AGSC 422: GRAZING ANIMAL ECOLOGY Dr. Glenn R. Wehner 3076 Magruder Hall  785-4593 gwehner@truman.edu COURSE DESCRIPTION An integrative course studying detailed interactions among soils, midwestern pasture plants and grazing beef cattle and sheep. PREREQUISITES AGSC 315: Animal Agriculture, and AGSC 321: Animal Nutrition TEXTBOOK Grazing Management. Vallentine, Academic Press, 1990. COURSE OUTLINE Introduction to grazing Role and objectives of grazing Importance of grazing in U.S. and international settings Kinds of grazed lands Principles of grazing management Grazing and land use planning Grazing effects on plants and soils Grazing effects in perspective Defoliation and plant morphology Defoliation and plant physiology Physical effects of grazing Spatial patterns in grazing Site selection Forage factors in plant community selection Slope and related physical factors Distance from water Animal experience and training Outside disruption Manipulating grazing distribution Drinking water requirements and location Fencing Salting and supplemental feeding Herding and drifting Providing shade Enhancing palatability Special problems: Riparian and aquatic zones Grazing and herbivore nutrition Ruminants versus cecal herbivores Nutrient levels in forages and ingesta Forage-animal systems Monitoring grazing animal nutrition Grazing behavior Ingestive behavior Grazing time Daily activities Plant selection in grazing Selectivity, palatability and preferences Palatability factors Reference factors Anti-health agents in plants Companion grazing systems Choice of animal species Mixed species grazing Vegetation manipulation by selective grazing Grazing intensity Grazing variables and relationships Grazing intensity effects on vegetation and site Grazing intensity effects on livestock Grazing systems Rotational grazing systems Continuous grazing systems Deferred/delayed/rested grazing systems METHODS The course will consist of three hours of lecture per week, with field trips as necessary. EVALUATIONS Four, one-hour examinations will be given, along with a research paper covering an issue of concern in the class.