scholarly journals Influence of Beef Cattle Stocking Density on Utilization of Vegetative Communities in a Late-Spring, Early-Summer Native Bunchgrass Prairie

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 400
Author(s):  
Samuel A Wyffels ◽  
Timothy DelCurto
Keyword(s):  
Stocking Density ◽  
Early Summer ◽  
Livestock Grazing ◽  
Treatment Area ◽  
Grazing Behavior ◽  
Relative Preference ◽  
Grazing Period ◽  
Total Productivity ◽  
Sustainable Grazing ◽  
Vegetative Communities

This study evaluated the influence of cattle stocking density on the use of botanical communities on a native bunchgrass prairie. In each of two years, 192 cow-calf pairs and 48 yearling heifers were randomly selected for the following grazing treatments: 1) control, no livestock grazing; 2) low stocking, 0.36 animal units (AU) ∙ ha-1; 3) moderate stocking, 0.72 AU ∙ ha-1; and 4) high stocking, 1.08 AU ∙ ha-1 for a 42-day grazing period. Thirty-six monitoring sites were established uniformly along a grid in each paddock. Standing crop and relative preference data for cattle collected from the treatment area were used to develop the following vegetation community classifications: 1) > 20% introduced; 2) > 40% native bunchgrass with > 50% Idaho fescue (Festuca idahoensis); 3) > 40% native bunch grass with < 50% Idaho fescue; 4) > 50% Forb; and 5) other. Utilization for each community type was collected at the end of the grazing period. High stocking density paddocks had higher utilization across all vegetation classifications compared to other stocking densities (P ≤ 0.04). Moderate stocking density paddocks were utilized 11.5% more than low paddocks, however, utilization of introduced vegetative communities, Idaho fescue dominated bunchgrass communities, and forb dominated communities did not differ in use (P ≥ 0.13). Use of monitoring to actively adjust stocking densities based on differential community utilization may improve the sustainable grazing of sensitive communities because conventional stocking rate calculations based on total productivity do not account for the selective grazing behavior of cattle.

Cattle herbage utilization patterns under high-density rotational grazing in the Aspen Parkland

2003 ◽  
Vol 83 (3) ◽  
pp. 541-550 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. A. Asamoah ◽  
E. W. Bork ◽  
B. D. Irving ◽  
M. A. Price ◽  
R. J. Hudson
Keyword(s):  
Low Frequency ◽  
High Density ◽  
Livestock Grazing ◽  
Rotational Grazing ◽  
Grazing Behavior ◽  
Aspen Parkland ◽  
Utilization Patterns ◽  
Grazing Period ◽  
Aspen Forest ◽  
Riparian Meadows

Native Aspen Parkland landscapes consist of a complex mosaic of plant communities, including riparian meadows, upland grasslands, and forests. Sustainable livestock production in this environment depends on an understanding of livestock grazing behavior among communities, particularly under contemporary, intensive management rotational grazing systems. This study examined seasonal patterns of absolute (kg ha-1) and relative (%) herbage utilization, as well as plant community visitation, across a Parkland landscape by 150 heifers in two rotations of a high-intensity, low-frequency grazing system. Graminoids constituted more than 92% of the total herbage utilized. Absolute graminoid utilization within each grazing period was greater (P < 0.05) throughout the growing season from riparian meadows (2003 to 2114 kg ha-1) than from upland grasslands (762 to 1041 kg ha-1) or forests (782 to 800 kg ha-1). In contrast, relative graminoid utilization remained similar (P > 0.05) among communities in either rotation, suggesting heifers grazed in proportion to graminoid availability (57–61% in first rotation, 44–54% in second rotation). Although riparian meadows represented a small fraction of the landscape (~ 4%), and provided up to 9.5% of the total forage used, the majority of herbage removal at the paddock level continued to originate from upland grasslands and forests. Patterns of visitation indicated heifers initially visited riparian meadows more often within each 3–4 day grazing period, regardless of entry date. While upland grasslands were least visited in June, forests were least visited in August. Based on these utilization and visitation patterns, we discuss the implications of using high-density, rotational livestock grazing for the sustainable management of Aspen Parkland rangelands. Key words: Aspen forest, cattle grazing, forage quality, herbage utilization, riparian meadow, rotational grazing, upland grassland

scholarly journals An agent-based model of cattle grazing toxic Geyer’s larkspur

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin E. Jablonski ◽  
Randall B. Boone ◽  
Paul J. Meiman
Keyword(s):  
Management Strategies ◽  
Stocking Density ◽  
Cattle Grazing ◽  
Livestock Grazing ◽  
Grazing Management ◽  
Grazing Behavior ◽  
Agent Based ◽  
The Many ◽  
Livestock Behavior

