Influence of Highland and production-oriented cattle breeds on pasture vegetation: A pairwise assessment across broad environmental gradients

Pauler, Caren M.; Isselstein, J.; Braunbeck, Thomas; Schneider, Manuel K.

doi:10.1016/j.agee.2019.106585

Cited by 32 publications

(41 citation statements)

References 34 publications

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“…In the studied lowland marshes and wet alkaline grasslands, we found that the effect of cattle breed on the habitat conservation values and forage quality is dependent on the habitat type. Our results confirm the recent findings of Pauler et al () who highlighted that matching the proper cattle breed to certain vegetation types is highly important for the maintenance of the habitat's conservation values.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

“…The traditional breed maintained a marginally significantly higher species number and Shannon diversity in both habitat types than the crossbred beef cattle, which supported our hypothesis. This corresponds to the findings of Pauler et al () who found that the robust Galloway cattle maintains a more species‐rich vegetation compared to the production‐oriented breeds. Furthermore, we found that the species richness was the highest in wet alkaline grasslands grazed by the traditional beef cattle, and the lowest in the marshes grazed by crossbred cattle.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 90%

“…The traditional breed maintained a marginally significantly higher species number and Shannon diversity in both habitat types than the crossbred beef cattle, which supported our hypothesis. This corresponds to the findings of Pauler et al (2019) (Pauler et al, 2019). Trampling effects on the vegetation were found to be larger on wet soil compared to dry soil (Proffitt, Bendotti, Howell, & Eastham, 1993) which highlights the vulnerability of marshes towards grazing by heavy breads.…”

Section: Conservation Valuesupporting

confidence: 87%

“…The moderate trampling by the lighter traditional beef cattle likely increased the diversity of the vegetation by increasing the availability of open microsites proper for plant establishment. Since being a heavy breed, the crossbred beef cattle can have a considerable trampling effect resulting in a high proportion of bare soil surface and a considerable decrease of the vegetation (Pauler et al, ). Trampling effects on the vegetation were found to be larger on wet soil compared to dry soil (Proffitt, Bendotti, Howell, & Eastham, ) which highlights the vulnerability of marshes towards grazing by heavy breads.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Cattle grazing is considered less selective compared to sheep and horse grazing (Rook et al, ; Sebastià, Bello, Puig, & Taull, ); thus, it can maintain higher diversity in rangelands due to supporting the co‐existence of several plant species by reducing intra‐ and interspecific competition (Tóth et al, ). Several studies have compared the effects of different livestock types on grasslands (e.g., cattle and sheep: Socher et al, ; Tóth et al, ; cattle and horses: Cauwer & Reheul, ; Nolte, Esselink, Smit, & Bakker, ), but the differences between the grazing effects of different breeds of the same species still need to be discovered (Rook & Tallowin, ; Pauler, Isselstein, Braunbeck, & Schneider, ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Meat production and maintaining biodiversity: Grazing by traditional breeds and crossbred beef cattle in marshes and grasslands

Koncz

Béri

Deák

et al. 2020

Applied Vegetation Science

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Questions Sustainable rangeland utilization considering traditions and economic reasons is compulsory for harmonising the needs of the agricultural and nature conservation sectors. For proper rangeland management it is crucial to compare the grazing effects of traditional breeds and crossbred animals of the same species that might have different effects on the rangelands. To fill this knowledge gap, in a grazing experiment, we investigated the effect of cattle breeds on the vegetation to test the effects on nature conservation value and agricultural production value. We hypothesized that the effects of cattle grazing on habitat conservation values and forage quality depend on the grazing breed, because breeds differ in selectivity, body size and trampling effect. Location Marshes and alkaline wet grasslands in Hortobágy National Park, Hungary. Methods We recorded the percentage cover of vascular plants in three consecutive years in a total of 60 plots in 12 areas grazed by traditional (0.61 AU/ha) and large‐sized crossbred beef cattle (0.68 AU/ha). Results We found that the effect of cattle breed on the habitat conservation values and forage quality is dependent on the habitat type. The traditional breed maintained a significantly higher species number and Shannon diversity in marshes than the crossbred beef cattle. Grazing of crossbred cattle led to decreasing moisture indicator values in marsh habitats. Conclusions Our findings revealed that traditional breeds should be prioritized in the management of wet alkaline grasslands and marshes. Crossbred beef cattle might be a substitute but only in case traditional breeds are not available for the management of alkaline wet grasslands. In marshes, however, we recommend prioritizing the traditional breeds as they maintain higher diversity compared to crossbred beef cattle.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 90%

