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Observations of cattle use of prairie dog towns

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dc.contributor.authorGuenther, Debra A., author
dc.contributor.authorDetling, James K., author
dc.contributor.authorAmerican Society for Range Management, publisher
dc.date.accessioned2007-01-03T06:25:06Z
dc.date.available2007-01-03T06:25:06Z
dc.date.issued2003-09
dc.descriptionAbstract in English and Spanish.
dc.descriptionIncludes bibliographical references (pages 416-417).
dc.description.abstractWe investigated the use of prairie dog towns by cattle (Bos taurus) on the shortgrass steppe of northeastern Colorado by conducting surveys of cattle and vegetation from June to August 1999. Cattle presence and behavior were recorded 3 times a week during driving surveys of 15 black-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys ludovicianus) towns. A subset of 3 pastures with prairie dog towns was intensively surveyed twice weekly wherein the habitat and activity of a randomly chosen focal animal was recorded every 6 minutes for 3.5 hours. Bite and step counts of other individuals were recorded for 5-minute intervals. Vegetation height and cover data were collected monthly on each of 6 habitats. Results from driving surveys and intensively surveyed pastures were similar; cattle neither significantly preferred nor avoided prairie dog towns. Bare ground cover on prairie dog towns did not significantly differ from most other habitats, but vegetation on prairie dog towns was significantly shorter on (mean = 6.7 cm) than that off (mean = 11.9 cm) prairie dog towns. Nevertheless, foraging observations indicated that there was no significant difference between cattle foraging rates on swales (70.9 bites/min) and prairie dog towns (69.5 bites/min). Thus, cattle on the shortgrass steppe appear to use prairie dog towns in proportion to their availability and, while there, they graze as intensively as they do on habitats not inhabited by prairie dogs.
dc.format.mediumborn digital
dc.format.mediumarticles
dc.identifier.bibliographicCitationGuenther, D. A. and J. K. Detling, Observations of Cattle Use of Prairie Dog Towns. Journal of Range Management 56, no. 5 (September 2003): 410-417. https://dx.doi.org/10.2458/azu_jrm_v56i5_guenther.
dc.identifier.doihttps://dx.doi.org/10.2458/azu_jrm_v56i5_guenther
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10217/83517
dc.languageEnglish
dc.language.isoeng
dc.publisherColorado State University. Libraries
dc.relation.ispartofFaculty Publications
dc.relation.referencesDetling, James K., SGS-LTER Graduate Student Research: Cattle use of prairie dog towns on the shortgrass steppe of Colorado. http://hdl.handle.net/10217/83514
dc.rights©2003 American Society for Range Management.
dc.rightsCopyright and other restrictions may apply. User is responsible for compliance with all applicable laws. For information about copyright law, please see https://libguides.colostate.edu/copyright.
dc.subjectgrazing
dc.subjectshortgrass steppe
dc.subjectcattle
dc.subjectprairie dogs
dc.subjectCynomys ludovicianus
dc.titleObservations of cattle use of prairie dog towns
dc.typeText

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