AbstractBy killing cattle and otherwise complicating management, the many species of larkspur (Delphinium spp.) present a serious, intractable, and complex challenge to livestock grazing management in the western United States. Among the many obstacles to improving our understanding of cattle-larkspur dynamics has been the difficulty of testing different grazing management strategies in the field, as the risk of dead animals is too great. Agent-based models (ABMs) provide an effective method of testing alternate management strategies without risk to livestock. ABMs are especially useful for modeling complex systems such as livestock grazing management, and allow for realistic bottom-up encoding of cattle behavior. Here, we introduce a spatially-explicit, behavior-based ABM of cattle grazing in a pasture with a dangerous amount of Geyer’s larkspur (D. geyeri). This model tests the role of herd cohesion and stocking density in larkspur intake, finds that both are key drivers of larkspur-induced toxicosis, and indicates that alteration of these factors within realistic bounds can mitigate risk. Crucially, the model points to herd cohesion, which has received little attention in the discipline, as playing an important role in lethal acute toxicosis. As the first ABM to model grazing behavior at realistic scales, this study also demonstrates the tremendous potential of ABMs to illuminate grazing management dynamics, including fundamental aspects of livestock behavior amidst ecological heterogeneity.

scholarly journals A Preliminary Study on Grazing Pattern of Sheep Transhumance in Turkey

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (10) ◽  
pp. 1629
Author(s):  
Sezen Ocak Yetişgin ◽  
Şeyma Aydemir
Keyword(s):  
Land Cover ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Residual Activity ◽  
Daily Activities ◽  
Corine Land Cover ◽  
Grazing Behavior ◽  
Indigenous Sheep ◽  
Grazing Period ◽  
Preliminary Study ◽  
Settlement Areas

Grazing activities of indigenous sheep breed of the Turkish breed Karakaş and Koçeri which were transhumance flocks were investigated in a typical unimproved mountainous pasture in the East of Turkey. Data were collected from two different flocks on main daily activities (grazing, resting, moving or standing) every fifteen minutes. The characteristics of the pastures around the routes were assessed according to CORINE Land Cover classification system. Standing was a residual activity in both study paths. The animals concentrated their activity mostly on grazing while resting and moving occurred in specific times during the whole grazing period. Once the animals were heading back to their main settlement areas to be milked, grazing activity have been increased. Further studies on grazing behavior and changes in land cover will help to adjust the management strategies to the available natural resources.

scholarly journals Grazing Behavior, Forage Quality, and Intake Rates of Livestock Grazing Pastures Occupied by Prairie Dogs

2021 ◽  
Vol 76 ◽  
pp. 12-21
Author(s):  
Jameson Brennan ◽  
Kenneth Olson ◽  
Patricia Johnson ◽  
Janna Block ◽  
Christopher Schauer
Keyword(s):  
Forage Quality ◽  
Livestock Grazing ◽  
Prairie Dogs ◽  
Grazing Behavior

scholarly journals Gastrointestinal Helminth Parasites of Wild Ungulates In Hirpora Wildlife Sanctuary, Kashmir, India

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rouf Ahmad Bhat ◽  
Hidayatullah Tak ◽  
Bilal A. Bhat ◽  
Riyaz Ahmad ◽  
Jahangir Ahmad Dar
Keyword(s):  
Parasitic Infection ◽  
Livestock Grazing ◽  
Helminth Parasites ◽  
Parasitic Infestation ◽  
Wild Ungulates ◽  
Wildlife Sanctuary ◽  
Gastrointestinal Helminth ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Grazing Period ◽  
The Mean

