USE OF ANNUAL PLANTS IN CALIFORNIA FOOTHILLS 



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JAN. 



FEB. 



MAR. 



APR. 



MAY 



JUNE 



1935 

 1936 

 1937 

 1938 

 1939 

 1940 

 1941 

 1942 

 1943 

 1944 

 1945 

 1946 

 1947 

 1948 



AV6. 



Figure 6. — Variations in length of time that green forage was adequate on foothill 



range. 



reached this height. Cattle often will stop coming in to feed when called. 

 This, along with height of vegetation, can be used in deciding when to 

 quit feeding supplements. 



The period of dependable green forage (fig. 6) extended until approx- 

 imately the date when the crude protein content of the forage eaten by 

 cattle dropped sharply below 9-10 percent. For 1936-40 the final date 

 was estimated from the forage samples collected by Wagnon; for other 

 years it was estimated from observations of plant development. The 

 length of period was judged on conservatively stocked range. 



Forage preferences of cattle change several times during this period. 

 In late winter cattle continue to graze the different plant species without 

 discrimination wherever they are tall enough to be grazed. All species 

 can still be considered as forage. Most of this forage is provided by the 

 scattered spots of taller plant growth. Such early-growing species as 

 slender oat, ripgut brome, Douglas fiddleneck, and popcorn-flower are 

 taken in considerably quantity. Taller plants of filaree also are grazed. 

 The forage in the early leaf stages is rich in minerals and protein, the 

 crude protein content usually ranging from about 20 to 30 percent (1,3). 

 Cattle start to gain in weight even though the vegetation is still short. 



When plant growth is accelerated by rising spring temperatures, cattle 

 still graze most species, but the widely available and early maturing 

 subspecies of broadleaf filaree (11) provides the bulk of the forage. 



