Grasping and steadying a clump of grass or forbs with the distal portion of the trunk, and detaching it from the ground by swinging a forefoot against the clump and slicing through or severing it with the foot and/or toenails. This foraging technique takes experience. Young calves begin to practice the technique, but it is not perfected until they are older.
A sub-section of the AAs has stopped in a sea of Sporobolus spicatus to feed on a different species of grass and uses a different technique from that employed for Sporobolus spicatus. Both adult female and a calf grasp a handful and use a forefoot to slice through it. (Amboseli, Kenya)
