The degradation properties of forages may affect the selective grazing behaviour of cattle. Differences in ruminal degradation characteristics were observed between samples of a 50:50 alfalfa:bromegrass mixture which were sampled from selected and not selected portions of the same pasture by grazing cattle. Fraction A and rate of degradation of fraction B were higher for forages from selected than from non-selected portions of the pasture. Key words: Cattle, forage, grazing, selection, degradation