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Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences
Condensed Tannins In Tropical Legumes: Concentration, Astringency And Effects On The Nutrition Of Ruminants, R Barahona, C E. Lascano, R C. Cochran, J L. Morrill, E C. Titgemeyer
Condensed Tannins In Tropical Legumes: Concentration, Astringency And Effects On The Nutrition Of Ruminants, R Barahona, C E. Lascano, R C. Cochran, J L. Morrill, E C. Titgemeyer
IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)
A feeding trial was carried out to determine the effect of extractable condensed tannins (ECT) concentration and tannin astringency in tropical legumes on nitrogen (N) digestion by sheep. Test legumes were Desmodium ovalifolium (Do) and Flemingia macrophylla (Fm) which had similar concentrations of Extractable CT (9% DM) but tannins with different degree of astringency (Do, 0.6 and Fm, 0.3 g protein bound/g of ECT). Chopped sun-dried forage of each legume was sprayed with either water (control) or polyethylene glycol (PEG, 3.5% DM) to reduce ECT and fed to 8 sheep with ruminal and duodenal canulas arranged in a replicated 4 …
Canopy Changes In Healthlands (Erica-Ulex) Grazed By Sheep Or Goats, R Celaya, K Osoro
Canopy Changes In Healthlands (Erica-Ulex) Grazed By Sheep Or Goats, R Celaya, K Osoro
IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)
The grazing effects of sheep and goats on vegetation dominated by heaths (Erica spp) and gorse (Ulex gallii) were studied for two years. Two plots were grazed from May to October 1992 by 7 ewes or 7 does and in the following year each plot was subdivided into two subplots subsequently grazed either by sheep or by goats in a factorial design. During the first grazing season both sheep and goats reduced similarly the cover percentage of shrubs since the herbaceous content was scarce, although goats reduced more the height of the shrubs than sheep. The cover …
Silvopastoral Agroforestry In Upland And Lowland Uk Grassland: Tree Growth And Animal Performance, W R. Eason, R Lavender, R O. Clements, C Duller, E Gill, M Hislop
Silvopastoral Agroforestry In Upland And Lowland Uk Grassland: Tree Growth And Animal Performance, W R. Eason, R Lavender, R O. Clements, C Duller, E Gill, M Hislop
IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)
Trees, individually protected from herbivore damage using plastic shelters, were planted at two densities (100 and 400 stems/ha) into sheepgrazed pasture in upland and lowland UK grassland sites in 1988. Tree and animal performance were compared with conventional forestry (no sheep) and pasture (no tree) systems. Effects on tree growth and survival are highly species and site dependent although some treatment effects did emerge. Tree shelters encouraged rapid early height growth compared to forestry controls although in some cases tree form was also adversely affected. Generally tree performance within agroforestry treatments was better at the higher planting density. Eight years …
Temperate Pasture And Sheep Performance Under Radiata Pine And In Open Pasture, K M. Pollock, R J. Lucas, D B. Pownall, S E. Thomson
Temperate Pasture And Sheep Performance Under Radiata Pine And In Open Pasture, K M. Pollock, R J. Lucas, D B. Pownall, S E. Thomson
IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)
Forage production from years 4 to 6 of an agroforestry system at 400-600 trees per ha and pasture alone were compared for a temperate sub-humid environment. Forage production was best for lucerne pasture followed by phalaris/clover and cocksfoot/clover, and least for ryegrass/clover and the ryegrass only pastures. Total pasture production in the agroforest relative to the open pasture was from 10% more for phalaris to 20% less for lucerne. Sheep carrying capacity over all pastures was 14.6 sheep/ha in the open and 11.8 sheep/ha in the agroforest and varied by ±15% according to the pasture types.
