Behavioral and Ecological Implications of Bunched,Rotational Cattle Grazing in East African Savanna Ecosystem

Rangelands and the wildlife and livestock they support are critical to human livelihoods, but rangeland ecosystems increasingly suffer from overgrazing and degradation. Planned grazing, a strategy that commonly involves time-controlled rotations of high-density (bunched) groups of cattle across a pasture, is marketed as a method to enhance rangeland health and lessen livestock impacts. However, the behavioral mechanisms underlying any potential rangeland improvements resulting from rotational, high-density planned grazing have rarely been examined. To investigate these mechanisms, we compared planned grazing with conventional continuous grazing management in a savanna ecosystem in Kenya. We surveyed cattle grazing behavior, measured changes in vegetation characteristics through surveys conducted before and after cattle grazing, and measured native ungulate abundance following grazing using camera traps. Stocking rates were held constant across treatments, resulting in a commensurate decline in total foliar hits per pin (a proxy for vegetative biomass) across treatments. Planned grazing management altered cattle behavior and reduced grazing selectivity by restricting movements, causing cattle to walk more slowly while grazing and to take more bites per step. Vegetation survey results supported this finding: cattle in the planned grazing treatment ate significantly more Pennisetum grasses (typically avoided because of their unpalatability), creating the opportunity for regrowth of more palatable species after seasonal rains. We also documented significantly higher zebra presence in planned grazing plots after cattle grazing, likely due to increased relative abundance of more palatable grass species. This investigation of grazing behavior, and specifically decreased grazing selectivity as a mechanism underpinning the benefits of planned grazing, shows that when conducted at appropriate stocking densities, planned grazing has the potential to help mitigate rangeland degradation and improve rangeland sustainability for both livestock and wildlife in pastoral African savanna ecosystems.     

关键场与季节放牧及草地畜牧业的可持续发展

基于季节畜牧业和草地农业生态系统的思想,提出了关键场的新概念;基于3S技术的应用和草业发展的需要,提出了关键场载畜量计算的新方法,为草地退化的防治和草地畜牧业的可持续发展,提供一个新的视角和可操作的评价指标;这些新的概念、指标、方法和程序,已经在<中国西部阿勒泰地区草地生产力变化及对策研究>中得到验证;草地畜牧业的核心问题,就是全年放牧的草畜平衡问题,这一点已列入草原法.因此,这些成果,可为新形势下正在起步的我国草原监理事业,提供必要的技术支撑.     

高山草原放牧系统控制的研究

高山草原夏季牧场的牧草营养物质富余达1倍以上，秋季牧草供需相当，冬季可满足80％左右，春季不到40％；草地上的载畜量和畜增重夏牧场是5．08羊单位／hm^2和27.22kg/hm^2，秋牧场是5．59羊单位／hm^2和31.83kg/hm^2，冬季牧场是1．64羊单位/hm^2和－4.38kg/hm^2 ,春季牧场是1．64羊单位／hm^2和-7.10kg/hm^2。在牧草增长率和绵羊种群采食率轨迹图中出现2个平衡点，表明夏，秋牧场的牧草生产有贮藏效应，冬，春牧场为牧草亏缺期。只有采用系统耦合的效应力，方可使放牧系统健康发展。     

不同放牧强度下绵羊采食方式的变化特征

本研究将绵羊对禾本科植物的采食方式主要分为摘叶、拔芯和去顶3种类型.研究发现采食方式受植物种类、季节和放牧压的影响.对羊草(Leymus chinensis)的采食方式以去顶和摘叶为主, 对芦苇(Phragmites communis)的采食方式以去顶和拔芯为主.具体表现为,羊草的去顶率,8月以前随放牧强度减小、季节推移而降低,8月后则相反;摘叶率随放牧压增加和时间推移大致是先增加后减少;拔芯率随放牧压的增加而增大,6月最高,9月最低;总体上,未被采食的羊草比例随放牧压降低而增大,在生长季后期相应增加.芦苇去顶率随时间推移先降低后增加;拔芯率在6月随放牧压减小而降低,其它月份里主要随放牧压减小而升高,从整个生长季看,芦苇拔芯率在6月初最大;芦苇摘叶率的变化受前2种采食方式制约;未被采食的芦苇比例随放牧压降低而增加,但在7月后中牧要比轻牧和重牧低,在放牧干扰下,生长季里未被采食的芦苇比例在8月达最大.     