“…The traditional breed maintained a marginally significantly higher species number and Shannon diversity in both habitat types than the crossbred beef cattle, which supported our hypothesis. This corresponds to the findings of Pauler et al (2019) (Pauler et al, 2019). Trampling effects on the vegetation were found to be larger on wet soil compared to dry soil (Proffitt, Bendotti, Howell, & Eastham, 1993) which highlights the vulnerability of marshes towards grazing by heavy breads.…”

Section: Conservation Valuesupporting

confidence: 87%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Meat production and maintaining biodiversity: Grazing by traditional breeds and crossbred beef cattle in marshes and grasslands

Koncz

Béri

Deák

et al. 2020

Applied Vegetation Science

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Foraging behavior of Highland cattle in silvopastoral systems in the Alps

Nota,

Svensk,

Barberis

et al. 2023

Agroforest Syst

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Trees and shrubs expanded in the last decades in European mountains due to land abandonment and the decrease in grazing pressure, and are expected to further spread also due to climate change. As a consequence of low forage quality and topographic constraints, the management of mountain environments dominated by woody vegetation with livestock is often challenging. Silvopastoral systems based on cattle hardy breeds able to forage on woody plants, such as Highland cattle, could be a suitable option for the management and restoration of such environments. In this study, we used direct observations to explore the foraging behavior of Highland cattle in four study areas across the western Alps. In particular, we assessed: (1) cattle diet composition, (2) the selection for more than 30 tree and shrub species, and (3) the relationships between species consumption and their abundance in the environment. Highland cattle fed on a mixture of both woody and herbaceous species, including between 15 and 46% of woody plants in the diet. Some trees (e.g., Celtis australis, Fraxinus spp., and Populus tremula) and shrubs (e.g., Frangula alnus, Rhamnus spp., and Rubus idaeus) were positively selected by cattle, thus they could be an important forage supplement to their diet. Moreover, the results highlighted that relative species consumption generally increased with increasing species abundance in the environment, suggesting that this cattle breed could be suitable to control shrub expansion in highly encroached areas. The outcomes of this study can support the development of targeted silvopastoral systems in the Alps.

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Nitrogen translocation by Highland cattle grazing in Alnus viridis-encroached pastures

Svensk

Pittarello

Mariotte

et al. 2023

Nutr Cycl Agroecosyst

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During the last decades, Alnus viridis has expanded over former montane pastures and meadows, due to land use and abandonment. This nitrogen-fixing woody species has triggered negative agro-environmental impacts, such as nitrogen (N) leaching, soil acidification and a reduced biodiversity. The aim of this study was to estimate the N translocation from A. viridis-encroached areas to adjacent open pastures by Highland cattle. In 2019 and 2020, Highland cattle herds equipped with GPS collars were placed in four A. viridis-encroached paddocks across Italy and Switzerland. The N content was measured in A. viridis leaves, herbaceous vegetation, and cattle dung pats, which were collected throughout the grazing season. Using GPS locations and collar activity sensors, livestock activity phases were discriminated. The N ingested by cattle was estimated through the N content of herbaceous vegetation and A. viridis leaves of vegetation patches visited by cattle during 24 h before dung sampling (N24H). The N content of herbaceous vegetation significantly increased with increasing A. viridis cover. The average N content in dung pats (31.2 ± 3.4 g.kg−1 DM) was higher than average values from literature on grazing cattle. Moreover, it was positively related to the N24H. Most of this N (29.5 ± 10.3 kg ha−1 yr−1) was translocated towards resting areas, which generally occurred on flat open pastures. Our results highlight the potential of Highland cattle to effectively translocate part of the ingested N from A. viridis-encroached towards targeted open areas, thus bringing new perspective for forage yield and quality improvement in the long-term.

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Influence of Highland and production-oriented cattle breeds on pasture vegetation: A pairwise assessment across broad environmental gradients

Cited by 32 publications

References 34 publications

Meat production and maintaining biodiversity: Grazing by traditional breeds and crossbred beef cattle in marshes and grasslands

Meat production and maintaining biodiversity: Grazing by traditional breeds and crossbred beef cattle in marshes and grasslands

Foraging behavior of Highland cattle in silvopastoral systems in the Alps

Nitrogen translocation by Highland cattle grazing in Alnus viridis-encroached pastures

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