Grazing Management Of Tagasaste (Chamaecytisus Proliferus) For Sheep And Cattle Production In Southern Australia, N J. Edwards, G M. Allen, D M. Mcneill, C M. Oldham
Grazing Management Of Tagasaste (Chamaecytisus Proliferus) For Sheep And Cattle Production In Southern Australia, N J. Edwards, G M. Allen, D M. Mcneill, C M. Oldham
IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)
Direct grazing of hedgerows of tagasaste (Chamaecytisus proliferus) by sheep or cattle appear to be very robust systems. Tagasaste persists under a continuous grazing regime with cattle such that plant regrowth maintained between 5 and 10 cm in length produces in excess of 215 kg of animal liveweight/ha/year. This level of production is also sustained within a rotational grazing regime. Under both grazing systems cattle production within a year is highly seasonal, with liveweight gains from young cattle peaking at 1.0-1.5 kg/head/day in winter and spring, but dropping to maintenance only by late summer-autumn. Sheep, like cattle, can …
Foraging Behaviour Of Heifers, Sheep And Goats In Grass-Legume Cafeteria, J P. Singh, Vinod Shankar, V S. Upadhyay
Foraging Behaviour Of Heifers, Sheep And Goats In Grass-Legume Cafeteria, J P. Singh, Vinod Shankar, V S. Upadhyay
IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)
The paper reports findings of a grazing trial with heifers, sheep and goats in a grass–legume cafeteria involving 45x10 m alternate strips of 18 grasses and 18 legumes. In the first year heifers were grazed. Sheep were introduced in the second year and goats in the third year. The stocking rate was 1.5 ACU/ha. Foraging behaviour of three kinds of animals differed in many respects with grazing and rest durations, choice of species in the forenoon and afternoon and in different seasons. Heifers, by and large, preferred grasses over legumes and browse. Sheep, on the contrary, preferred legumes over grasses …
Intake And Diet Selection By Sheep Grazing Grass/Clover Patches, I J. Gordon, A W. Illius
Intake And Diet Selection By Sheep Grazing Grass/Clover Patches, I J. Gordon, A W. Illius
IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)
The effects of the spatial dispersion of ryegrass (Lolium perenne L) and clover (Trifolium repens L), at the feeding station scale, on diet composition and feeding behaviour were studied for sheep. There were no significant changes in diet composition with changes in the spatial dispersion of sward components. Bite size, bite rate and intake rate did increase as the species became more aggregated.
How Do Cattle And Sheep Alter Ingestive Behaviour In Response To Changes In Sward State?, P D. Penning, R J. Orr, A J. Parsons, A Harvey
How Do Cattle And Sheep Alter Ingestive Behaviour In Response To Changes In Sward State?, P D. Penning, R J. Orr, A J. Parsons, A Harvey
IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)
Ingestive behaviour of yearling Friesian heifers continuously stocked on monocultures of Lolium perenne (G) or Trifolium repens (C) maintained at sward heights of 7-8 cm, was recorded. Bite masses, prehension biting and mastication rates were similar between treatments (211 vs. 230 mg DM prehension bite-1, 61 vs. 55 prehension bites and 11 vs. 13 mastications, min-1 for G and C, respectively). DM intake rates were 12.9 g min-1 for both treatments. Animals grazed longer (536 vs.436 min) and ruminated longer (526 vs. 267 min-1) on G compared with C. Daily intakes were 6.9 vs.5.6 kg DM for G and C. …
Effects Of Fasting On Ingestive Behaviour Of Sheep Grazing Grass Or White Clover Monocultures, P D. Penning, M Boval
Effects Of Fasting On Ingestive Behaviour Of Sheep Grazing Grass Or White Clover Monocultures, P D. Penning, M Boval
IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)
Effects of fasting sheep for 24 h (F), compared with controls (NF), on their ingestive behaviour and particle size in extrusa was investigated using oesophageally fistulated animals, grazing monocultures of Lolium perenne (G) or Trifolium repens (C). Bite masses tended to be lower on G than C and tended to increase with fasting (40, 64, 61 and 70 mg DM bite-1) for treatments GNF, GF, CNF and CF, respectively. Prehension rate was lower (52 vs. 69 bites min-1) and masticating rate was higher (106 vs.86 mastications min- 1) for G and C treatments, respectively. Over 24 h following fasting, NF …
Ruminal Fill Effect Of Forages: Prediction And Relationship With Voluntary Intake, R Baumont, A Barlet, J Jamot
Ruminal Fill Effect Of Forages: Prediction And Relationship With Voluntary Intake, R Baumont, A Barlet, J Jamot
IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)
Voluntary dry matter intake (VDMI) and rumen fill were measured on sheep fed with 18 forages ranging from wheat straw to lucerne hay. In vivo fill effect (IVFE i.e. rumen DM pool divided by VDMI), in situ degradability, cell-wall composition, pepsin-cellulase digestibility and in vitro gas production were determined. In situ estimated fill effect (ISFE) was calculated as the retention time of insoluble potential degradable and undegradable fractions using a constant rate of passage. ISFE and IVFE were highly correlated (r2=0.89) but ISFE values were lower than IVFE values because in situ degradability does not integrate comminution time of …
Intake And Quality Of Panicum Maximum (Cv. Gatton) Receiving Different Levels Of Nitrogen During Autumn, W.A. Van Niekerk, N F.G. Rethman
