Diet samples were collected May through September (2003) and May through November (2004) using esophageally fistulated cows at ranches in the Sandhills and southwest Nebraska. Differences in CP between the two locations were significant. Diets collected in May and June had higher CP (P = 0.04) than those collected in August through November. No interactions were detected between year and location in diet digestibility and diet digestibility was similar for southwest Nebraska and Sandhills diets

Adams, Don C.

Geisert, Bobbi Gene

Klopfenstein, Terry J.

Maddux, John

Musgrave, Jacqueline A.

English

UNL | Libraries

University of Nebraska - Lincoln 
DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln 
Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports Animal Science Department 
1-1-2008 
Comparison of Crude Protein and Digestibility of Diets of Grazing 
Cattle at Different Sandhills Range Sites 
Bobbi Gene Geisert 
University of Nebraska-Lincoln 
Terry J. Klopfenstein 
University of Nebraska-Lincoln, tklopfenstein1@unl.edu 
Don C. Adams 
West Central Research and Extension Center, North Platte, Nebraska, dadams1@unl.edu 
Jacqueline A. Musgrave 
University of Nebraska-Lincoln, jmusgrave1@unl.edu 
John Maddux 
Maddux Ranch, Wauneta 
Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/animalscinbcr 
 Part of the Animal Sciences Commons 
Geisert, Bobbi Gene; Klopfenstein, Terry J.; Adams, Don C.; Musgrave, Jacqueline A.; and Maddux, John, 
"Comparison of Crude Protein and Digestibility of Diets of Grazing Cattle at Different Sandhills Range 
Sites" (2008). Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports. 7. 
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/animalscinbcr/7 
This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Animal Science Department at 
DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in Nebraska Beef Cattle 
Reports by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. 
Page 20 — 2008 Nebraska Beef Report  © The Board of Regents of the University of Nebraska.  All rights reserved.
Comparison of Crude Protein and Digestibility of Diets of 
Grazing Cattle at Different Sandhills Range Sites
Bobbi Gene Geisert
Terry J. Klopfenstein
Don C. Adams
Jackie A. Musgrave1
John Maddux2
Summary
Diet samples were collected May 
through September (2003) and May 
through November (2004) using esopha-
geally fistulated cows at ranches in the 
Sandhills and southwest Nebraska. 
Differences in CP between the two loca-
tions were significant. Diets collected 
in May and June had higher CP (P = 
0.04) than those collected in August 
through November. No interactions were 
detected between year and location in 
diet digestibility and diet digestibility 
was similar for southwest Nebraska and 
Sandhills diets.
Introduction
Grazing native range pastures 
year-round is one way producers can 
decrease feed costs. Protein content 
and DM digestibility of diets con-
sumed by grazing cattle varied among 
seasons (1997 Nebraska Beef Report, 
pp. -5). Diets consumed during the 
plant’s growing season changed rap-
idly as the plants grow and mature. 
However, during the dormant season, 
diet digestibility and protein content 
were not as variable.
Differences in plant species and 
the proportion of each species among 
range sites can alter diet composition 
of grazing cattle making it difficult to 
compare diet quality among different 
range locations across Nebraska. The 
objective of this study was to compare 
diet CP and in-vitro IVOMD of two 
ranches in Nebraska.
Procedure
Diet samples were collected using 
three esophageally fistulated cows 
from May 200 to September 200; 
and May 2004 to November 2004. 
Pastures were sampled at the Gud-
mundsen Sandhills Laboratory (GSL) 
near Whitman, Neb. and the Mad-
dux Ranch near Wauneta, Neb. Two 
pastures were sampled at the Maddux 
Ranch and one pasture was sampled 
at the Gudmundsen Sandhills Labora-
tory. Pastures in both locations were 
grazed during the collection periods 
only by the fistulated cows during 
the time of collection. Samples were 
collected every three weeks during 
the growing season and monthly dur-
ing the dormant season (September 
through November). Eighteen samples 
were collected in 200 and 24 in 2004 
at each location.
Samples were immediately frozen 
after collection. They were then 
freeze-dried and ground through 
a Wiley Mill (1 mm screen), and 
analyzed for CP and IVOMD. The 
