Cattle Production Loss Due to Caelifera (Orthoptera) in the State of Texas

Authors

  • Tyler Mitchell Department of Entomology Texas A&M University
  • Harli Naber
  • Austin Thornton

Abstract

The purpose of this experiment is to calculate the cattle production loss created by grasshoppers in the state of Texas. Grasshoppers create a significant deficit in cattle feed yearly which thereby leads cattle production loss for ranchers.  Our (The) study involves the use of two species of grasshoppers, Chorthippus parallelus (Brown pg.32) and Camnulpellucida(Helfer pg 108), a one hundred fifty acre plot, and seventy-two head of cattle. Specimens were collected off a portion of the acreage. An average overhead was estimated for the feed deficit. Crop loss was then calculated with environmental and entomological factors taken into account. The results of this experiment showed a much larger overhead than originally predicted and the staggering effects of Caelifera on small cow and calf operations. This study could be used to further research the annual cattle production deficit on larger cattle operations such as King Ranch or stocker calf operations all over Texas, which are dependent upon rangeland for grazing cattle. The estimated results indicate that the grasshoppers are eating 14,417.5 pounds of dry matter more than the cattle are per year

References

Animal Corner, 2003-2014 Grasshoppers at Animal Corner http://www.animalcorner.co.uk/insects/grasshoppers/grasshopper_about.html

Bay, D. E., and R. L. Harris. 1988. Introduction to Veterinary Entomology

Brown, Valerie 1983 Grasshoppers

Chapman, R.F, and Joern, A. 1990 Biology of Grasshoppers

Harz, Kurt and Kaltenbach, Alfred 1976 The Orthoptera

Helfer, Jacques R. 1953 How to know the Grasshoppers, Cockroaches, and their Allies

Herrera, Luis 1982 Catalogue of the Orthoptera

Holechek, Pieper & Herbel, 2010 Range Management: Principles and Practices (6th Edition)

Otte, Daniel 1981 The North American Grasshoppers

Rentz, David 1996 Grasshopper Country

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Published

2015-05-01