Canopy structure and foraging behavior associated with phenological stages of winter forage

Figures & data

Table 1. Structural and qualitative parameters of cold season forage species under beef heifers grazing in different phenological stages.

Itens	Phenological stages			P*	NO**
	Vegetative	Pre-reproductive	Reproductive
Forage mass^a	1521.2 c (±174.1)	1672.4 b (±175.9)	2189.8 a (±175.4)	<0.0001	278
Leaf blades mass^a	690.6 a (±60.4)	550.7 b (±64.1)	373.1 c (±63.4)	<0.0001	278
Stem mass^a	356.6 c (±46.7)	513.9 b (±51.7)	696.7 a (±50.6)	<0.0001	278
Dead material mass^a	272.8 c (±72.6)	447.1 b (±76.3)	803.8 a (±73.1)	<0.0001	278
Canopy height^b	11.8 b (±1.5)	11.5 b (±1.6)	15.2 a (±1.5)	<0.0001	278
Total bulk density^c	127.9 b (±19.4)	161.2 a (±19.7)	153.3 a (±19.6)	<0.0001	265
Leaf blades bulk density^c	61.3 a (±6.7)	50.0 b (±6.9)	27.9 c (±6.9)	<0.0001	265
Stem bulk density^c	28.9 b (±3.9)	42.6 a (±4.2)	44.6 a (±4.2)	<0.0001	265
Dead material bulk density^c	26.48 c (±5.7)	39.7 b (±6.1)	52.6 a (±6.0)	<0.0001	265
Leaf:stem ratio	2.9 a (±0.2)	1.3 b (±0.3)	0.5 c (±0.06)	<0.0001	278
Leaf:dead material ratio	3.2 a (±0,3)	1.6 b (±0.3)	0.6 c (±0.02)	<0.0001	278
Stocking rate^d	1054.3 b (±130.8)	985.4 b (±140.1)	1578.6 a (±137.4)	<0.0001	278
Crude protein^e	25.1 a (±1.2)	23.9 b (±1.3)	15.5 c (±1.3)	<0.0001	278
Neutral detergente fiber^e	42.4 c (±2.2)	46.9 b (±2.2)	56.4 a (±2.2)	<0.0001	278
Dry matter in situ digestibity^e	83.2 a (±5.3)	80.8 a (±5.3)	72.5 b (±5.3)	<0.0001	278
Daily weight gain^f	0.925 b (±0.035)	1.126 a (±0.034)	0.953 b (0.039)	<0.0001	278

Means followed of different letter in the same row differ (P < 0.05) by test lsmeans;*P: probability; **NO: number of observations; ^akg DM ha⁻¹; ^bcm; ^ckg DM cm⁻¹; ^dkg BW ha⁻¹; ^e% DM; ^fkg animal⁻¹ day⁻¹.

Table 2. Variables of intake behaviour of heifers in cool season pasture grazing.

Itens	Phenological stages			P*
	Vegetative	Pre-reproductive	Reproductive
Rumination time^a	188.2 ± 22.2 b	221.5 ± 22.8 a	235.0 ± 23.0 a	<0.0001
Other activities time^a	385.9 ± 40.4 a	345.6 ± 41.0 b	347.5 ± 41.2 b	0.0011
Bite rate^b	50.1 ± 1.8 a	52.0 ± 1.9 a	46.3 ± 1.9 b	<0.0001
Bites/feeding station	7.1 ± 0.6 a	6.4 ± 0.6 b	5.8 ± 0.6 c	<0.0001

Means followed of different letter in the same row differ (P < 0.05) by test lsmeans.*P: probability; ^aminutes; ^bbite minutes⁻¹.

Figure 1. Variables of intake behaviour and meals dynamics of heifers in cool season pasture grazing during the phenological stages (vegetative, pre-reproductive and reproductive) and evaluation shifts (morning, afternoon and night).

Figure 2. Use of feeding station and p displacement pattern of heifers in cool season pasture grazing during the phenogical stages (vegetative, pre-reproductive and reproductive).