Understanding Forage Intake in Range Animals
نویسندگان
چکیده
Both the size and the species of the herbivores on your land affect the amount of forage they eat. For example, using an intake rate of 2.5 percent of body weight at body condition score 5, you would expect a 1,200-pound cow to eat 30 pounds of forage dry matter per day, compared to 25 pounds for a 1,000-pound cow. On the other hand, as a percentage of body weight, small herbivore species have higher intake rates (Table 1). Using appropriate intake rates and body weights can provide closer estimates of forage intake than traditional animal unit equivalents (like 5 ewes equals 1 cow), which tend not to adjust for animal size. Understanding Forage Intake in Range Animals
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