A study was conducted to evaluate the influence of weather (precipitation and temperature) and plant communities on grasshopper density over a 14-year period (1996-2009) in Benito Juárez County, Southern Pampas, Argentina. Total density strongly varied among plant communities. Highest values were registered in 2001 and 2003 in highly disturbed pastures and in 2002 and 2009 in halophilous grassl...

The copper level in the serum of 1280 and liver of 200 goats raised in the mountain areas of Khuzestanprovince, Iran were determined. Copper, molybdenum and iron content of soil and pastures as well as sulfurcontent of the pastures were seasonally estimated. Mean serum copper levels of goats in Behbahan,Ramhormoz, Eizeh and Masjed-Soleyman districts were 8.14 ± 0.21, 1.98 ± 0.12, 7.74 ± 0.11 an...

The objective of the study was to determine if exposure of young lambs to leafy spurge (Euphorbia e&u L.) would increase the consumption of this plant. Orphan lambs were exposed to leafy spurge from birth to 11 weeks of age as a water soluble extract mixed with milk replacer and as freshly harvested plants. Ewereared lambs were exposed to leafy spurge by grazing them on a leafy spurge-infested ...

In a 3-yr study, corn dried distillers grains plus solubles (DDGS) were evaluated as a substitute for forage and N fertilizer in yearling steers grazing smooth bromegrass. A total of 135 steers (330 +/- 10 kg) were used in a randomized complete block design to measure the effects of DDGS supplementation and N fertilization on animal and pasture performance. Steers were initially stocked at 6.8 ...

Application of existing and novel management techniques can alter traditional livestock grazing patterns and significantly improve the sustainability of arid rangelands. Livestock often congregate and heavily graze riparian areas and other sensitive rangeland, while abundant forage remains in other areas. Increasing the uniformity of grazing can help protect fisheries, wildlife habitat, and oth...

Land-use and management are disturbance factors that have diverse effects on community composition and structure. In traditional rural grasslands, such as meadows and pastures, low-intensity management is maintained to enhance biodiversity. Maintenance of road verges, in turn, creates habitat, which may complement traditional rural grasslands. To evaluate the effect of low-intensity disturbance...