NUTRITIVE CHARACTERISTICS OF GRASSES ON SPRING RANGE IN SOUTH CENTRAL BRITISH COLUMBIA IN RELATION TO TIME, HABITAT AND FALL GRAZING

Abstract

Bluebunch wheatgrass (Agropyron spicatum), crested wheatgrass (Agropyron desertorum), Sandberg bluegrass (Poa sandbergii), cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum), needle-and-thread (Stipa comata) and Junegrass (Koeleria cristata) forage samples were collected from 14 Feb. to 31 May 1974. The samples were analyzed for crude protein, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF) and lignin. Polynomial regressions were used to describe the change of chemical constituents over time. Bluebunch wheatgrass, crested wheatgrass and needle-and-thread were relatively high in crude protein, phosphorus and ADF while Sandberg bluegrass was relatively high in magnesium and calcium but low in NDF, ADF and lignin. In both bluebunch wheatgrass and Sandberg bluegrass, lignin was higher on the open range than on the treed range while NDF was higher in Sandberg bluegrass but lower in bluebunch wheatgrass on the open range. Cheatgrass displayed fewest differences between habitats. Few significant differences occurred between fall grazed and fall ungrazed bluebunch wheatgrass or crested wheatgrass plants. Crude protein, NDF and lignin tended to be higher but calcium lower in grazed plants.