Differences in home range and habitat use among individuals in a cattle herd

Howery, Larry D.; Provenza, Frederick D.; Banner, Roger E.; Scott, Cody B.

doi:10.1016/0168-1591(96)01059-3

Cited by 82 publications

(80 citation statements)

References 40 publications

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“…Our vibracorder data parallels past vibracorder research by both Miner et al (1992) and Sneva (1969) showing that very little grazing activity occurs during the night. Our observations of livestock grazing patterns were very similar to previous work (Gillen et al 1984, Howery et al 1996, Porath et al 2002. These researchers used the same or similar study sites and grazing seasons as our research.…”

Section: Livestock Distribution and Behaviorsupporting

confidence: 82%

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Cattle distribution patterns and vegetation use in mountain riparian areas

Parsons¹,

Momont²,

DelCurto³

2003

REM

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To quantify the effects of season of use on beef cattle distribution relative to the riparian area, 52 cow/calf pairs were used to evaluate 1) early summer grazing (mid-June to mid-July), and 2) late summer grazing (mid-August to mid-September) during the summers of 1998 and 1999. Within a block, cow/calf pairs used during early summer were also used during late summer grazing periods. Pastures were stocked to achieve 50% utilization of herbaceous vegetation after a 28-day grazing trial. Livestock location and ambient air temperature were recorded hourly during two, 4-day periods in each season of use. Locations were transcribed to a geographical information system for the study area. Ocular vegetation utilization estimates, forage quality, and fecal deposits within 1-m of the stream were recorded post-grazing. During early summer, cattle were further from the stream (P < 0.01) than late summer, averaging 161 and 99-m, respectively. Cows were observed closer (P < 0.01) to the stream when ambient air temperatures were higher. Fecal deposits within 1-m of the stream were similar (P = 0.13) following early and late summer grazing. Forage quality varied (P < 0.01) between seasons, with early summer forages having lower dry matter, greater crude protein, lower fiber, and greater in situ dry matter disappearance compared with late summer forages. Utilization of riparian vegetation was lower and use of upland vegetation greater during early summer than late summer (P < 0.05). In summary, season of use affected cattle distribution relative to the riparian area, with late summer pastures having more concentrated use of riparian vegetation. ResumenDurante los veranos de 1998 y 1999 se utilizaron 52 pares de vaca-becerro para cuantificar los efectos de la epoca de uso en la distribucion del ganado en un area riberena y para ello se evaluaron los siguientes tratamientos: 1) apacentamiento a inicios de verano (mediados de junio a mediados de julio) y 2) apacentamiento a finales de verano (mediados de Agosto a mediados de Septiembre). Dentro de un bloque, los pares de vaca-becerro utilizados a inicios de verano tambien se usaron en los periodos de fines de verano. Los potreros se cargaron para alcanzar una utilizacion de 50% de la vegetacion herbacea en un periodo experimental de 28 dias. La ubicacion del ganado y la temperatura ambiente se registraron cada hora durante dos periodos de 4 dias en cada epoca de uso. Las ubicaciones se introdujeron a un sistema de informacion geografica para el area de estudio.Despues del periodo de apacentamiento se registraron estimaciones oculares de la utilizacion de la vegetacion, calidad del forraje y depositos fecales dentro de un area de 1 metro de la corriente. A inicio del verano el ganado se alejo mas de la corriente que a fines del verano (P < 0.01) promediando 161 y 99 m respectivamente. Cuando las temperature ambiente era mas alts se observaron las vacas significativamente (P < 0.01) mas cerca de la corriente. Los depositos fecales dentro de la franja de 1 m de la corrient...

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Section: Livestock Distribution and Behaviorsupporting

confidence: 82%

“…quality, and streambank degradation (Buckhouse and Gifford 1976, Thomas et al 1979). Cattle are attracted to riparian areas by environmental and nutritional factors and may utilize riparian vegetation disproportionately more than adjacent uplands (Gillen et al 1984, Howery et al 1996.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cattle distribution patterns and vegetation use in mountain riparian areas

Parsons¹,

Momont²,

DelCurto³

2003

REM

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“…Furthermore, search patterns of inexperienced cattle become more concentrated (and therefore more efficient) when exploring new feeding sites in the presence of experienced peers (Ksiksi and Laca, 2000). Although an individual's experience or specific environmental conditions (drought, proximity to drinking water) can modulate social influences, cattle raised on rangelands show fidelity to locations grazed by their mothers or foster mothers (Howery et al, 1996 and1998). Free-ranging feral and semi-wild cattle develop tightly knit social groups that also maintain high fidelity to habitats and feeding sites through time (Reinhardt and Reinhardt, 1981).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Social models fail to induce diet and feeding site avoidance in naïve yearling steers

