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Seasonal nutrient yield and digestibility of deer forage from a young pine plantation

Formally Refereed

Abstract

Six classes of current herbaceous and woody forage were collected seasonally from a 5-year-old mixed loblolly (Pinus taeda)-shortleaf pine (Pinus echinata) plantation (in Texas) and subjected to nutrient analyses and nylon bag dry-matter digestion trials. Forages were most nutritious and digestible in the spring when tissues were succulent and growing rapidly. Browse leaves and twig tips were the most abundant forage from spring to autumn and the most nutritious and digestible forage throughout the year. Pine and the residual twigs of browse were low in quality and digestibility at all seasons. Forbs were more nutritious than grasses but both declined easonally in nutrient quality and digestibility as their fiber content increased with maturation. A low level of phosphorus in forage tissues at all seasons appeared to be a major limiting factor for deer in the young plantation.

Keywords

Pinus taeda, Pinus echinata, Texas, nutrient analyses, browse, forage, white-taile deer, plantations

Citation

Blair, Robert M.; Short, Henry L.; Epps, E.A., Jr. 1977. Seasonal nutrient yield and digestibility of deer forage from a young pine plantation. Journal of Wildlife Management. 41(4): 667-676.
Citations
https://www.fs.usda.gov/research/treesearch/45505