Effects of three short-term pasture allocation methods on milk production,methane emission and grazing behaviour by dairy cows

Two short-term grazing experiments were conducted with Norwegian Red cows. In Exp 1, 24 cows were randomly assigned to one of the following three pasture allocation methods (PAM): weekly pasture allowance (7RG), grazing 1/7 of 7RG each day (1SG), or grazing as 1SG but had access to grazed part of the paddock within one week (1FG). In Exp 2, 7RG was shortened to 5 days (5RG). We hypothesized that PAM will affect sward quality, quantity, intake and production differently. Pasture chemical composition changed with advancing grazing days but were not different between treatments. Pasture intake, milk yield, and methane emission were not affected by PAM. In Exp 1, 7RG cows spent less time on grazing, whereas in Exp 2, 1FG cows spent longer on grazing than others. Patterns observed in sward quality, and behavioural and physiological adaptations of cows to short-term changes in nutrient supply may explain the observed effects.     

模拟放牧强度下割草地鸭茅可溶性糖含量的季节性变化

通过在新疆昭苏马场设置不同模拟放牧强度,研究了不同放牧强度下割草地鸭茅Dactylis glomerata叶片和根部可溶性糖含量的季节变化,结果显示:鸭茅叶片可溶性糖在打草前呈上升趋势,返青后叶片可溶性糖含量较高,进入抽穗期后其含量降低。生长季前期根的可溶性糖含量差异不大(P0.05),打草后其含量迅速变低,而后逐渐上升,9月下旬其含量减少。时间和放牧强度共同作用对鸭茅叶片和根部可溶性糖含量影响显著(P0.01)。结果表明不同放牧强度对鸭茅叶片和根部可溶性糖含量有一定的影响,由于时间和气候变化的原因,其变化没有呈现一定的规律。     

Foraging behaviour,digestion and growth performance of sheep grazing on dried vetch pasture cropped under conservation agriculture

This study aimed to investigate the replacement value of half time grazing of wheat stubbles by vetch, which had been cropped under the context of conservation agriculture (CA). Three grazing treatments were evaluated on Barbarine lambs (initial BW 18 ± 1.42 kg). Treatment 1 consists of 6-hr grazing on dried vetch only (V). For treatment 2, the sheep were grazing 3 hr on wheat stubbles in morning and 3 hr on dried vetch in the afternoon (VWS). Treatment 3 consists of 6-hr grazing of wheat stubbles only (WS). At grain maturity stage, biomass yield of vetch averaged 7 tons DM/ha allowing a grazing period of 2 consecutive months. Along this period, vetch conserved its pods indehiscent. Biomass and nutritive value of vetch and wheat stubbles were decreasing from the start to the end of the grazing period. Residual biomass was higher in vetch and wheat stubble assigned to treatment VWS. WS lambs spent more time on walking and standing, while V and VWS lambs allocated more time on biomass uptake. The DM, OM and CP intakes were higher in animal grazing vetch alone or combined to wheat stubble. Rumen fermentation parameters (pH, ammonia nitrogen concentration and protozoa count) were not affected (p > .05) by any of the three treatments. The average daily gain of lambs on V and VWS lambs was three times greater (p < .05) than that of WS lambs (164, 152 and 49.5 g respectively). Cold carcass yield averaged 444, 428 and 388 g/ kg for lambs assigned to V, VWS and WS treatments respectively. It is concluded that grazing vetch alone or combined with WS increased substantially the growth performance and carcass yield of lambs compared with WS grazing only. Therefore, dried vetch grazing could be a solution to make possible mulching and biomass uptake by sheep under the context of CA.     

