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A study was conducted to compare the effects of strategically placed salt and low-moisture blocks (LMB) and salt on grazing distribution and diurnal behavior patterns of individual cows grazing foothill rangeland in northern Montana during autumn. The study was divided into 2 sets, each containing 2 consecutive 10-d periods. Cows (n = 32) were tracked with global positioning system collars for 1 set. Salt and LMB were available for 1 period, and only salt was available for the other period. During these 2 periods, all supplements were placed in approximately the same location (within a 5-ha area) on ridges away from water and that historically received little use. When LMB was available, cows used higher elevations (1,182 +/- 2 m) and were farther horizontally from water (531 +/- 7 m) than when only salt (1,171 +/- 2 m and 486 +/- 7 m, respectively) was provided (P < 0.001). Cows traveled 4.35 +/- 0.09 km/d when supplemented with LMB and 3.94 +/- 0.09 km/d with salt (P < 0.001). Observed differences between treatments for time spent near supplements were most apparent (P < 0.001) in the higher terrain between 10 to 100 m from placement sites. Cows were more active (not resting) when LMB was available than when only salt was available (P < 0.001), but much of the difference in activity between treatments appeared to be consumption of LMB at night. Over a 24-h period, 47 of the 73 min that cows spent within 10 m of LMB (a visit) occurred at night. Results from this study support previous research suggesting that LMB is an effective attractant that can be used to lure cattle to graze high elevations away from water.

Management practices are often needed to ensure that riparian areas are not heavily grazed by livestock. A study was conducted in Montana during midsummer to evaluate the efficacy of low-stress herding and supplement placement to manage cattle grazing in riparian areas. Three treatments were evaluated in three pastures over a 3-yr period in a Latin-square design (n 5 9). Each year, naïve 2-yr-old cows with calves were randomly assigned to the three treatments: 1) free-roaming control, 2) herding from perennial streams to upland target areas, and 3) herding to upland sites with low-moisture block supplements. Stubble heights along the focal stream were higher (P 5 0.07) in pastures when cattle were herded (mean 6 SE, 23 6 2 cm) than in controls (15 6 3 cm). Global positioning system telemetry data showed that herding reduced the time cows spent near (, 100 m) perennial streams (P 5 0.01) and increased the use of higher elevations (P 5 0.07) compared with controls. Evening visual observations provided some evidence that free-roaming cows (44% 6 19%) were in riparian areas more frequently (P 5 0.11) than herded cows (23% 6 6%). Fecal abundance along the focal stream was less (P 5 0.07) with herding (61.9 6 11.4 kg ? ha 21) than in controls (113.2 6 11.4 kg ? ha 21). Forage utilization within 600 m of supplement sites was greater (P 5 0.06) when cows were herded to low-moisture blocks (18% 6 6%) compared with controls and herding alone (8% 6 2%). Moving cattle to uplands at midday using low-stress herding is an effective tool to reduce use of riparian areas. Herding cattle to low-moisture blocks can increase grazing of nearby upland forage but may not provide additional reduction in cattle use of riparian areas compared with herding alone. Resumen Las prácticas de manejo a menudo se necesitan para asegurar que las áreas ribereñ as no sean fuertemente apacentadas por el ganado. Se condujo un estudio en Montana a mediados del verano para evaluar la eficacia del pastoreo de bajo estrés y la localización del suplemento para manejar el apacentamiento del ganado en las áreas ribereñ as. Se evaluaron tres tratamientos en tres potreros durante tres añ os bajo un diseñ o de cuadro latino (n 5 9). Cada añ o, vacas nativas de dos añ os con sus becerros fueron asignadas aleatoriamente a los tres tratamientos: 1) movimiento libre, control, 2) pastoreo de corrientes permanentes a áreas específicas en terrenos altos y 3) pastoreo hacia sitios de tierras altas con bloques de suplemento con baja humedad. Las alturas del rastrojo en las corrientes de interés fueron mayores (P 5 0.07) en los potreros cuando el ganado fue pastoreado (media 6 EE, 23 6 2 cm) que en el tratamiento control (15 6 3 cm). Los datos de telemetría del sistema de posicionamiento global mostraron que el pastoreo reduce el tiempo que las vacas pasan cerca (, 100 m) de las corrientes perennes (P 5 0.01) y aumenta el uso de elevaciones mayores (P 5 0.07) comparado con el control. Las observaciones visuales nocturnas proveen cierta evidencia de que las vacas con movim...

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