University of Montana ScholarWorks at University of Montana Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers Graduate School 1952 Food consumption and weight response of elk (Cervus canadensis nelsoni) under winter conditions C. Roger Hungerford The University of Montana Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.umt.edu/etd Let us know how access to this document benefits ou.y Recommended Citation Hungerford, C. Roger, "Food consumption and weight response of elk (Cervus canadensis nelsoni) under winter conditions" (1952). Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers. 6484. https://scholarworks.umt.edu/etd/6484 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at ScholarWorks at University of Montana. It has been accepted for inclusion in Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks at University of Montana. For more information, please contact [email protected]. THE FOOD CONSUMPTION AliD WEIGHT RK£PO::£E OF ELK (C erv as c a n a d e n sis^ n e ls o n l) UNDER WINTER CONDITIONS Cid/iRLES ROGER HUNGERFORD B*S#, U niversity of IdarxOj 19^8 Presented in partial fulfillm ent of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in W ildlife Management MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY 1952 UMI Number; EP37285 All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. UMT Oisssrtation F^ublishing UMI EP37285 Published by ProQuest LLC (2013). Copyright in the Dissertation held by the Author. Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC. All rights reserved. This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code Pro uest ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106 - 1346 This thesis has been approved by the Board of Examiners in partial fulfillm ent of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science In W ildlife Management# Chairman Board of Examiners Dean of the Graduate School - l i - The writer is especially indebted to Professor Melvin Morris who suggested this problem, and who spent many hours of his time in generous assistance and guidance* His wisdom and deep interest was a constant source of encouragement, and whatever success was acidleved is due him in large measure* Hr. John Schwartz, Superintendent of the National Bison Range, Moiese, Montana, furnished the experimental animals* Robert Lambeth, Chief Warden, Robert Cooney, Director of the W ildlife Restoration Division, and others of tiie Montana Fish and GaiTse Department assured construction of the experimental feeding pens* Tiie Department fur* nished the pen site, materials, living quarters, and much of the labor required in the job of constructing the feeding facilities* Hr. Stan Hon grain, manager of the Blackfoot-Clearwater Game Range, gave active assistance triroughout construction and grass forage collection* The School of Forestry gave financial assistance and many students partic­ ipated in the work of pen construction and brows© collection* The Montana Cooperative W ildlife Unit^ sponsored the research and maintained the w riter as a Unit Fellow throughout the experiment* Dr* B* L* Che a turn. Unit Leader and chairman of the advisory committee, gave active assistance, as well as enlisting the cooperation of the many people and agencies who aided this study* The writer is sincerely grateful and hopes tliat iiis work has justified this assistance* ^The Montana State Fish and Game Department, Montana State University, the U* S* Fish and W ildlife Service, and the W ildlife Management Institute, cooperating - i l l * TAHLS CF OCKTEÜTS PAGE INTRODUCTION........................................................................................................ 1 REVIEW OF LITERATURE . • • ................................................................... 3 >lETaOD£ AND PROCEDURE......................................................................... 12 Fore^e Collection •••*•••••••* *•••••* 12 Hay ...... .. ......... 12 Grass ...... .. .. ... ... ... lU Browse ..... .. .... ... ... l6 Feeding Me*Uiod8 ..... .... ......... 19 Experimental Animals 20 Weather Data . 22 FOOD CONSUFiPTiGN AND ANIMi\L RESPONSE.....................................................23 Results with Hay ............... 23 Results witn Grass . .. .. .. ... 2? Results with I^owse 29 ADDITIONAL OBSERVATIONS................................................................................... lA Browse Species Preference . ......... .. hX Desire for other Foods .................. ••......................................ill Water Consuirption i|2 S alt Con sumption ...... .......... ... i|2 Influence of Weather ............................ ii2 Temperament and Cojipat ability ..................... * ii5 Mortality and Injuries .......................................... U5 • iv- PAGE Pellet Group Counts Ii6 Final Animal Condition . # . * * * li? DISCUSSION.......................................................................................................... ii8 SIM-IARY Ai\D CONCLUSIOWS ....................... 52 APPENDIX...................................................................................... ..... • . 55 Description of Feeding Pens and Weighing Facilities . 55 LITERATURE CITED..................................................................................... 56 LIST OF TABLES TABLE PAGE It Percentajrc Coiipositlon of tlie Grass Hay by Weight of Species ••••••••••«•*•»•••«• lU II* Composition of Bunch Grass by Vegetative Description . 16 III* Suinmary of Air Dry Forage Consumption and Weight Response of Adult Elk •••« •••••*•••• 35 XV* Air Dry Forage Consumption and Weight Response of Calves .«...#.###**##***** 36 V* Chemical Composition of Forage Comparable to the Forages Fed the Experimental Elk *....**.* 57 VI* Chemical Composition of Forages Used ........................ 36sl • v i — LIST OF FIGURES Am PLATES FIGURE PAGE la# D aily Hay Consumption . # ........................ 2h lb# D aily Hay Con&un^tion •«•••••••••#•«*#• 2$ 2# Daily Grass Consumption # . # * . # . # . , 28 3# Average Daily Consunçïtion of Air Dry Material per Hundredweight of Animal •••••••••••#• 31 U« Average Daily Consumption In Pounds o f Air Diy Material per Animal .# 31 g. Daily Browse Consuir^tion •«•••••••••••#• 32 6# Change of Weight and Diet of Cow Elk ••#••*#•• 33 7* Average Per Cent of Weight Lost .................... 33 6# Maximum and Minimum Tem peratures ...# . .... h3 9# Variations in Wind Velocity and Snowfall ...... UU PLATE 1# Experimental Feeding Pens . ... .. 13 2# Composition of Hay Fed the Elk Ig 3# site of Browse Collection Area near Evaro, r^ntana . # 17 U* Example of Drowse Utilization ......... 18 5# Hay Diet# Animal ^3 3iown at the Conclusion of the Experiment, March 9 37 6# Calves at the Beginning and at the Conclusion of the Experiment 38 7* Grass Diet# Animal //2 Siown at the Beginning and at the Conclusion of the Experiment . ..... 39 8# Browse Diet# Animal ^6 Btiovm at the beginning and at the Conclusion of the Experiment ..*.... hO - ^ i - INTRODUCTION Proper managoraent o f big gaine re q a iro s tù s eétablisiiiiient of a balance between population numbers and food supply# Tais balance le necessary to achieve maximum health and productivity of animals as well as full forage production, soil stabilization, and watershed value of the game range# big game population and food supply are frequently out of balance as evidenced ly dariage to adjacent a^^rlcultural areas and overuse or elimination of sor.o plants from tiieir range# In some cases the equilibrium may be disturbed by an overabundance of one big game animal to the dotrimont of another# To establish a balance, ws noed to know not only tiie amount of available forage produced per unit of range, but also the forage needs of eacn big game species present# Food habits of wild ruminants are not sufficiently specialized to prevent competition# The elk is tiie most versatile cf them all and is most likely to cause harmful rivalry (Tlurie, 1951)# By reason of its size and number in western Montana, its total forage and range require­ ment is very large# Before tlie elk population can be brought into balance with its food supply, the food requirements of tiie elk must be known# Knowledge of the food requirement of elk is also necessary in order to measure their degree of competition with other wild ruminants# Experimental pen feeding can provide food requirement information# The value of various foods presented to the animals is rougnly expressed in animal condition and weight changes as responses to diot and to a lesser extent by the difference in amounts of food consumed# 2 The purpose of this study was to determine the response of Rocky Mountain elk (Cervus canadensis, Nelson!) when fed the following three diets! meadow hay^ cured native bunch grass, and native browse plants* Effects were determined by animal condition and weight changes* A sig­ nificant aspect was to determine tiie effects of weatiier upon weight trends and food consumption of elk. The two diets of native bunch grass and native browse plants were chosen as most significant in the winter diet of elk in Kcaitana. Meadow hay was used as a basis of comparison and to evaluate hay in artificial feeding* REVIEW