Dry matter intake and digestion of alfalfa harvested at sunset and sunrise.

The preference exhibited by animals in selecting one feed over another is important only if the preferred diet is consumed daily in larger quantities, digested to a greater extent, or both. Six alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) hays were harvested in pairs at sunset (PM) and sunrise (AM) on consecutive days at three harvest dates.

Variation in Ruminant Preference for Alfalfa Hays Cut at Sunup and Sundown.

Diurnal variation in the concentration of total nonstructural carbohydrates (TNC) occurs in plants as a result of photosynthesis. Ruminants have been shown to prefer tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreber) hays cut in the afternoon but the effect of morning vs. evening cutting had not been tested in legumes.

Beef cattle losses after grazing Lupinus argenteus (silvery lupine).

Ten yearling steers weighing 270-360 kg died acutely after eating early seed pod stage Lupinus argenteus (silvery lupine) containing high levels of piperidine alkaloids, including ammodendrine and N-methylammodendrine. Reduced availability of Quality feed from range moderately depleted of Quality grasses appeared a major factor in causing the cattle to graze lupine. Proximate analysis of whole plant, seed pods and seed showed high levels of crude protein ranging from 16.

Preference by sheep and goats among hay of eight tall fescue cultivars.

Grazing ruminants use both visual cues and taste in selecting their diet. Preference during grazing may not be the same when forage is dried for hay and cut into lengths prior to feeding in confinement. Eight cultivars of tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.