Forage Quality as a Limiting Factor for Cattle Grazing in Isolated Dutch Nature Reserves

Abstract

Most Dutch nature reserves are small, isolated fragments of former semi‐natural landscapes. Cattle and other large domestic herbivores are being increasingly (re)‐introduced in nature reserves as a tool for vegetation management and as an ecological substitute for extinct wild herbivores. The performance of cattle in these single‐landscape areas appears to be seriously limited by a combination of inadequate forage and habitat isolation. Animals cannot move seasonally between different landscape types. We compared the forage quality of three landscape types. Quality parameters included organic matter digestibility and contents of macronutrients: nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), sodium (K), calcium (Ca), and magnesium (Mg). In landscapes of low fertility, insufficient concentrations were found of P, Na, Ca, and Mg. However, because the assumed maintenance requirements for cattle are possibly overestimated, the prediction of deficiencies for the animals remains uncertain. In landscapes of intermediate fertility, the level of Na is deficient for most of the year. Winter digestibility is inadequate in vegetation remaining ungrazed until winter, whereas in grazed vegetation the quantity of easily‐digestible forage is insufficient to satisfy quantitative intake requirements. In landscapes of high fertility, the mineral supply is adequate, but low digestibility in winter will lead to energy shortage. Insufficient forage quality seems to preclude sustained year‐round grazing in each of the three landscape types. Single‐landscape areas constitute seasonal habitats for cattle, suitable for summer or winter grazing only. Connection of complementary landscapes is essential to create complete year‐round habitats for cattle and other large herbivores. The restoration of linkage of summer and winter range by the creation of corridors is the most natural solution. Seasonal grazing with controlled migration or transportation of the herd between winter and summer range reserves is a second‐best alternative involving less interference than year‐round grazing with supplementation.

A comparison of faecal analysis with backtracking to determine the diet composition and species preference of the black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis minor)

“…Firstly, forage quality was good overall, with a mean crude protein concentration for leaves of the principal forage species of 15.8, well above the minimum required concentration of 7% (Owen-Smith and Novellie 1982;Prins 1996;Hadjigeorgiou et al 2003). The concentration of the other macro-elements (P, K, Ca, Mg and Na) are also well above maintenance requirements for cattle (Bokdam and Wallis de Vries 1992) and fit the suggested maintenance requirements for horses for P, Na and Mg, but are slightly below requirements for Ca (0.4-0.5%) and K (0.3-0.6%;National Research Council 1989;Meyer and Coenen 2002). The diet quality is similar to what has been reported elsewhere for black rhino diet (0.05-0.26% P, 1.8% Ca, 0.1% Na, 0.3-2.0% K, 0.1-0.9%Mg ;Dierenfeld 1995;Dierenfeld et al 1995;Clauss et al 2007b).…”

Large scale patterns of forage yield and quality across Chinese grasslands

“…Forage quantity is an important yardstick of grassland resources and determines the volume of dry matter available to livestock, tremendously affecting the carrying capacity of grasslands [10,31,32], while forage quality also has important effects on the quantity and quality of the livestock product produced through affecting the digestibility of food as well as the energy intake and nutrient availability for livestock in pasture [8,9,32]. In this study, we acquired a large amount of data on forage quality and quantity through field-sampling combined with laboratory analysis and analyzed the regional and vegetation differences of forage quantity and quality.…”

“…Grasslands, totaling 3.42×10 9 ha, are one of the most widespread ecosystems worldwide, covering nearly 25% of the earth's land surface [1]. Meanwhile, grasslands are of vital importance for raising livestock and producing animal products [2][3][4].…”

“…Forage quantity and quality are usually considered the most important indices for grassland resource assessment: forage quantity, a measurement of grassland productivity as well as the quantity of dry matter made available to be consumed by livestock, determines the carry capacity of the rangelands; the quality of forage produced by a community mainly influences digestibility and efficiency of the use of digested nutrients, thus affecting livestock performance [8][9][10][11][12]. Therefore, exploring the patterns of forage quantity and quality and investigating the factors influencing these patterns would be of the utmost importance for the scientific management of rangelands and the sustainable development of animal husbandry [13,14].…”

The biology of Canadian weeds. 129. Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin. ex Steud.

“…The digestible organic matter (DOM) in common reed decreased from spring to winter as usual and the minimum energy content for cattle maintenance (approximately 450 g DOM kg -1 dry matter) reached in autumn in the Netherlands. The protein, K, Ca, P, and Cu contents in the common reed exceeded the required cattle maintenance levels throughout the year (Vulink and Drost 1991;Bokdam and de Vries 1992).…”