Viability, Germination, and Emergence of Cattle‐Fed Jointed Goatgrass Seed

Abstract

Wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) heavily infested with jointed goatgrass ( Aegilops cylindrica Host.) is often docked and reduced to sample grade at the elevator. This grain may be fed to cattle. The objective of this research was to determine if jointed goatgrass seed fed to cattle would remain viable after passing through the digestive system. Wheat contaminated with jointed goatgrass joints was mixed with chopped hay and fed to four fistulated steers. Feeding was conducted three times with increasing rates of jointed goatgrass joints (0.64, 1.28, and 2.56 lb/steer, respectively). Rumen and fecal samples were collected at 24, 36, and 48 h after feeding. Seed viability was 75 and 76% for seed collected in either the rumen or the feces, respectively. Only 26 to 28% of recovered seed germinated in petri dishes within the first 5 d. Fifty‐six percent of recovered joints planted in a peat/soil mix had at least one seed germinate within 10 d. This high seed viability and seedling emergence after passage through cattle suggests that livestock fed jointed goatgrass contaminated wheat may act as a mechanism to disperse seed.