Managing livestock using animal behavior: mixed-species stocking and flerds

Abstract

Mixed-species stocking can foster sound landscape management while offering economic and ecological advantages compared with mono-species stocking. Producers contemplating a mixed-species enterprise should reflect on several considerations before implementing this animal management strategy. Factors applicable to a particular producer's landscape must be considered together with goals and economic constraints before implementing mixed-species stocking. A major consideration when using mixed-species stocking is how to deal with predation losses, especially among small ruminants. An approach being adopted in some commercial operations capitalizes on using innate animal behaviors to form cohesive groups of two or more livestock species that consistently remain together under free-ranging conditions. These groups are referred to as flerds. The mixing of a flock of sheep and/or goats with a herd of cattle into a flerd has been shown to protect sheep and goats from coyote predation, as well as offering other husbandry advantages. Some of the added advantages include more efficient conversion of forage into animal protein. Creation of flerds, their maintenance and advantages are discussed.Keywords: livestock, bonding, predation, animal behavior ImplicationsThe simultaneous stocking of cattle, sheep and/or goats, especially on landscapes having a heterogeneous mixture of plant species, have positive ecological and economic advantages compared with mono-species stocking. However, predation of small ruminants, especially from canines, can inflict major economic losses, thus eliminating the benefits of mixed-species stocking. Modifying small ruminant behavior so that they consistently remain in the presence of cattle can reduce or eliminate death losses of small ruminants while providing other husbandry advantages. Bonding small ruminants to cattle to form flerds is an option worth considering in lieu of traditionally managed flocks and herds. The objective of this manuscript was to briefly review some of the background of mixed-species stocking with a focus on the benefits of using animal behavior to manage mixedspecies livestock groups, especially where fulltime herders are not used. IntroductionDifferent herbivore species have foraged together since herbivory began. Foraging is a spatial-temporal animal process composed of a series of sequential bites among forage plants (Laca, 2009). The sum of these bites impact the landscape either positively or negatively and also the health and well-being of the foraging animal. Among the most studied mixed-species natural ecosystems is the SerengetiMara Plain of Africa (Sinclair and Norton-Griffiths, 1979;McNaughton, 1985;Sinclair and Arcese, 1995;Sinclair et al., 2008). The concept of using mixed-species stocking dates from antiquity (Galaty and Johnson, 1990), frequently in a 'leader'-'follower' relationship that can reduce parasitism (Rocha et al., 2008) and may improve individual animal performance (Nolan and Connolly, 1976;Dickson et al., 1981;Odadi et al., 2011) and improve ...

Interspecific shared collective decision-making in two forensically important species

“…post-mortem interval calculation [26]). It also allows a discussion of new perspectives to improve breeding conditions of species living together [46]. The literature on gregarious species [45], which stresses the similarities in the mechanisms of aggregation, leads us to put forward the view that many other multispecies cases would show similar collective decision-making to that described in this article.…”

Forage selectivity by cattle and sheep co‐grazing swards differing in plant species diversity

“…Some authors have pointed out the benefits of co‐grazing, for example effective recycling of nutrients by urine and manure deposition, weeds and parasites control, animal performance. (d'Alexis et al., ; Anderson et al., ; Ferreira et al., ; Rao et al., ; Smith, Wells, Marion, Swain, & Hutchings, ; Wrage et al., ). Furthermore, a more homogeneous forage intake of plant species by mixed herds may bring benefits for plant diversity in both diverse and grass‐dominated swards as suggested by Liu et al.…”

“…Complex interactions between large herbivores and their particular environment strongly modify the feed selection of grazers. Two‐way animal–plant interactions have been described, in which each part is influenced by the other (Anderson, Fredrickson, & Estell, ; Dumont, Rook, Coran, & Röver, ; Maxwell, Moir, & Edwards, ; Osoro, Ferreira, García, Martínez, & Celaya, ). In addition to the effects of farm management, grazing pressure, stocking rate, available biomass, sward height, and social interactions among peers, the botanical composition could play a determinant role in the feed selection of domestic ruminants when grazing.…”

Grasslands—more important for ecosystem services than you might think

“…These benefits are not solely obtained from grazing by cattle, but also horses, sheep, goats, and combinations of grazers may contribute to good management and multiple ES from grasslands (e.g., Anderson et al. ).…”