IVOMD procedure included 5 forage 
standards developed by Geisert et al., 
(2007 Nebraska Beef Report, pp. 109) 
with known in vivo digestibilities. Sta-
tistical analysis was conducted using 
the mixed procedures of SAS.
Results and Discussion
Diet samples have not been col-
lected previously in southwest Ne-
braska; therefore, the analyses for 
these samples are presented separate 
from the GSL samples (Table 1). Di-
gestibility of diets collected at Mad-
dux differed (P < 0.01) by month. 
Diets collected in May and June had 
higher IVOMD than those collected 
in August through November. During 
May and June, the leaf to stem ratio 
is high and so is digestibility. Warm-
season plants begin to mature and 
reproduce in July and early August. 
By September these plants are dor-
mant and the mature plant material 
is lower in digestibility. Crude protein 
(Table 1) of diets collected at Maddux 
differed by month (P < 0.01). Protein 
was highest in May and June then 
decreased throughout the remaining 
summer and fall. Advancing season 
decreased CP of diets collected from 
grazing cattle. Similar trends for diet 
digestibility and CP in diets collected 
at GSL were reported by Lardy et al. 
(1997 Nebraska Beef Report, pp. -5). 
Digestibilities in that trial were not 
adjusted to in vivo values and were 
higher during the growing (6.8 %) 
and dormant (5. %) seasons than 
reported here. 
No interactions (P > 0.09) be-
tween year, month and location were 
detected for CP, IVDMD, or IVOMD; 
therefore, the data from both loca-
tions are combined in Tables 2 and . 
There was a significant difference  
(P = 0.04) in CP between the two 
locations with average CP values of 
10.8% and 12.9% for GSL and Mad-
dux respectively (Table ). Diets col-
lected in May and June were higher in 
CP (P = 0.04) than those collected in 
the late summer and early fall (Table 
2). This agrees with other pasture 
data from western Nebraska (1997 
Nebraska Beef Report, pp. -5; 2007 
Nebraska Beef Report, pp. 109).
There was no effect of location on 
IVOMD (61.9% and 61.5 % for Mad-
dux and GSL, respectively; Table ). 
Table 1. Composition (% of DM) of diet samples collected at Maddux ranch.
 Month Statistics
Variable May  June July Aug Sept Oct Nov SEM Montha LSDb
IVDMD 60.6 6.0 60.7 56.7 54.2 46.1 42. 2.5  <0.01 8.4
IVOMD 61.9 66.2 62.4 60.6 56.7 52.0 47.1 2.7 <0.01 7.8
CP 16.1 15.1 12.  12.0 10.1 7.4  6.2 1.1 <0.001 4.6
NDF 62.8 56.4 64.1 66.6 6.6 72.6 75.9 .6 0.09 11.6
aProbability value for effect of month.
bLeast significant difference.
© The Board of Regents of the University of Nebraska.  All rights reserved. 2008 Nebraska Beef Report  — Page 21 
No differences (P = 0.27) were indi-
cated between years on diet IVOMD.
Conclusion
Location affected diet CP, but not 
IVOMD. The below average annual 
precipitation at GSL in 200 and 2004 
and potential differences in the plant 
communities available for grazing 
may have influenced results. Diets 
were higher in digestibility and CP 
content in May and June as compared 
to those collected in August and Sep-
tember. These data suggest that diet 
quality of range in southeast Nebraska 
is similar to that in the Sandhills.
1Bobbi Gene Geisert; graduate student; 
Terry J. Klopfenstein, professor, Animal Science, 
Lincoln. Don C. Adams, director, West Central 
Research and Extension Center, North Platte. 
Jackie A. Musgrave, research technician, Whit-
man.
2John Maddux, owner/manager, Maddux 
Ranch, Wauneta.
Table 2. Monthly CP, IVDMD, IVOMD and NDF (% DM) for diet samples collected at Gudmund-
sen Sandhills Laboratory and Maddux Ranch (significant month effect P < 0.05 for CP, 
IVDMD, and IVOMD).
   Month    Statistics
Variable May  June July Aug Sept SEM Montha LSDb
IVDMD 62.2 64.2  57.7 55.7  51.6  1.8 <0.01 5.9
IVOMD 65. 66.8 60.5 59.5 56.5 1.7 <0.01 2.0
CP 14.1 1.7 11.5 10. 9.6  0.7 0.04 2.2
NDF 62.8 56.4 64.1 66.6 6.6 2.4 0.62 6.0
aProbability value for effect of month.
bLeast significant difference.
Table 3. Year and location effects for diet samples collected at the Gudmundsen Sandhills Labora-
tory and Maddux Ranch from May through September. 
Variable Year Location  Statistics
(% DM) 200 2004 GSL Maddux SEM Yeara Locationb
CP 12.0 11.7 10.8a 12.9a 0.7 0.85 0.04
IVDMD 57.9 58.6 57.6 59.0 1.1 0.6 0.8
IVOMD 60.8 62.6 61.9 61.5 1.1 0.27 0.8
NDF 65.5 64.8 66.4 6.9 1.5 0.75 0.28
aP-value for year effect.
bP-value for location effect.


