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...

Uneven grazing distribution is a concern in rugged topography, because resources may be adversely impacted if livestock concentrate in gentle terrain near water. A study was conducted to determine if removing cattle with undesirable distribution patterns has the potential to increase uniformity of grazing. Before the study, 2 herds of cattle were observed by horseback observers during early mornings to establish terrain use patterns of individual animals. Cows were ranked on slope use and observed vertical and horizontal distance to water. Based on these rankings, cows were assigned to 1 of 2 treatments, hill climbers (observed on steeper slopes and farther from water) or bottom dwellers (used gentler slopes near water). Hill climber and bottom dweller cows grazed similar, but separate, pastures at 2 ranches during the 3-year study for a total of 8 comparisons. Based on a normalized and integrated index of terrain use from visual observations, hill climber cows used steeper and more distant areas from water (P ¼ 0.06) than bottom dwellers. Hill climber cows tracked by global positioning system collars used steeper and more distant areas from water than bottom dwellers (P 0.09) during the first 4 weeks of the 6 weeks that pastures were grazed based on a normalized index of terrain use. Forage utilization was more uniform (P , 0.05) across slopes and varying horizontal distances to water in pastures grazed by hill climbers than by bottom dwellers. Stubble heights in riparian and coulee bottom areas were higher (P ¼ 0.01) when grazed by hill climber cows (13.3 cm) than by bottom dwellers (8.1 cm). This study demonstrates that cattle with divergent grazing patterns when observed in the same pasture continue to use different terrain when separated, and it suggests that individual animal selection has the potential to increase uniformity of grazing. Resumen La distribució n no uniforme del apacentamiento es un problema en terrenos de topografía rugosa porque los recursos pueden ser afectados adversamente si el ganado se concentra en los terrenos planos cercanos del agua. Se condujo un estudio para determinar si la remoció n del ganado con patrones de distribució n indeseable tiene potencial para incrementar la uniformidad del apacentamiento. Previo al estudio, dos hatos de ganado se observaron temprano en la mañ ana con observadores a caballo para establecer los patrones de uso del terreno de animales individuales. Las vacas se clasificaron de acuerdo con el uso de la pendiente del terreno y la distancias observadas vertical y horizontal con respecto a la distancia del agua. Basados en esta clasificació n, las vacas fueron asignadas a uno de dos tratamientos: 1) trepadoras de montañ a (las observadas en pendientes pronunciadas y lejos del agua) y 2) moradoras del las partes bajas (vacas usuarias de pendientes suaves cercanas del agua). Las trepadoras y las moradoras de las partes bajas apacentaron en forma similar, pero separadas, en potreros en dos ranchos durante los tres añ os del estudio, para un total de 8 compara...

Uneven grazing distribution is a concern in rugged topography, because resources may be adversely impacted if livestock concentrate in gentle terrain near water. A study was conducted to determine if removing cattle with undesirable distribution patterns has the potential to increase uniformity of grazing. Before the study, 2 herds of cattle were observed by horseback observers during early mornings to establish terrain use patterns of individual animals. Cows were ranked on slope use and observed vertical and horizontal distance to water. Based on these rankings, cows were assigned to 1 of 2 treatments, hill climbers (observed on steeper slopes and farther from water) or bottom dwellers (used gentler slopes near water). Hill climber and bottom dweller cows grazed similar, but separate, pastures at 2 ranches during the 3-year study for a total of 8 comparisons. Based on a normalized and integrated index of terrain use from visual observations, hill climber cows used steeper and more distant areas from water (P ¼ 0.06) than bottom dwellers. Hill climber cows tracked by global positioning system collars used steeper and more distant areas from water than bottom dwellers (P 0.09) during the first 4 weeks of the 6 weeks that pastures were grazed based on a normalized index of terrain use. Forage utilization was more uniform (P , 0.05) across slopes and varying horizontal distances to water in pastures grazed by hill climbers than by bottom dwellers. Stubble heights in riparian and coulee bottom areas were higher (P ¼ 0.01) when grazed by hill climber cows (13.3 cm) than by bottom dwellers (8.1 cm). This study demonstrates that cattle with divergent grazing patterns when observed in the same pasture continue to use different terrain when separated, and it suggests that individual animal selection has the potential to increase uniformity of grazing. ResumenLa distribució n no uniforme del apacentamiento es un problema en terrenos de topografía rugosa porque los recursos pueden ser afectados adversamente si el ganado se concentra en los terrenos planos cercanos del agua. Se condujo un estudio para determinar si la remoció n del ganado con patrones de distribució n indeseable tiene potencial para incrementar la uniformidad del apacentamiento. Previo al estudio, dos hatos de ganado se observaron temprano en la mañ ana con observadores a caballo para establecer los patrones de uso del terreno de animales individuales. Las vacas se clasificaron de acuerdo con el uso de la pendiente del terreno y la distancias observadas vertical y horizontal con respecto a la distancia del agua. Basados en esta clasificació n, las vacas fueron asignadas a uno de dos tratamientos: 1) trepadoras de montañ a (las observadas en pendientes pronunciadas y lejos del agua) y 2) moradoras del las partes bajas (vacas usuarias de pendientes suaves cercanas del agua). Las trepadoras y las moradoras de las partes bajas apacentaron en forma similar, pero separadas, en potreros en dos ranchos durante los tres añ os del estudio, para un total de 8...