Nutrition Objectives

 

Quantify both plant and animal factors causing nutrient limitations to beef cattle production from rangeland in the Northern Great Plains and devise economically and environmentally sound management practices to overcome those limitations.  Quantify impacts of management tactics designed to improve the supply of quality forage in relation to nutritional needs of cattle on performance of grazing cattle and related economic indicators.  Quantify impacts of varying seasons of calving (late winter, early spring, and late spring) on rangeland-based beef cattle production traits.Evaluate in vitro gas production techniques to estimate seasonal variation in forage quality and predict performance in rangeland-based beef cow production systems.  Develop an in-depth understanding of the role livestock portray in controlling noxious weeds and implementation of management practices that support the sustainability of rangelands.  Increase the understanding of the rumen microbial environment in the presence of noxious weeds.  

USDA, ARS Fort Keogh Livestock and Range Research Laboratory 243 Fort Keogh Rd., Miles City, MT  59301-4016 Phone: 406-874-8200, Fax:  406-874-8289