Spatial occupancy patterns and activity of arid rangeland cattle grazing small riparian pastures

The spatial occupancy patterns and activity of cattle grazing three riparian pastures was investigated in northeastern Oregon using Global Positioning System (GPS) collars logging at 1‐sec intervals. Cattle consistently selected plant communities as grazing areas that had forage in sufficient volume to meet their requirements and favored communities as resting areas that were dry and open. Cattle were stationary for more than 50% of the time in each pasture and consistently rested between dark and 04:00 hours. Interaction with stream channels was found to be 1‐2% of total occupancy time and occurred on less than 10% of channel length. Cattle were indifferent or avoided channel areas relative to their area and, when in this zone, they spent most of their time moving not resting. Cattle did not prefer the stream bank zone and spent only 2% of their time in that zone. When occupied, the stream bank zone was used as a travel corridor to gain access to water or cross the channel to access other pasture areas. These results are in contrast with the general belief that cattle are a primary occupant of the stream bank/channel area; additional research is needed to define factors influencing cattle occupancy.     

鸭茅╋白三叶型混播放牧草地肉牛生产系统优化研究

在鸭茅（Dactylis glomerata）+白三叶（Triflium repens）草地型肉牛放牧系统内,实施全日制划区轮牧、载畜量季节性调控、维持肥施用、草地除杂、枯草期补饲等优化措施,对草地的土壤养分、牧草生长强度、现存量、组分、养分及肉牛体质量、日增体质量等指标进行了监测。结果表明,采用全日制放牧,在草地年平均载畜量1.4牛单位/hm2下,牧草的生长量超过8 077 kg/hm2,肉牛体况得到明显的改善,单位草地面积经济效益可达1 135元/hm2,草地实现可持续利用。同时,针对草地肉牛放牧系统中存在的问题,提出了有效改进的合理化建议。     

Differences in grazing behavior of horses and cattle at the feeding station scale on woodland pasture

In this study, grazing behavior of mares and cows was compared on woodland pastures, in the context of foraging hierarchy. A horse‐group (12 native Hokkaido horses) and a cattle‐group (5 Hereford cows) were grazed on the woodland pastures of 13.3 ha and 5.8 ha, respectively. They grazed mainly on Sasa nipponica. Grazing behavior at a feeding station (FS) scale was recorded for three focal animals in each group. Mares took one bite per FS at a high percentage of FSs (24.3%) and cows took one, two and three bites per FS at high percentage (20.3%, 19.2% and 15.4%, respectively). Although feeding patch (FP) scale for both animals could be defined as a group of FSs, the length of FP and grazing behavior at FP scale were similar for both animals. The number of steps taken between two adjacent FSs or FPs for mares was larger than that for cows. The results suggested that both horses and cattle had similar foraging hierarchy from bite to FP scale but grazing behavior of horses at the FS scale was different from that of cattle, suggesting that grazing behavior of large herbivores has greater similarity in larger foraging hierarchies.     

Effect of contamination of pasture with military explosives on grazing behaviour in sheep

Abstract

Ungulates grazing in military training areas may be exposed to non-combusted fragments of various explosives, among which 2-methyl-1,3,5-trinitrobenzene (TNT) and 1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetrazocane (HMX) are two of the most common. This study investigated if sheep react to their pastures being contaminated with TNT or HMX. The experiment was conducted in fenced-in study areas on grass-dominated pasture. The eight sheep studied did not differentiate between clean pasture and contaminated pasture when choosing freely between plots containing TNT, HMX or no contamination. The results indicate that sheep grazing military training areas are unlikely to have behavioural responses reducing time spent grazing sites where TNT or HMX are present as fragments in the field layer.     

