Influence of sward height on diet selection by horses

Naujeck, A.; Hill, João Ari Gualberto; Gibb, M. J.

doi:10.1016/j.applanim.2004.08.001

Cited by 43 publications

(27 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…Furthermore, we also observed that cows switched from centipedegrass sward to bahiagrass sward and quickly returned to centipedegrass without eating on bahiagrass. These phenomena may reflect: (1) discrimination errors in selecting an optimal sward, (2) sampling of swards (including visual sampling) to update information, (3) preference for novelty, and/or (4) motivation to move from sward to sward, as widely observed in animals offered a mosaic of vegetation patches (Illius et al 1992(Illius et al , 1999Dumont et al 1995;Naujeck et al 2005;. Another possible explanation for the mixed diets may be that animals maintain a nutritional, medicinal, and/or toxicological balance in their diet (Rutter 2006;Provenza et al 2007;Chapman et al 2007).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Selection of feeding areas by cattle in a spatially heterogeneous environment: selection between two tropical grasses

Hirata

Sakou

Terayama

et al. 2007

J Ethol

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A herd of 28-33 Japanese Black cows (Bos taurus) were allowed to graze on an experimental plot comprising monoculture swards of centipedegrass (Eremochloa ophiuroides) and bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum) (0.39 and 0.61 ha, respectively) for 3-5 days each month (from 0850 to 1600 hours) between May (late spring) and October (mid-autumn). On a monthly basis, the animals showed an increasing trend to select centipedegrass in preference to bahiagrass as the relative crude protein (CP) concentration of the former increased relative to the latter. On a daily basis, the animals showed a decreased selectivity for centipedegrass with the progression of grazing days, as centipedegrass sward lost both quantity and quality faster than bahiagrass sward under higher degrees of defoliation. Animals maintained similar bite rates on the two swards by modifying feeding station behavior as soon as they switched between the swards, i.e., they increased the number of bites per feeding station and decreased the number of feeding stations selected per unit grazing time soon after switching to centipedegrass, with the reverse process occurring soon after the switch to bahiagrass. The results show CP concentration to be a partial forage factor influencing animals' choice between tropical grasses growing as patches. The results also demonstrate that animals have an ability to adapt their foraging behavior flexibly and rapidly to varying types of vegetation.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Selection of feeding areas by cattle in a spatially heterogeneous environment: selection between two tropical grasses

Hirata

Sakou

Terayama

et al. 2007

J Ethol

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“…A preferência das éguas por alturas maiores das plantas correlaciona esta escolha a uma estratégia de maximização do consumo, como identificado em outros trabalhos com ruminantes (LACA et al, 1993). NAUJECK et al(2005) também observaram que eqüinos preferem o pastejo de azevém perene (Lolium perene) com maior altura do que plantas menores que sete centímetros.…”

Section: Resultsunclassified

Preferência De Eqüinos Em Pastejo: Efeito Da Altura De Dosséis De Gramíneas Do Gênero Cynodon

Dittrich¹,

Carvalho²,

Moraes³

et al. 2005

AVS

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RESUMO -O experimento foi conduzido no Centro de Estações Experimentais da UniversidadeFederal do Paraná, em fevereiro de 1998, quando as gramíneas Cynodon spp. cv Tifton 85, Cynodon nlemfuensis cv Tifton 68, Cynodon spp. cv Tifton 44, Cynodon nlemfuensis (Porto Rico) e Cynodon nlemfuensis (Estrela Roxa) foram estabelecidas em parcelas em um delineamento inteiramente casualizado com parcelas subdivididas e quatro repetições. As parcelas foram subdivididas em duas alturas do dossel (alto e baixo) caracterizadas pela diferença de altura das plantas. Os tratamentos foram ofertados a três éguas por duas horas em cinco dias consecutivos. A preferência entre os tratamentos foi identificada pela avaliação do número de bocados e pela desfolha nas unidades vegetativas marcadas nas parcelas e alturas. A profundidade do bocado foi quantificada por meio da identificação da altura do perfilho estendido e da menor altura pastejada nos perfilhos marcados das diferentes gramíneas. A Tifton 85 foi preferida, seguida pela Coastcross 1, Tifton 68 e Tifton 44. A Estrela Roxa e a Porto Rico foram preteridas. As gramíneas de maior preferência apresentavam maior massa de folhas verdes em relação à massa de colmos (P<0,05). Os dosséis altos e os perfilhos de maior altura foram mais procurados para o pastejo. Observou-se uma relação linear e positiva entre a altura do perfilho estendido e a profundidade do bocado nas gramíneas de maior preferência (Tifton 85 e Coastcross 1). Características estruturais como massa de folhas, relação folha:colmo, altura dos dosséis e das plantas, em diferentes gramíneas do gênero Cynodon, são indicativos da preferência de eqüinos em pastejo.Palavras-chave: seleção de dietas, ingestão, Tifton, pastejo. Paraná, in February, 1998, and investigated the effect of the different Cynodon grasses structure at the horse grazing. The Cynodon spp. cv Tifton 85, Cynodon nlemfuensis cv Tifton 68, Cynodon spp. cv Tifton 44, Cynodon nlemfuensis (¨Porto Rico¨) and Cynodon nlemfuensis (¨Estrela Roxa¨) grasses were distributed in parcels with 12 m 2 in a completely randomized split-plot design with four replications. The parcels were divided in two kinds of patches (tall and short) demonstrated by plants height. Five grazing tests were done with mares, evaluating the number of bites allocated in each treatment. The preference was evaluated by bite number and tiller grazed on each treatment. The bite depth was measured using 20 marked tillers in each experimental unit. The animals showed preference for Tifton 85, followed by Coastcross 1, Tifton 68 and Tifton 44. The star grasses ¨Estrela Roxa¨ and Porto Rico¨ were not preferred. Tifton 85 and Coastcross 1 with more leaves and less stems mass (P<0,05), and with tall patches and higher tillers, were preferred by mares. A linear relationship was found between the tiller height extended and the bite depth. The structure of Cynodon grasses like leaves mass, leaves/stems relation, patches and plants height are important for horse grazing preference. ABSTRACT -The experiment was c...

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“…Within this context of soil moisture limitation, the additional fertilizer had no or little effects on herbage biomass production. Many previous studies on patch selection by ungulates created vegetation patches by manipulating vegetation with varying defoliation treatments (time or intensity) or growth durations after planting (Bergman et al, 2001;Hirata et al, 2006;Langvatn and Hanley, 1993;Naujeck et al, 2005;. These methods result in a strong positive correlation between forage digestibility and protein concentration across patches, which makes it difficult to identify the currency for patch choice due to the confounded effects of digestible energy and protein (Berteaux et al, 1998;.…”

Section: Patch Vegetationmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…Second, experiments have normally offered animals 2-5 types of patches which were created usually by manipulating vegetation with varying defoliation treatments (time or intensity) (Bergman et al, 2001;Hirata et al, 2006;Naujeck et al, 2005;. However, patch structure of actual grasslands is more complex in quantity and quality, reflecting spatial variability not only in defoliation history but also in soil properties (e.g.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%