Protein supplementation reduces non-grass foraging by a primary grazer

It is believed that wildlife and livestock can coexist in semiarid savanna rangelands. However, this coexistence is threatened by intense competition for scarce, but nutritionally vital, forage resources. Specifically, there is evidence that grazing livestock seasonally compete for protein-rich forbs (non-grasses) with browsing and mixed-feeding wildlife. While this has been attributed to protein needs, there are no experimental tests of whether grazers in such a context alter their diet selection when supplemented with protein. We compared forage selection between cattle supplemented with protein (cotton seedcake) and those not supplemented during dry and wet periods, in a semiarid African savanna rangeland where they have been demonstrated to compete with wildlife for forage. We further evaluated whether such dietary alteration affected the overall biting and movement behavior, nutrition, and performance of cattle, by comparing bite and step rates, diet quality (crude protein and digestible organic matter), forage intake, and live mass change between these treatment groups. During the dry period, relative consumption of forbs was 76% lower in supplemented cattle than in non-supplemented cattle. Notably, supplemented cattle significantly avoided forbs relative to their abundance in the environment, while non-supplemented cattle over-sampled this herbage type. Conversely, selection and relative use of Brachiaria lachnantha, the most abundant grass species, and Bothriochloa insculpta, a grass species otherwise avoided, increased following protein supplementation. These patterns were similar but nonsignificant during the wet period. Bite and step rates, diet quality, forage intake, and performance were not significantly affected by protein supplementation in either period. Our study shows that foraging cattle partially trade off protein-rich forbs for protein-poor grasses when supplemented with protein, without suffering detrimental behavioral, nutritional, or performance consequences. These results broaden our understanding of the role of non-grasses in the diets of grazers and suggest protein supplementation as a potential tool in managing coexistence between grazing livestock and browsing (forb-consuming) wildlife.