| For the last 100 years, plains pricklypear cactus (Opuntia polyacantha ) has been a major grazing deterrent in eastern Wyoming. Our project exams how pricklypear influences cattle performance and behavior patterns in eastern Wyoming. Alternating strips of Tordon 22KRTM were sprayed on 130 hectares one year before the start of the data collection. Cattle had access to areas both absent of pricklypear and abundant with pricklypear. Three main objectives for this project were: to describe the relationship between relative abundance of live pricklypear and total herbaceous forage production, evaluate the influence of pricklypear on cattle forage utilization, and to describe pricklypear influence on cattle foraging efficiency and behavior patterns. Pricklypear cover was determined by cover by life form and line intercept methods. Forage utilization was determined by paired plot clipping with needleandthread (Stipa comata) as the key species). Foraging efficiency was determined by using a five minute continuous observation, recording number of bites per feeding station and number of steps in between feeding stations. Foraging behavior patterns were gathered by using instantaneous scan method. Cattle tended to prefer areas where the pricklypear was sprayed and therefore relatively absent. Results from this study will aid producers in using more effective management options in dealing with plains pricklypear cactus. |
