The role of pasture management for sustainable livestock production in semi-arid subtropical mountain regions

Dickhoefer, Uta; Buerkert, Andreas; Brinkmann, Katja; Schlecht, Eva

doi:10.1016/j.jaridenv.2009.12.006

Cited by 20 publications

(39 citation statements)

References 31 publications

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“…In the morning, the goats are taken out to the mountain pastures, where they are left to graze until the late afternoon. Each day, the animals cover distances of 12 to 20 km during grazing in the mountainous terrain (Schlecht et al, 2009 (Dickhoefer et al, 2010). Acacia gerrardii, Grewia erythraea and Sageretia thea are abundant browse species on the mountain slopes and in the shallow gullies.…”

Section: Study Location and Agricultural Systemmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…They are replaced by Ziziphus spina-christi, Capparis spinosa and Pteropyrum scoparium in the valleys below 1350 m a.s.l. (Schlecht et al, 2009;Dickhoefer et al, 2010). Goats in oases at lower altitudes grazing these areas spend most of their feeding time browsing the ligneous foliage (Schlecht et al, 2009;Dickhoefer et al, 2010).…”

Section: Study Location and Agricultural Systemmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…(Schlecht et al, 2009;Dickhoefer et al, 2010). Goats in oases at lower altitudes grazing these areas spend most of their feeding time browsing the ligneous foliage (Schlecht et al, 2009;Dickhoefer et al, 2010). In contrast thereto, tree and shrub density is lower on the plateau areas and animals grazing these pastures spend more time feeding on the herbaceous vegetation.…”

Section: Study Location and Agricultural Systemmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In particular goats are able to efficiently exploit these resources (Papachristou et al, 2005). However, goat grazing has largely depleted the natural fodder resources in many regions, including the highlands of Oman (Dickhoefer et al, 2010), the central mountains in -Present address: Institute of Animal Nutrition and Physiology, ChristianAlbrechts-University of Kiel, Hermann-Rodewald-Str. 9, 24118 Kiel, Germany.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Moreover, nutrient and energy requirements of animals grazing on semi-arid highland pastures are high, because they walk long distances searching for fodder (Lachica and Aguilera, 2005;Schlecht et al, 2009). The low nutritive value of most pasture plants as well as seasonal changes in the biomass yields and in the nutritional quality of the rangeland vegetation can therefore strongly limit the growth and production of grazing livestock (Ramírez et al, 2006;Dickhoefer et al, 2010). Hence, many authors have recommended the conversion of pastoral systems to zero-grazing systems in order to improve animal production and to conserve the natural rangeland vegetation (Zaibet et al, 2004;Mahgoub et al, 2005).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Adjusting homestead feeding to requirements and nutrient intake of grazing goats on semi-arid, subtropical highland pastures

Dickhoefer

Mahgoub

Schlecht

2011

Animal

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Intensive livestock grazing can largely deplete the natural fodder resources in semi-arid, subtropical highlands and together with the low nutritional quality of the pasture vegetation limit the growth and production of grazing animals. To evaluate the contribution of homestead feeding of grazing goats to rangeland conservation and animal nutrition, two researcher-managed on-farm trials were conducted in a mountain oasis of Northern Oman. Goats' feed intake on pasture in response to four rations containing different levels of locally available green fodder and concentrate feeds was determined in six male goats each (35 6 10.2 kg body weight (BW)). Total feed intake was estimated using titanium dioxide as external fecal marker as well as the diet organic matter (OM) digestibility derived from fecal crude protein concentration. The nutritional quality of selected fodder plants on pasture was analyzed to determine the animals' nutrient and energy intake during grazing. The pasture vegetation accounted for 0.46 to 0.65 of the goats' total OM intake (87 to 107 g/kg 0.75 BW), underlining the importance of this fodder resource for the husbandry system. However, metabolizable energy (7.2 MJ/kg OM) and phosphorus concentrations (1.4 g/kg OM) in the consumed pasture plants were low. Homestead feeding of nutrient and energy-rich by-products of the national fishery and date palm cultivation to grazing goats increased their daily OM intake ( R 2 5 0.36; P 5 0.005) and covered their requirements for growth and production. While the OM intake on pasture was highest in animals fed a concentrate-based diet ( P 5 0.003), the daily intake of 21 g OM/kg 0.75 BW of cultivated green fodder reduced the animals' feed intake on pasture ( R 2 5 0.44; P 5 0.001). Adjusting homestead supplementation with locally available feedstuffs to the requirements of individual goats and to the nutritional quality of the pasture vegetation improves animal performance and eases the grazing pressure exerted on the natural vegetation. This management strategy therefore appears to be a valuable alternative to intensive livestock feeding in zero-grazing systems and may contribute to sustainable livestock production in ecologically fragile, semi-arid mountain regions.

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Section: Study Location and Agricultural Systemmentioning

confidence: 99%