The grazing response of cattle to pasture contaminated with rabbit faeces and the implications for the transmission of paratuberculosis

Transmission of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis, the organism responsible for paratuberculosis (or Johne's disease) in ruminants, occurs through the faecal-oral route. As M. a. paratuberculosis has been isolated from rabbit faeces, cattle grazing rabbit faecal contaminated pasture may thus be at risk.A herd of 57 beef cattle was monitored on a farm in Perthshire, throughout the 1999 'grazing year', to investigate whether the cattle avoided rabbit faecal contaminated pasture and thus the potential for disease transmission. Grazing was measured every two days over eight rotations by sward heights on 40 marked treatment plots (0.5 m x 0.5 m) to which 0, 10, 50 and 250 rabbit faecal pellets were added. Cattle were also monitored by an active transponder system which enabled individual animals contacting two plots per field rotation (one control and one contaminated) to be recorded. During the monitored grazing year, grazing pressure was low with a net mean sward offtake of 18% of sward height per rotation. There were no significant differences between rabbit faecal treatments (0, 10, 50 and 250 pellets) with respect to the height or proportion of sward removed, or between the numbers of contacts made by cattle on contaminated and uncontaminated plots. Over 90% of all the cattle contacted contaminated plots, indicating that the potential for disease transmission was widespread among the herd.To our knowledge, this is the first reported instance of a lack of avoidance by grazing cattle towards swards contaminated with faeces, and implies that the potential for transmission of paratuberculosis from rabbit contaminated pasture is high.     

The grazing behaviour of cattle in relation to the sampling of infective nematode larvae on pasture

A method of sampling pasture to estimate the numbers of infective nematode larvae to which grazing cattle were exposed was based on the grazing patterns and behavioural activities of two groups of cattle and was compared with other sampling techniques. Each group of cattle consisted of six permanent members, two members fistulated at the oesophagus and one worm-free tracer calf. Grazing time and the area where grazing occurred was not significantly different for tracer calves, fistulated cattle and permanent group members, and there was no relationship between grazing time and the live weight of cattle. Grazing time, the percentage of paddock area grazed intensively and the percentage of the paddock not grazed varied with season. The most intensively grazed areas were always visited between first light and the first rest period during mid-morning, and the plant parts and pasture species eaten could easily be identified by visual examination of these areas of the paddock. Larval recoveries per 100 g pasture ingested were estimated for comparison with the grazing area method using two other manual pasture sampling methods, a sampling method using tracer calves and one using fistulated calves. Correlations between these methods were not consistent but indicated that, given the small number of data sets, all methods were sensitive enough to estimate larval availability on pasture with the exception of the tracer calf method in the overstocked 3.4-ha paddock.     

奶牛放牧对北方农牧交错带人工草地植被的影响

研究了不同处理奶牛放牧对混播人工草地植被的影响。结果表明,牧草现存量随着放牧强度的增加而降低,轻牧比中牧高7.28%,且轮牧高于连续放牧1.99%,轮牧对紫花苜蓿和无芒雀麦的再生有利。随放牧强度增加,紫花苜蓿和无芒雀麦重要值下降,蓝茎冰草和新麦草增加。放牧对牧草的茎叶比有显著影响,放牧后4种牧草的茎叶比均有下降,连续放牧高于轮牧。根系主要集中在土壤表层0~10 cm,约占0~30 cm总量的70%,且其生物量也以轮牧制较高,随放牧强度的增加而下降。     

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 依据2010年海南省畜禽养殖数据,采用排污系数法估算了畜禽粪尿排泄量,同时结合农地面积,分析评价了海南省农地畜禽粪便承载力现状,并计算了海南省畜禽养殖环境容量。结果表明,2010年海南省以猪粪当量计的农地土壤畜禽粪便负荷量平均值为10.33 t/hm²,农地畜禽粪便承载力的预警值平均值为0.20,级别为Ⅰ级,对环境无污染风险,但海口市和东方市预警值分别为0.51和0.45,对环境稍有污染;2010年海南省最大畜禽饲养容量为5237.35万头猪标准动物,剩余饲养容量为2643.17万头猪标准动物,但海口市和东方市已超出当地最大畜禽饲养容量,应适当控制畜禽饲养规模。     