Intake And Quality Of Panicum Maximum (Cv. Gatton) Receiving Different Levels Of Nitrogen During Autumn, W.A. Van Niekerk, N F.G. Rethman
IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)
The objective of this study was to investigate the influence of N fertilization on the quality of Panicum maximum cv. Gatton (Panicum) and the subsequent intake thereof. Hand cut samples increased in N (1.8 - 2.7%) and NO3-N content (0.75 - 1.54%) and decreased in WSC (14.6 - 13.9 g/kg) content, but with no changes in IVDOM as N fertilization levels raised from 0 to 150 kg N/ha respectively. No changes occurred in the NDF and ADL values. The animal selected N, and IVDOM values were higher and NDF value lower than the hand cut samples, which was expected due …
Intake And Partial Digestibility Of Panicum Maximum (Cv. Gatton) At Three Stages Of Maturity During Summer, W.A. Van Niekerk, N F.G. Rethman
Intake And Partial Digestibility Of Panicum Maximum (Cv. Gatton) At Three Stages Of Maturity During Summer, W.A. Van Niekerk, N F.G. Rethman
IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)
The objective of this study was to determine the influence of stage of maturity on the intake and digestibility of P. maximum (cv. Gatton) during the active growing season. Low DM content at the young and medium growth stages (24.9 and 25.2%) did not hamper DOMI (48.8 and 44.1 g/kg W0.75/d) respectively. The N concentration of the three stages were well within the limit required for optimal rumen microbial production (1.8 - 2.0%). The high NDF value of the adult stage (59.5%) resulted in a significantly lower IVDOM value (62.3%) but the IVDOM values of all stages were on the …
Quality Evaluation Of Feed Resources At The Newly Reclaimed Area In Egypt, M K. Hathout, F Z. Swidan, M F. El-Sayes, H A. Eid
Quality Evaluation Of Feed Resources At The Newly Reclaimed Area In Egypt, M K. Hathout, F Z. Swidan, M F. El-Sayes, H A. Eid
IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)
The objective of this study was to examine the productivity of Egyptian clover (Trifolium alexandrinum L.) interseeded with ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum) and alfalfa (Medicaga sativa L.). These species were planted in newly reclaimed land in Ismailia, Egypt under two fertilization systems; organic (OF) or chemical (CF) during winter season of (1994-1995) using a split plot design. Feeding quality of forages was evaluated by conducting digestibility trials with rams and feeding trials with growing lambs where forage was offered ad. libitum with 1% of LBW concentrate. Productivity data indicated that organic fertilization yielded significantly more DM. Chemical …
Soil Carbon Monitoring Program For Ranches In Dryland Ecosystems, David E. Prado-Tarango, S. Ates, J. Talbot
Soil Carbon Monitoring Program For Ranches In Dryland Ecosystems, David E. Prado-Tarango, S. Ates, J. Talbot
IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)
Implementation of ranching practices that lead to greater soil carbon sequestration has become increasingly important due to rising atmospheric CO2 levels. Sustainable ranching practices are suggested to improve soil health and sequester more carbon in the soil. However, there is a paucity of measured data from replicated on-farm studies to support this premise. Thus, we developed a soil carbon monitoring program for a ranch located in the state of Oregon. Our monitoring program is focused on measuring the net carbon budget and the soil carbon sequestration totals. To achieve this goal, we combined field-sampling data with the COMET-Farm model. A …
Determining ‘Wether’ Social Behaviour Or Pasture Quality Drives Sheep Grazing Patterns Using Random Forest Modelling, D. J. Parnell, L. Ingram, J. Edwards
Determining ‘Wether’ Social Behaviour Or Pasture Quality Drives Sheep Grazing Patterns Using Random Forest Modelling, D. J. Parnell, L. Ingram, J. Edwards
IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)
Monitoring livestock provides valuable insights into the spatial distribution, foraging patterns, and animal behaviour, which may lead to the improved management of livestock. This objective of study was to understand what variables were significant in determining where sheep spent the most time in paddocks of native (dominated by Poa spp., Stipa spp., and Hordeum leporinum), and improved (Phalaris aquatica, Festuca spp., and Trifolium subterraneum) pastures (~24 ha-1 in size). Castrated male sheep, wethers, were tracked using GPS collars on a property located in the Monaro region of Southern New South Wales, Australia. Trials were performed over …
Productivity Of A Leucaena Leucocephala-Cynodon Nlemfuensis Silvopastoral System With Sheep In Yucatan, Mexico, J. G. Escobedo-Mex, L. Ramirez-Aviles
Productivity Of A Leucaena Leucocephala-Cynodon Nlemfuensis Silvopastoral System With Sheep In Yucatan, Mexico, J. G. Escobedo-Mex, L. Ramirez-Aviles
IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)
Animal production in the tropics of Mexico is based on grazed grasslands of low productivity; this type of production system has reduced the areas of natural vegetation and damaged the ecology (erosion of flora, fauna and soil). Silvopastoral technologies may improve the welfare and economic conditions of the rural population and, consequently, preserve their natural resources. The current work was designed to assess the introduction of Leucaena leucocephala in a silvopastoral system with Cynodon nlemfuensis (star grass) grazed by sheep.
