Date of Award

2015

Publisher

North Dakota State University

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Awarded

Master of Science (MS)

Program

Range Science

Department

School of Natural Resource Sciences

College

Agriculture, Food Systems and Natural Resources

Faculty Advisor

Sedivec, Kevin K.

Description

This study tested targeted grazing weeds with cattle and white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus). Using forage manipulation techniques, we attempted to encourage cattle and white-tailed deer to graze weeds. Cattle were encouraged to target graze leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula L.). We established that cattle will attempt to consume leafy spurge from feed bunks but not from pasture. Two projects were developed to test targeted grazing of Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense) by white-tailed deer. The first project was a behavior study using a rationed pelleted feed with Canada thistle. The second an attractant study involved testing two types of molasses (Molasses and Raffinate) sprayed onto Canada thistle. We found white-tailed deer will consume all diets of pelleted feed and will graze Canada thistle sprayed with either type of molasses. Molasses could be a viable attractant to target graze weeds. More research is needed to determine if these studies are sustainable.

Rights

NDSU policy 190.6.2

Rights Link

https://www.ndsu.edu/fileadmin/policy/190.pdf

Handle Identifier

https://hdl.handle.net/10365/27824

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