Abstract
Meat-type goats and sheep are common small ruminants in the southeast USA, where a vast coverage of woodland (61%) presents a huge potential for supporting small ruminant grazing. However, dense and tall growing plants in woodlands restrict animals’ movement and their access to vegetation. Thus, vegetation growing beyond animals’ reach in woodlands should be managed at low heights for efficient utilization. Studies on how animals would interact with the landscape having different vegetation characteristics is lacking. The objective of the current study was to determine the diurnal behavior and distribution patterns of Kiko wethers (castrated male goats) and Katahdin rams (male sheep) in woodlands with different vegetation heights during fall. Study plots (6 plots, 0.4-ha each) comprised of southern pines, hardwoods, and numerous understory vegetation. The non-target (non-pine) species were either left uncut (control) or cut to one of the heights from the ground level: 0 m, 0.9 m, and 1.5 m. Kiko wethers and Katahdin rams were rotationally stocked in separate plots (3 plots/species) during 2017 and 2018, and their diurnal behavior (dawn–dusk) and distribution patterns monitored when they were in each plot. Animal behavior and distribution data were analyzed in SAS v 9.4, and the distribution evenness index (DEI) in R v 3.4.4. Wethers spent predominant feeding time browsing in areas where non-target plants were cut to 0.9 m and 1.5 m (53–71%), and rams grazed predominantly (49–61%) in areas with non-target plants cut to the ground level, mostly during post-midday (p < 0.05). Lying was predominant during midday (p < 0.0001), especially in open spaces (p < 0.05). Wethers had a higher DEI than rams throughout the study period (p < 0.01). Vegetation utilization in woodlands was highly influenced by the vegetation height, diurnal period, and study year (age of animals).
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bartolome J, Franch J, Plaixats J, Seligman NG (1998) Diet selection by sheep and goats on Mediterranean heath-woodland range. J Range Manag 51(4):383–391
Benavides R, Celaya R, Ferreira LMM, Jáuregui BM, García U, Osoro K (2009) Grazing behaviour of domestic ruminants according to flock type and subsequent vegetation changes on partially improved heathlands. Span J Agric Res 7(2):417. https://doi.org/10.5424/sjar/2009072-432
Bhattrai S (2019) Evaluating the use of small ruminants in woodlands: behavior, performance, and ecosystem impacts. Master’s thesis, Tuskegee University
Bigelow DP, Borchers A (2017) Major uses of land in the United States, 2012. https://ageconsearch.umn.edu/record/263079/files/eib-178.pdf. Accessed 24 Feb 2019
Bojkovski D, Kompan D, Zupan M (2014) The behavior of sheep and goats co-grazing on pasture with different types of vegetation in the Karst region. J Anim Sci 92(6):2752–2758. https://doi.org/10.2527/jas2013-7199
Butler L, Cropper J, Johnson R, Norman A, Peacock G, Shaver P, Spaeth K (2003) National range and pasture handbook. United States Department of Agriculture, National Resources Conservation Service. Grazing Lands Technology Institute, ForthWorth, TX
Cuchillo Hilario M, Wrage-Mönnig N, Isselstein J (2017) Behavioral patterns of (co-) grazing cattle and sheep on swards differing in plant diversity. Appl Anim Behav Sci 191:17–23. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2017.02.009
Ferreira LMM, Celaya R, Benavides R, Jáuregui M, García U, Santos AS, Garcia RR, Rodrigues MAM, Osoro K (2013) Foraging behaviour of domestic herbivore species grazing on heathlands associated with improved pasture areas. Livestock Sci 155(2–3):373–383. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.livsci.2013.05.007
Hopewell L, Rossiter R, Blower E, Leaver L, Goto K (2005) Grazing and vigilance by Soay sheep on Lundy island: influence of group size, terrain and the distribution of vegetation. Behav Proc 70(2):186–193. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.beproc.2005.04.009
