Summary
Seasonal declines in forage quality in crested wheatgrass-dominated rangelands of the Intermountain West reduce beef cattle performance and increase supplementation costs. Integrating legumes and forbs rich in bioactive plant secondary metabolites into pasture systems may enhance rumen fermentation and improve nutrient use efficiency. This study investigated the impact of forage mixtures on rumen fermentation, nitrogen metabolism, and the structure of prokaryotic microbial communities using a dual-flow continuous culture system. Treatments were arranged in a 5 × 5 Latin square and consisted of 1) 75% crested wheatgrass and 25% alfalfa (CW-AL), 2) 75% crested wheatgrass and 25% sainfoin (CW-SA), 3) 75% crested wheatgrass and 25% small burnet (CW-SB), 4) 75% crested wheatgrass, 12
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