Farmer Adoption; Ten Years Of Productive Pasture Systems In Southern Australia, Geoffrey Saul, H. L. Quinn, J. T. Trompf
Farmer Adoption; Ten Years Of Productive Pasture Systems In Southern Australia, Geoffrey Saul, H. L. Quinn, J. T. Trompf
IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)
n Southern Australian sheep and beef farmers have been slow to adopt technology related to grazing management and pasture utilisation despite clear evidence of a strong link between utilisation (stock per ha) and profitability. Between 1971-95, the average stocking rate on farms was 10-12 dry sheep equivalent per hectare (dse/ha) (Anon 2004). Results from the Hamilton Long-term Phosphate Experiment (Cayley et al., 2002) show higher pasture production, herbage digestibility, stocking rates and profitability as phosphorus fertiliser applications increase. In 1993, the Grassland Productivity Program (GPP) started in the winter rainfall areas of southern Australia (Trompf & Sale 2000), initiated …
Pastures From Space - Application Of Satellite-Derived Pasture Predictions Improve The Profitability Of Australian Sheep Producers, S. G. Gherardi, L. Anderton, J. Sneddon, Chris Oldham, G. Mata
Pastures From Space - Application Of Satellite-Derived Pasture Predictions Improve The Profitability Of Australian Sheep Producers, S. G. Gherardi, L. Anderton, J. Sneddon, Chris Oldham, G. Mata
IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)
Pastures from Space, a collaborative program between CSIRO Livestock Industries and the Western Australian state Departments of Agriculture and Land Information, has developed the capacity to measure both the biomass and growth rate of annual pasture in the winter rainfall regions of southern Australia using satellite images (Edirisinghe et al., 2002). Producer groups were set up to pilot test the delivery of satellitederived pasture growth rate (PGR, kg dry matter/hectare.day) and biomass (feed on offer or FOO, kg dry matter/hectare) predictions for paddocks on individual farms in Western Australia. This paper reports on the value to Australian sheep producers …
A Farmer Friendly Feed Budget Calculator For Grazing Management Decisions In Winter And Spring, M. Curnow, M. W. Hyder
A Farmer Friendly Feed Budget Calculator For Grazing Management Decisions In Winter And Spring, M. Curnow, M. W. Hyder
IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)
The Western Australian (WA) environment is Mediterranean with annual legume/grass pastures and a 6 month growing season. In autumn where over grazing can impact pasture establishment and in spring, prior to senescence, when under grazing can mean significant losses of efficiency are crucial times for grazing management. Pasture utilisation is typically low (25-35%) due to conservative stocking regimes; key to increasing productivity is increasing pasture utilisation (Grimm, 1998). Increased level of productivity require farmer sophistication in the way they feed budget. To this end, satellite technology is being used to provide farmers in southern Australia with weekly estimates of pasture …
Grassland Monitoring System For Sustainable Utilisation In Inner Mongolia, China. 2. Real-Time Monitoring Of Grass And Animal Interaction Using Satellite Data And Gps, K. Kawamura, T. Akiyama, H. Yokota, M. Inoue, Taisuke Yasuda, O. Watanabe, Y. Wang
Grassland Monitoring System For Sustainable Utilisation In Inner Mongolia, China. 2. Real-Time Monitoring Of Grass And Animal Interaction Using Satellite Data And Gps, K. Kawamura, T. Akiyama, H. Yokota, M. Inoue, Taisuke Yasuda, O. Watanabe, Y. Wang
IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)
Overgrazing is one of the primary causes of desertification in Inner Mongolia grassland. A previous paper estimated herbage quantity and quality (Kawamura et al., 2005), and quantified the grazing intensity on grass biomass using Terra MODIS satellite, Global Positioning Systems (GPS) and GIS (Kawamura et al., 2003). The aim of this study is real-time monitoring of both grass biomass and animal behaviour to evaluate the effect of grazing intensity (GI) on grass growth rate during the growing season using Terra MODIS satellite and GPS.