Cibils

Howery

Ruyle

2008

Animal

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Social learning can be of critical importance to cattle grazing rangeland environments with high variability of food resources across space and time. Experienced individuals can greatly facilitate foraging decisions (what to eat and where to eat) of naïve peers in such settings. We conducted an experiment with cattle to investigate strength and persistence of socially induced food and feeding site avoidance behaviours. Sixteen naïve yearling steers were paired with 16 social models that had either not been trained (control) or been trained with an emetic (LiCl), electrical shock or both to avoid: (a) an unsafe high-quality food (LiCl); (b) an unsafe high-quality feeding site (shock); or (c) both the unsafe high-quality food and the unsafe high-quality feeding site (LiCl 1 shock). Ten-minute trials were conducted in an experimental arena containing three artificial feeding sites each consisting of groups of bowls with either high-(HQ) or moderate-quality (MQ) foods (HQ 5 barley and oat grain; MQ 5 Bermuda grass hay). Unsafe high-quality (UHQ, surrounded by traffic cones) and safe moderate-quality (SMQ) feeding sites consisted of nine rubber bowls containing either HQ or MQ foods. The safe high-quality (SHQ) feeding site consisted of two groups of eight bowls containing HQ food, which surrounded the UHQ and SMQ feeding sites. Social models did not induce diet and feeding site avoidance behaviours in naïve steers; they exerted small and transient changes in the feeding behaviour of their naïve counterparts. Consequences to the individual outweighed social influences; when naïve animals experienced the same punishment contingencies as their social models, their behavioural patterns closely resembled those of their social model. Conditioned food and location aversions via LiCl were apparently influenced by prior exposure to target foods and the experimental arena. Conversely, conditioned feeding site avoidance via shock was apparently not influenced by prior exposure to target foods or the experimental arena.

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“…Selecting cattle with desirable grazing patterns and culling cattle with undesirable grazing patterns has been suggested as a tool for improving distribution (Roath and Krueger 1982;Howery et al 1996;Bailey et al 1998). Research conducted in southern Idaho by Howery et al (1996) showed that cattle maintained certain home ranges, some grazing primarily uplands and others grazing meadows and riparian areas.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Research conducted in southern Idaho by Howery et al (1996) showed that cattle maintained certain home ranges, some grazing primarily uplands and others grazing meadows and riparian areas. Thus, removing animals that concentrate in overused areas and selecting animals that travel farther from water and up steeper slopes has the potential to improve livestock grazing distribution.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Individual Animal Selection Has the Potential to Improve Uniformity of Grazing on Foothill Rangeland

Bailey

VanWagoner

Weinmeister

2006

REM

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Uneven grazing distribution is a concern in rugged topography, because resources may be adversely impacted if livestock concentrate in gentle terrain near water. A study was conducted to determine if removing cattle with undesirable distribution patterns has the potential to increase uniformity of grazing. Before the study, 2 herds of cattle were observed by horseback observers during early mornings to establish terrain use patterns of individual animals. Cows were ranked on slope use and observed vertical and horizontal distance to water. Based on these rankings, cows were assigned to 1 of 2 treatments, hill climbers (observed on steeper slopes and farther from water) or bottom dwellers (used gentler slopes near water). Hill climber and bottom dweller cows grazed similar, but separate, pastures at 2 ranches during the 3-year study for a total of 8 comparisons. Based on a normalized and integrated index of terrain use from visual observations, hill climber cows used steeper and more distant areas from water (P ¼ 0.06) than bottom dwellers. Hill climber cows tracked by global positioning system collars used steeper and more distant areas from water than bottom dwellers (P 0.09) during the first 4 weeks of the 6 weeks that pastures were grazed based on a normalized index of terrain use. Forage utilization was more uniform (P , 0.05) across slopes and varying horizontal distances to water in pastures grazed by hill climbers than by bottom dwellers. Stubble heights in riparian and coulee bottom areas were higher (P ¼ 0.01) when grazed by hill climber cows (13.3 cm) than by bottom dwellers (8.1 cm). This study demonstrates that cattle with divergent grazing patterns when observed in the same pasture continue to use different terrain when separated, and it suggests that individual animal selection has the potential to increase uniformity of grazing. ResumenLa distribució n no uniforme del apacentamiento es un problema en terrenos de topografía rugosa porque los recursos pueden ser afectados adversamente si el ganado se concentra en los terrenos planos cercanos del agua. Se condujo un estudio para determinar si la remoció n del ganado con patrones de distribució n indeseable tiene potencial para incrementar la uniformidad del apacentamiento. Previo al estudio, dos hatos de ganado se observaron temprano en la mañ ana con observadores a caballo para establecer los patrones de uso del terreno de animales individuales. Las vacas se clasificaron de acuerdo con el uso de la pendiente del terreno y la distancias observadas vertical y horizontal con respecto a la distancia del agua. Basados en esta clasificació n, las vacas fueron asignadas a uno de dos tratamientos: 1) trepadoras de montañ a (las observadas en pendientes pronunciadas y lejos del agua) y 2) moradoras del las partes bajas (vacas usuarias de pendientes suaves cercanas del agua). Las trepadoras y las moradoras de las partes bajas apacentaron en forma similar, pero separadas, en potreros en dos ranchos durante los tres añ os del estudio, para un total de 8...

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Differences in home range and habitat use among individuals in a cattle herd

Cited by 82 publications

References 40 publications

Cattle distribution patterns and vegetation use in mountain riparian areas

Cattle distribution patterns and vegetation use in mountain riparian areas

Social models fail to induce diet and feeding site avoidance in naïve yearling steers

Individual Animal Selection Has the Potential to Improve Uniformity of Grazing on Foothill Rangeland

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