Abstract Parasitic infection represents an emerging threat to wild ungulates and a challenge to their management. Although a lot of work has been carried out on helminth parasitic infestation of domestic ungulates of Kashmir but the data pertaining to this aspect of wild ungulates has being ignored. The study on gastrointestinal helminth parasitic infestation of wild ungulates was carried out during post livestock grazing period (November to May) of 2018/2019 in Hirpora Wildlife sanctuary (HWLS) to fill the gap in the existing literature. During the study fresh faecal samples of musk deer Moschus sp.(n=44) and markhor Capra falconeri (n=41)were collected and examined qualitatively and quantitatively for gastrointestinal helminth parasites. A total of seven helminth parasites were recorded which are arranged in the descending order of their overall prevalence as Haemonchus spp. (44.70%),Nematodirus spp. (40%), Trichuris spp. (37.64%), Strongyloides spp. (34.11%)Trichostrongylus spp. (28.23%),Monieziaspp. (23.52%) and Fasciola spp. (20%). The mean EPG (eggs per gram) of different parasites showed a considerable variation in both the wild ungulates. The highest mean EPGwas that of Haemonchus spp. and the lowest mean EPG was that of Fasciola spp. in both hosts. A statistically significant difference was observed in the mean EPG of different parasites among two wild hosts (t=3.606, p=0.01).

Propagated Fish in Resource Management

2004 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Surface Water ◽  
Stocking Density ◽  
Fishing Effort ◽  
Early Summer ◽  
Low Density ◽  
Term Survival ◽  
Harvest Rate ◽  
Percent Survival ◽  
Natural Reproduction ◽  
Lake Surface Area

<em>Abstract.</em>—We evaluated the short-term survival of stocked walleye <em>Sander vitreus </em>fingerlings during 1997 through 2002 in lakes with no natural reproduction. Lake surface area ranged from 40 to 160 ha. The stocked fingerlings were reared in 0.2-ha, plastic-lined ponds at the Governor Tommy G. Thompson State Hatchery in Spooner, Wisconsin and stocked during early summer. Stocked fingerlings ranged from 30 to 45 mm in total length and were stocked at densities of 124/ ha (<em>N </em>= 18) or 248/ha (<em>N </em>= 8). Fall electrofishing surveys were conducted on all lakes after surface water temperatures were < 22°C. The Serns’ Index was used to predict fingerling abundance, which was then used to calculate percent survival for the 3-month period between stocking and fall sampling. Mean survival was 0.4% (SE = 0.1%; <em>N </em>= 26) and ranged from 0.0% to 2.9% for all lakes. Fall fingerlings were not detected for 15 of the 26 stocking events. Stocking density did not appear to be important in determining contribution to the fall fingerling population. The current stocking program for lakes lacking natural reproduction has the potential to establish low-density populations of adult walleye. Creel data showed stocked fisheries in the northern third of Wisconsin provided a mean harvest rate of 0.021 (SE = 0.0042; <em>N </em>= 18) walleye per hour of directed effort or one walleye harvested for every 48 h of directed fishing effort. In comparison, the harvest rate for lakes supported by natural reproduction was approximately four times higher (mean = 0.079; SE = 0.0056; <em>N </em>= 158).

scholarly journals Livestock grazing behavior and inter- versus intraspecific disease risk via the fecal–oral route

2008 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 426-432 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lesley A. Smith ◽  
Piran C.L. White ◽  
Glenn Marion ◽  
Michael R. Hutchings
Keyword(s):  
Disease Risk ◽  
Oral Route ◽  
Livestock Grazing ◽  
Grazing Behavior

scholarly journals Livestock grazing affects the egg size of an insectivorous passerine

2005 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
pp. 322-325 ◽  
Author(s):  
Darren M Evans ◽  
Stephen M Redpath ◽  
Sharon A Evans ◽  
David A Elston ◽  
Peter Dennis
Keyword(s):  
Egg Size ◽  
Detrimental Effect ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Stocking Density ◽  
Grazing Pressure ◽  
Livestock Grazing ◽  
Ecosystem Change ◽  
Anthus Pratensis ◽  
Meadow Pipit ◽  
First Time

Livestock grazing is a major driver of ecosystem change, and has been associated with significant declines in various bird species worldwide. In Britain, there is particular concern that severe grazing pressure is deleteriously affecting vegetation and birds in upland regions. However, the mechanism by which grazing affects birds is unclear. Here, we report for the first time, to our knowledge, that sheep grazing pressure affects the egg size of a common upland passerine: the meadow pipit Anthus pratensis . We manipulated sheep stocking densities in a replicated field experiment, and found that plots with the highest stocking density contained nests with the smallest eggs, and that plots with low stocking density contained nests with the largest eggs. However, eggs laid in ungrazed plots were also small, suggesting that either too many sheep or their removal from upland areas might have a detrimental effect on pipit egg size. We found no significant effect on fledging success but the reduced post-fledging survival of young from smaller eggs, as seen in other studies, could partly explain declines in upland birds.

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