三江源区不同季节放牧草场天然牧草营养价值评定及载畜量研究

为探究三江源区不同季节放牧草场天然牧草营养供给潜力和载畜量,选用3头安装永久性瘤胃瘘管的成年大通牦牛为瘤胃液供体动物,采用概略养分分析法和体外产气法,结合产草量对放牧草场牧草进行综合评定并确定其载畜量。结果表明,1)夏、秋及冬春放牧草场的可食风干草的最高产量分别为(123.83±17.88),(256.88±29.90)和(246.83±66.73) g/m²。2)夏、秋及冬春草场天然牧草的最高粗蛋白(CP)含量分别为(12.69±0.13)%,(10.54±1.22)%和(8.65±0.64)%,其含量随牧草生长而逐渐降低;夏、秋及冬春草场天然牧草EE的最高含量分别为(2.95±0.10)%,(4.38±0.17)%及(3.74±0.70)%;NDS含量的变化趋势与CP一致,而NDF和ADF含量的变化与CP相反,随牧草生长含量不断增加。3)体外发酵pH和氨氮浓度均在正常范围内;夏季草场牧草的48 h产气量、24 h产气估测消化能(DM)、代谢能(ME)和有机物质降解率(OMD)的最大值分别为(57.50±4.27) mL、(9.32±0.59) MJ/kg、(7.98±0.62) MJ/kg和(57.93±3.23)%;秋季草场牧草分别为(54.67±5.35) mL、(8.83±0.64) MJ/kg、(7.47±0.68) MJ/kg及(55.26±3.52)%;冬春草场牧草分别为(58.83±4.51) mL、(9.56±0.60) MJ/kg、(8.24±0.63) MJ/kg及(52.69±5.14)%。4)无补饲条件下,夏、秋及冬春天然放牧草场载畜量分别按数量载畜量、数量载畜量和DCP载畜量核算放牧科学,其最适载畜量分别为7.05,19.51和2.47 SU/hm²;有良好补饲情况下,夏、秋及冬春天然放牧草场载畜量按DCP载畜量、ME载畜量和ME载畜量核算放牧科学,其最适载畜量分别为14.85,29.00和5.03 SU/hm²。因此,三江源区牧草产量和品质季节性差异大,能-氮不平衡,通过补饲可以使夏、秋及冬春放牧草场的载畜量分别提高1.1,0.5和1.0倍左右,有利于促进当地畜牧业发展和生态保护。     

The horizontal barrier effect of stems on the foraging behaviour of cattle grazing five tropical grasses

The rate of nutrient intake (RNI) is a primary determinant of animal performance in grazing cattle and depends on both diet quality and instantaneous intake rate (IIR). In turn, diet quality and IIR are a function of the foraging behaviour of the animal (selectivity, bite mass and bite rate) and the characteristics of the sward. In this study we evaluated the effect of the stem density and the tensile resistance of stems on the foraging behaviour of cattle grazing tropical pasture species. The methodology involved the use of small sown microswards offered to tethered cattle. The experiment consisted of a factorial combination of five tropical grasses [Bothriochloa pertusa (Bp), Chloris barbata (Cb), Chloris gayana (Cg), Cynodon dactylon (Cd) and Heteropogon contortus (Hc)] and three stem densities (0, 400 and 800 stems m^− 2). Bp and Cd had stems of significantly lower tensile resistance (19 and 15 N respectively) (Group 1) than those of Cb, Cg and Hc (110, 211 and 167 N respectively) (Group 2). The steers avoided stems of Group 2 and thus, reduced bite area, bite mass, IIR and RNI as stem density increased. However, the animals did not avoid stems of Group 1 and there was no effect of stem density on any of the foraging behaviour variables when cattle grazed species in Group 1. These results confirm that RNI and plant part selection is closely associated with the tensile resistance of the stem.     