Comparison of Crude Protein and Digestibility of Diets of Grazing Cattle at Different Sandhills Range Sites

DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska

University of Nebraska - Lincoln DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports Animal Science Department 1-1-2008 Comparison of Crude Protein and Digestibility of Diets of Grazing Cattle at Different Sandhills Range Sites Bobbi Gene Geisert University of Nebraska-Lincoln Terry J. Klopfenstein University of Nebraska-Lincoln, tklopfenstein1@unl.edu Don C. Adams West Central Research and Extension Center, North Platte, Nebraska, dadams1@unl.edu Jacqueline A. Musgrave University of Nebraska-Lincoln, jmusgrave1@unl.edu John Maddux Maddux Ranch, Wauneta Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/animalscinbcr  Part of the Animal Sciences Commons Geisert, Bobbi Gene; Klopfenstein, Terry J.; Adams, Don C.; Musgrave, Jacqueline A.; and Maddux, John, "Comparison of Crude Protein and Digestibility of Diets of Grazing Cattle at Different Sandhills Range Sites" (2008). Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports. 7. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/animalscinbcr/7 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Animal Science Department at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. Page 20 — 2008 Nebraska Beef Report  © The Board of Regents of the University of Nebraska.  All rights reserved.Comparison of Crude Protein and Digestibility of Diets of Grazing Cattle at Different Sandhills Range SitesBobbi Gene GeisertTerry J. KlopfensteinDon C. AdamsJackie A. Musgrave1John Maddux2SummaryDiet samples were collected May through September (2003) and May through November (2004) using esopha-geally fistulated cows at ranches in the Sandhills and southwest Nebraska. Differences in CP between the two loca-tions were significant. Diets collected in May and June had higher CP (P = 0.04) than those collected in August through November. No interactions were detected between year and location in diet digestibility and diet digestibility was similar for southwest Nebraska and Sandhills diets.IntroductionGrazing native range pastures year-round is one way producers can decrease feed costs. Protein content and DM digestibility of diets con-sumed by grazing cattle varied among seasons (1997 Nebraska Beef Report, pp. -5). Diets consumed during the plant’s growing season changed rap-idly as the plants grow and mature. However, during the dormant season, diet digestibility and protein content were not as variable.Differences in plant species and the proportion of each species among range sites can alter diet composition of grazing cattle making it difficult to compare diet quality among different range locations across Nebraska. The objective of this study was to compare diet CP and in-vitro IVOMD of two ranches in Nebraska.ProcedureDiet samples were collected using three esophageally fistulated cows from May 200 to September 200; and May 2004 to November 2004. Pastures were sampled at the Gud-mundsen Sandhills Laboratory (GSL) near Whitman, Neb. and the Mad-dux Ranch near Wauneta, Neb. Two pastures were sampled at the Maddux Ranch and one pasture was sampled at the Gudmundsen Sandhills Labora-tory. Pastures in both locations were grazed during the collection periods only by the fistulated cows during the time of collection. Samples were collected every three weeks during the growing season and monthly dur-ing the dormant season (September through November). Eighteen samples were collected in 200 and 24 in 2004 at each location.Samples were immediately frozen after collection. They were then freeze-dried and ground through a Wiley Mill (1 mm screen), and analyzed for CP and IVOMD. The IVOMD procedure included 5 forage standards developed by Geisert et al., (2007 Nebraska Beef Report, pp. 109) with known in vivo digestibilities. Sta-tistical analysis was conducted using the mixed procedures of SAS.Results and DiscussionDiet samples have not been col-lected previously in southwest Ne-braska; therefore, the analyses for these samples are presented separate from the GSL