Grassland Monitoring System For Sustainable Utilisation In Inner Mongolia, China. 3. The Estimation Of Herbage Intake Of Sheep During Grazing The Natural Grassland, H. Yokota, K. Kawamura, T. Akiyama, M. Inoue, M. Kondo, K. Kita, Y. Wang
Grassland Monitoring System For Sustainable Utilisation In Inner Mongolia, China. 3. The Estimation Of Herbage Intake Of Sheep During Grazing The Natural Grassland, H. Yokota, K. Kawamura, T. Akiyama, M. Inoue, M. Kondo, K. Kita, Y. Wang
IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)
Grassland condition depends on a balance between growth rates of grasses and herbage intake by animals. In the previous two reports the general concept was described of the monitoring system using satellite data, GPS and GIS and real-time monitoring of grass biomass and quality and animal behaviour. This paper reports the estimation of herbage intake by sheep which had been raised by a farmer in the Inner Mongolia steppe under a typical grazing system with no supplement feeds except salt and also estimation of the growth rate of young sheep.
Decision Support System For Grassland-Based Sheep Production In The Chilean Patagonia, R. R. Vera, S. Morales, C. Aguilar
Decision Support System For Grassland-Based Sheep Production In The Chilean Patagonia, R. R. Vera, S. Morales, C. Aguilar
IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)
Temporal decision-making in sheep production systems of the Chilean Patagonia is influenced by forage availability in existing paddocks, which in turn is determined by previous use, localisation, climate and soil. Also, production strategies are evolving, with a trend towards fat lamb production, introduction of new breeds and a reduction in the importance of wool production. The objective of this study was to develop an initial version of a spatial empirical simulation model based on extremely limited information, to predict forage growth and sheep production so that decision-makers can assess alternative production strategies.
Do Species And Functional Diversity Indices Reflect Changes In Grazing Regimes And Climatic Conditions In Northeastern Spain?, F. De Bello, J. Leps, M. T. Sebastià
Do Species And Functional Diversity Indices Reflect Changes In Grazing Regimes And Climatic Conditions In Northeastern Spain?, F. De Bello, J. Leps, M. T. Sebastià
IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)
Understanding the mechanisms that maintain biodiversity in various ecosystems enables the development of management practices that prevent degradation (Canals & Sebastia, 2000). Each diversity index reflects some compositional properties and could be influenced differently by stress and disturbance factors (Magurran, 2004). In this study, we aim to reveal 1) which management practices and environmental factors affect biodiversity in rangelands of northeastern Spain and 2) the relationship between species diversity and functional diversity (SD and FD).
Number And Viability Of Seeds Recovered From Faeces Of Ruminant Animals, Alaba O. Jolaosho, Olufemi S. Onifade, O. M. Arigbede, Jimoh A. Olanite, T. O. Akinola
Number And Viability Of Seeds Recovered From Faeces Of Ruminant Animals, Alaba O. Jolaosho, Olufemi S. Onifade, O. M. Arigbede, Jimoh A. Olanite, T. O. Akinola
IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)
Ruminants play a significant role in the dissemination of plant seeds as a result of ingested seeds during grazing on pasture escaping digestion that are voided with the faeces and returned to the seed bank (Russi et al., 1992).
Grazing Behaviour And Selection Of Browse Species By Cattle, Sheep And Goats On Natural Pasture In The Sahelian Zone Of Burkina Faso, H. O. Sanon, C. Zoungrana-Kabore, I. Ledin
Grazing Behaviour And Selection Of Browse Species By Cattle, Sheep And Goats On Natural Pasture In The Sahelian Zone Of Burkina Faso, H. O. Sanon, C. Zoungrana-Kabore, I. Ledin
IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)
Pastures in semi-arid countries, are subject to seasonal variability. Browse species that are less dependent on rainfall, are highly valued. Goats are browsers, while cattle and sheep are grazers. However, faced with a scarcity of feed resources, especially in the late dry season, all animal species fall back on browse species. The objective of this study was to estimate feeding behaviour and browse species utilisation by cattle, sheep and goats on natural pasture in different seasons, and concurrently appreciate the indigenous knowledge on browse species in the study area.