Recent progress in the study of behavior and management in grazing cattle

Recent progress in studies concerning behavior of, and management for, grazing cattle are reviewed. Since 1950, much study has been conducted on ‘How’, ‘When’, ‘Where’ and ‘How long’ regarding grazing. After the 1980s, grazing ecology introduced the concept of hierarchy at different spatial and temporal scales, and since then grazing behavior has been investigated on the foraging hierarchy of large grazing herbivores: bite, feeding station (FS), patch, feeding site, camp and home range. From the sequence of activities, FS is grouped within a feeding patch, and movement of grazing cattle has been studied between FSs, feeding patches, feeding sites and between camps. Grazing behavior and production relates closley with defoliation, and grazing management should control both grazing behavior and vegetation according to three rules: planning, operational and adaptation rules. Planning rules relate the stocking rate of cattle; operational rules relate to defoliation; and adaptation rules vary with regional situations. Recent studies on grazing have been carried out in the fields of animal diversity and welfare. Future studies in this field should be conducted on the ecology, neurophysiology and psychology of grazing. Nonlinear analysis will also be significant in this field. Grazing cattle production should also utilize supplementation by roughage and/or grains.     

Seasonal and daily changes in the behaviour of the adult emu (Dromaius novaehollandiae) under farm conditions

1. The aim of this study was to present selected elements of emu behaviour in three different seasons (the non-breeding season, the pre-breeding season and the breeding season) and in the morning and afternoon. The study focused on feed, water and sand intake; plumage care; resting; agonistic behaviour and other activities, mostly standing still, aimless walking or observing the surroundings.

2. The troop consisted of 11 emus (5 females and 6 males) aged 12 years, kept in a free-range system. Observations were carried out during a period of 3 weeks in each season, during which 60-min observation sessions took place on 3 randomly chosen days.

3. A significant effect was found of each season on the behaviour patterns related to feeding, sand intake, plumage care, resting and agonistic behaviour.

4. Time of day affected the behaviour associated with the collection of food and water, foraging, pecking and ingesting sand and plumage preening.

5. Most of the time, regardless of season and time of day, the emus were standing still, walking aimlessly or observing the surrounding area.     

犊牛早期断奶对青海湖地区母牦牛牧食行为的影响

为研究犊牛早期断奶对青海湖地区自由放牧条件下牦牛牧食行为的影响。试验于2015年8月22日至11月15日开展,选取26头带犊牦牛作为试验对象,对其中13头牦牛的犊牛实施早期断奶处理作为断奶组,另外13头带犊牦牛作为对照组。断奶组和对照组各随机选取3头牦牛佩戴畜用GPS3300装置,每10min记录一次家畜所在位置和环境温度。试验分为断奶早期(断奶后15d)、断奶中期(断奶后第16天到第38天)、断奶后期(断奶后第59天到第82天)。断奶早期又分为阶段Ⅰ(断奶后第1天到第6天)、阶段Ⅱ(断奶后第7天到第15天)。结果表明:1)断奶早期阶段Ⅰ断奶组的平均日游走距离极显著高于对照组(P0.01),断奶早期阶段Ⅱ、断奶中期和断奶后期两组的平均日游走距离差异不显著。断奶组在不同时期的平均日游走距离表现为,断奶早期阶段Ⅰ显著高于断奶早期阶段Ⅱ和断奶中期(P0.05),断奶早期阶段Ⅱ和断奶中期显著高于断奶后期(P0.05)。对照组则表现为断奶早期阶段Ⅰ、断奶早期阶段Ⅱ和断奶中期显著高于断奶后期(P0.05)。断奶当天断奶组牦牛的游走距离显著高于对照组。在不同断奶时期断奶组和对照组的昼夜采食规律有所不同。2)断奶早期阶段Ⅰ、断奶早期阶段Ⅱ及断奶中期断奶组和对照组的采食空间分布格局相似,但是断奶中期的采食空间分布格局明显广于断奶早期。断奶后期断奶组和对照组的采食分布格局出现了分化,对照组的采食活动范围明显广于断奶组。研究结果表明,早期断奶会短时间内让母牦牛的牧食行为产生一定的应激反应,但其又可以很快适应失犊的情况。在环境比较恶劣、牧草质量较差的情况下,带犊牦牛和不带犊牦牛种内竞争比较激烈,适合分群放牧。