Pronghorn Antelope Diet

Pronghorns are plant eaters that consume leaves, stems, shrubs and grasses. They are choosy in what they eat as they only eat small amounts of a lot of type of vegetation. Pronghorns living on major grasslands have actually starved in winter months with nearby populations in sagebrush are found to be thriving. Plants that are higher in water content are preferred in the summer and grasses are generally only eaten in the presences of new growth. Pronghorns do not seem to need to drink water when the moisture content of their food is greater than about 75%.

Pronghorns compete with cattle and sheep and other herding animals throughout most of their range. Pronghorns can do well on areas overgrazed by cattle because they prefer other things a cow might not like. It is estimated that 1 cow eats as much food as 38 pronghorns. Fences constructed to enclose herds can prevent pronghorn migration across their home ranges which results in starvation and dehydration. Pronghorns eat noxious weeds which makes them a valuable part of rangeland management wildlife.

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