Performance and forage selectivity of sheep and goats co-grazing grass/forb at three stocking rates
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Authors: G. Animut, A. L. Goetsch, G. E. Aiken, R. Puchala, G. Detweiler, C. R. Krehbiel, R. C. Merkel, T. Sahlu, L. J. Dawson, Z. B. Johnson, and T. A. Gipso
Date: 2005
Journal: Small Ruminant Research
Volume: 59
Number: 2
Pages: 203-215
Summary of Methods: The influence of stocking rates on animal’s performance and forage selectivity through co-grazing of sheep and goats within pastures that contain various species of grasses and forbs was examined at the E (Kika) de la Garza American Institute for Goat Research of Langston University, Langston, Oklahoma (35˚ 94’ N; 97˚ 25’ W). Nine pastures were randomly assigned to three different stocking rates (low-4, moderate-6, and high-8). Pastures were divided into four paddocks that were grazed over two, two week periods with 6 weeks of regrowth between grazing periods. Pre- and post-grazing forage production and cover were measured. Fecal grab samples were collected to determine animal preferential diet selectivity.
Article Summary / Main Points: After the second year of grazing the percent of grass contribution was lower for the pastures with low stocking rates, where moderate and high stocking rates had similar amounts of grass contribution. Low stocking rates appeared to remove more grasses than forbs on a percentage of sward basis, resulting in greater grass levels in year two compared with year one. The high stocking rates increased grazing pressure and limited forage availability, causing animals to browse forbs similar to grasses. Stocking rates did not affect pre-grazing nitrogen concentrations in forage, however, as stocking rates increased, nitrogen concentrations in forage decreased linearly. Stocking rates did not impact final body weight, but average daily gains decreased across all stocking rate as the grazing season progressed, with a greater decrease in the second year.
Vegetation Types: Southern Mixed Prairie Tallgrass Prairie
MLRA Ecoregions: 80A Central Rolling Red Prairies
Agrovoc Control Words: Animal performance Grazing Stocking rates
Article Review Type: Refereed
Article Type: Experimental Research
Keywords: animal performance, average daily gains, co-grazing, forage selectivity, goats, mixed pastures, sheep, stocking rates
Annotation: The results from this study are applicable to sites co-grazed by sheep and goats on tall grass prairies in a twice through grazing system. Caution should be used when applying these results in situations where co-grazing occurs between different species, grazing systems, ecological sites, and varied grazing histories.
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