Estimating Forage Intake and Quality in Grazing Cattle: A Reconsideration of the Hand-Plucking Method

The hand-plucking method for estimation of bite size and nutritive quality was tested for steers grazing at low stocking rates on heathland and in riverine grassland. Vegetation height, standing crop, and cover of distinct plant categories were determined in 13 sampling periods over 2 years. In each period bite size was estimated with 4 esophageally fistulated steers. Bite counts on different plant categories were made during sampling. The plant categories were sampled separately by hand-plucking and weighed to determine plucking size. Extrusa and handplucked samples mere analyzed for concentrations of nitrogen and calcium.