05) forage than nonpregnant heifers and maintained similar (P>.10) levels of organic matter and fiber digestibility. As calving neared, pregnant animals had higher (P<.05) rates of passage and tended to have lower ruminal capacity "¢(P=.15) and digesta fill (P=.14) than nonpregnant animals. Differences in quality of diet selected by the two groups were minimal.

Recommended Citation

Vanzant, E.S. and Cochran, R.C. (1990) "Effect of pregnancy on forage intake and utilization in spring-calving beef heifers wintered on flint hills range," Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports: Vol. 0: Iss. 1. https://doi.org/10.4148/2378-5977.2265