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<br />• 5 • <br />the pasture before their ADG decrease to zero. Weight loss evidently occurred in <br />1977 when steers on the heavily grazed treatment produced only 13 kg/head in 30 <br />days whereas those on the moderate and light treatments gained 27 and 29 kg/head, <br />respectively. The heavily grazed pasture in 1977 was overstocked for the forage <br />available, and by the end of 30 days, the animals were barely maintaining their <br />weights. <br />The lack of differences in ADG's between steers on moderately or lightly <br />grazed pastures in 1977 indicated that neither group had limited forage intake. <br />The estimate that the moderately grazed pastures were approximately 508 utilized <br />~~was poor in~19'7'1. Comparing dry matter production in the ungrazed cages with the <br />grazed pastures indicated that only 1.98, of the forage was utilized in the moderate <br />...and lightly grazed pastures, .so we possibly terminated these ,treatments too soon. <br />Techniques for .estimating the percent utilization under moderate grazing need <br />further refinement. P.dding additional cages to these pastures so utilization can <br />be calculated before steers are removed would help. ..However, moderately grazed <br />pastures were utilized more efficiently than lightly grazed as indicated by the 41 <br />vs. 58 kg/ha beef produced for the respective treatments. <br />..The data so faz indicate that reclaimed strip-mined lands which had no topsoil <br />added, but which have spoils that .support good plant growth can be grazed and <br />respond similar to unmined land with the same type of vegetation. During the 55 <br />days of grazing in 1976 and the 30 days in 1977, we found no unusual plant or <br />animal responses. However, most reclaimed strip-mined land is fragile and will <br />probably require careful management. Future data from this study should permit <br />the development of some basic guidelines for prudent grazing of reclaimed mined <br />land. <br />LITERATURE CITED <br />1. Sandoval, F. M., J. J. Bond, J. F. Power, and W. O. Willis. 1973. Lignite <br />mine spoils in the northern Great Plains--Characteristics and potential for <br />reclamation. Proc. 1973, Research and Applied Tech. Symp. on Mined-Land <br />Reclamation. Pittsburg, PA, pp. 117-133. <br />2. Sarvis, J. T. 1941. Grazing investigations on the northern Great Plains. <br />N. Dak. Agr. Exp. Sta. Bull. 308. <br />Purchased by U.S. Department <br />of Agriculture for Official Use <br />