samples (Table 1). Di-gestibility of diets collected at Mad-dux differed (P < 0.01) by month. Diets collected in May and June had higher IVOMD than those collected in August through November. During May and June, the leaf to stem ratio is high and so is digestibility. Warm-season plants begin to mature and reproduce in July and early August. By September these plants are dor-mant and the mature plant material is lower in digestibility. Crude protein (Table 1) of diets collected at Maddux differed by month (P < 0.01). Protein was highest in May and June then decreased throughout the remaining summer and fall. Advancing season decreased CP of diets collected from grazing cattle. Similar trends for diet digestibility and CP in diets collected at GSL were reported by Lardy et al. (1997 Nebraska Beef Report, pp. -5). Digestibilities in that trial were not adjusted to in vivo values and were higher during the growing (6.8 %) and dormant (5. %) seasons than reported here. No interactions (P > 0.09) be-tween year, month and location were detected for CP, IVDMD, or IVOMD; therefore, the data from both loca-tions are combined in Tables 2 and . There was a significant difference  (P = 0.04) in CP between the two locations with average CP values of 10.8% and 12.9% for GSL and Mad-dux respectively (Table ). Diets col-lected in May and June were higher in CP (P = 0.04) than those collected in the late summer and early fall (Table 2). This agrees with other pasture data from western Nebraska (1997 Nebraska Beef Report, pp. -5; 2007 Nebraska Beef Report, pp. 109).There was no effect of location on IVOMD (61.9% and 61.5 % for Mad-dux and GSL, respectively; Table ). Table 1. Composition (% of DM) of diet samples collected at Maddux ranch. Month StatisticsVariable May  June July Aug Sept Oct Nov SEM Montha LSDbIVDMD 60.6 6.0 60.7 56.7 54.2 46.1 42. 2.5  <0.01 8.4IVOMD 61.9 66.2 62.4 60.6 56.7 52.0 47.1 2.7 <0.01 7.8CP 16.1 15.1 12.  12.0 10.1 7.4  6.2 1.1 <0.001 4.6NDF 62.8 56.4 64.1 66.6 6.6 72.6 75.9 .6 0.09 11.6aProbability value for effect of month.bLeast significant difference.© The Board of Regents of the University of Nebraska.  All rights reserved. 2008 Nebraska Beef Report  — Page 21 No differences (P = 0.27) were indi-cated between years on diet IVOMD.ConclusionLocation affected diet CP, but not IVOMD. The below average annual precipitation at GSL in 200 and 2004 and potential differences in the plant communities available for grazing may have influenced results. Diets were higher in digestibility and CP content in May and June as compared to those collected in August and Sep-tember. These data suggest that diet quality of range in southeast Nebraska is similar to that in the Sandhills.1Bobbi Gene Geisert; graduate student; Terry J. Klopfenstein, professor, Animal Science, Lincoln. Don C. Adams, director, West Central Research and Extension Center, North Platte. Jackie A. Musgrave, research technician, Whit-man.2John Maddux, owner/manager, Maddux Ranch, Wauneta.Table 2. Monthly CP, IVDMD, IVOMD and NDF (% DM) for diet samples collected at Gudmund-sen Sandhills Laboratory and Maddux Ranch (significant month effect P < 0.05 for CP, IVDMD, and IVOMD).   Month    StatisticsVariable May  June July Aug Sept SEM Montha LSDbIVDMD 62.2 64.2  57.7 55.7  51.6  1.8 <0.01 5.9IVOMD 65. 66.8 60.5 59.5 56.5 1.7 <0.01 2.0CP 14.1 1.7 11.5 10. 9.6  0.7 0.04 2.2NDF 62.8 56.4 64.1 66.6 6.6 2.4 0.62 6.0aProbability value for effect of month.bLeast significant difference.Table 3. Year and location effects for diet samples collected at the Gudmundsen Sandhills Labora-tory and Maddux Ranch from May through September. Variable Year Location  Statistics(% DM) 200 2004 GSL Maddux SEM Yeara LocationbCP 12.0 11.7 10.8a 12.9a 0.7 0.85 0.04IVDMD 57.9 58.6 57.6 59.0 1.1 0.6 0.8IVOMD 60.8 62.6 61.9 61.5 1.1 0.27 0.8NDF 65.5 64.8 66.4 6.9 1.5 0.75 0.28aP-value for year effect.bP-value for location effect.

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Comparison of Crude Protein and Digestibility of Diets of Grazing Cattle at Different Sandhills Range Sites

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