A Systems Approach To Managing Greenhouse Gases On New Zealand Sheep And Beef Farms, M. G. Lambert, H. Clark
A Systems Approach To Managing Greenhouse Gases On New Zealand Sheep And Beef Farms, M. G. Lambert, H. Clark
IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)
Agriculture contributes more than 50% of New Zealand's greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, mainly through release of methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) from pastoral farms. Decisions on implementation of mitigation strategies will be made by individual farmers, who seek also to maintain financial performance in the face of declining terms of trade for commodities, hence leading to pressure to further intensify production. New Zealand (NZ) sheep & beef farms are typically hill country properties with a mixture of steep and easier topography, and year-round grazing of mainly permanent pastures. Specific GHG mitigation technologies will be difficult …
Diversity Of Diet Composition Decreases With Conjoint Grazing Of Cattle With Sheep And Goats, A. M. Nicol, M. B. Soper, A. V. Stewart
Diversity Of Diet Composition Decreases With Conjoint Grazing Of Cattle With Sheep And Goats, A. M. Nicol, M. B. Soper, A. V. Stewart
IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)
Conjoint or mixed grazing can affect the diet selected by each species (Nicol & Collins, 1990). Diet similarity coefficients are often used to compare pairs of diets (Krebs, 1999). However this approach is awkward when a number of contrasts are required in a multifactorial comparison. Species diversity is a descriptor of a particular environment. Many models provide an estimate of species diversity, the most common of these being a log-normal distribution (Tokeshi, 1996). We tested whether this model could be applied to dietary components selected from a pasture, and thus provide a coefficient of dietary diversity for the individual diets …
Nutritive Value Of Alopecurus Pratensis, Festuca Rubra, Arrhenatherum Elatius And Lolium Perenne Grown In The South Of Belgium, A. Nivyobizi, A. G. Deswysen, D. Dehareng, A. Peeters, Y. Larondelle
Nutritive Value Of Alopecurus Pratensis, Festuca Rubra, Arrhenatherum Elatius And Lolium Perenne Grown In The South Of Belgium, A. Nivyobizi, A. G. Deswysen, D. Dehareng, A. Peeters, Y. Larondelle
IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)
In Europe, recent strategies have aimed at encouraging farmers to use production techniques more efficient in preserving the environment and maintaining natural areas. Those strategies have encouraged the use of secondary grass species in forage production systems. However, the nutritive value of those grasses is not well known. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the energy and nitrogen values of Alopecurus pratensis (ALPR), Festuca rubra (FERU) and Arrhenatherum elatius (AREL) under moderate rates of nitrogen (N) application (60 kg N/ha per cut) and a hay-cutting regime (2 cuts/year: 25 May and 9 July). Lolium perenne cv. …
Diversity Of Diet Composition Decreases With Conjoint Grazing Of Cattle With Sheep And Goats, A. M. Nicol, M. B. Soper, A. Stewart
Diversity Of Diet Composition Decreases With Conjoint Grazing Of Cattle With Sheep And Goats, A. M. Nicol, M. B. Soper, A. Stewart
IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)
Conjoint or mixed grazing can affect the diet selected by each species (Nicol & Collins, 1990). Diet similarity coefficients are often used to compare pairs of diets (Krebs, 1999). However this approach is awkward when a number of contrasts are required in a multifactorial comparison. Species diversity is a descriptor of a particular environment. Many models provide an estimate of species diversity, the most common of these being a log-normal distribution (Tokeshi, 1996). We tested whether this model could be applied to dietary components selected from a pasture, and thus provide a coefficient of dietary diversity for the individual diets …
Do Species And Functional Diversity Indices Reflect Changes In Grazing Regimes And Climatic Conditions In Northeastern Spain?, F. De Bello, J. Leps, M. T. Sebastià
Do Species And Functional Diversity Indices Reflect Changes In Grazing Regimes And Climatic Conditions In Northeastern Spain?, F. De Bello, J. Leps, M. T. Sebastià
IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)
Understanding the mechanisms that maintain biodiversity in various ecosystems enables the development of management practices that prevent degradation (Canals & Sebastia, 2000). Each diversity index reflects some compositional properties and could be influenced differently by stress and disturbance factors (Magurran, 2004). In this study, we aim to reveal 1) which management practices and environmental factors affect biodiversity in rangelands of northeastern Spain and 2) the relationship between species diversity and functional diversity (SD and FD).