Jerrentrup JS, Komainda M, Seither M, Cuchillo-Hilario M, Wrage-Mönnig N, Isselstein J (2019) Diverse swards and mixed-grazing of cattle and sheep for an improved productivity. Front Sustain Food Syst 3:125. https://doi.org/10.3389/fsufs.2019.00125
Karki U (2017) Woodland grazing notes with research highlights. Tuskegee, Publication No. TUAG1017-01, Tuskegee University Cooperative Extension Program. https://www.tuskegee.edu/Content/Uploads/Tuskegee/files/CAENS/TUCEP/Livestockprogram/WoodlandGrazing.pdf. Accessed 24 Feb 2019
Karki U, Karki Y, Khatri R, Tillman A (2018a) Diurnal behavior and distribution patterns of Kiko wethers in southern-pine silvopastures during the cool-season grazing period. Agrofor Syst. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10457-018-0229-3
Karki U, Karki Y, Khatri R, Tillman A, Poudel S, Gurung N, Kumi A (2018b) Raising goats in the southern-pine silvopasture system: challenges and opportunities. Agrofor Syst. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10457-018-0271-1
Khatri R, Karki U, Bettis J, Karki Y (2016) Grazing with goats changed the woodland plant-species composition during summer. Prof Agric Work J 4(1,10). https://tuspubs.tuskegee.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1078&context=pawj. Accessed 5 June 2019
Kruskal WH, Wallis WA (1952) Use of ranks in one-criterion variance analysis. J Am Stat Assoc 47(260):583–621
Landsberg J, Stol J (1996) Spatial distribution of sheep, feral goats, and kangaroos in woody rangeland paddocks. Rangeland J 18(2):270–291
Maggard A, Barlow B (2018) Costs and trends of Southern forestry practices, 2016. http://www.afoa.org/PDF/n180312a.pdf. Accessed 5 Mar 2019
Ngwa AT, Pone DK, Mafeni JM (2000) Feed selection and dietary preferences of forages by small ruminants grazing natural pastures in the Sahelian zone of Cameroon. Anim Feed Sci Technol 88:253–266. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0377-8401(00)00215-7
NRC (2007) Nutrient requirements of small ruminants: sheep, goats, cervids, and new world camelids. National Academy Press, Washington
Omphile UJ, Aganga AA, Malamba B (2005) Diets and forage preference of communally grazed range goats in an acacia bush savanna in southeast Botswana. J Biol Sci 5(6):690–693
Osoro K, Ferreira LMM, García U, Jáuregui BM, Martínez A, Rosa García R, Celaya R (2013) Diet selection and performance of sheep and goats grazing on different heathland vegetation types. Small Rumin Res 109(2–3):119–127. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smallrumres.2012.07.010
Oswalt SN, Miles PD, Pugh SA, Smith WB (2018) Forest resources of the United States, 2017: a technical document supporting the Forest Service 2020 update of the RPA assessment. https://www.fia.fs.fed.us/programfeatures/rpa/docs/2017RPAFIATABLESFINAL_050918.pdf. Accessed 25 April 2019
Ouédraogo-Koné S, Kaboré-Zoungrana CY, Ledin I (2006) Behaviour of goats, sheep, and cattle on natural pasture in the sub-humid zone of West Africa. Livest Sci 105(1–3):244–252. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.livsci.2006.06.010
Papachristou TG, Platis PD (2011) The impact of cattle and goats grazing on vegetation in oak stands of varying coppicing age. Acta Oecol 37(1):16–22. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actao.2010.11.001
Papachristou TG, Dziba LE, Provenza FD (2005) Foraging ecology of goats and sheep on wooded rangelands. Small Rumin Res 59(2–3 SPEC. ISS.):141–156. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smallrumres.2005.05.003
Papanastasis VP, Liacos LG (1980) Productivity and management of kermes oak brushlands for goats. In: Browse in Africa, p 14. ILCA, Addis Ababa
Pelletier F, Festa-Bianchet M (2004) Effects of body mass, age, dominance and parasite load on foraging time of bighorn rams, Ovis canadensis. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 56:546–551. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00265-004-0820-7
Pfister AJA, Malechek JC, Balph DF (1988) Foraging behaviour of goats and sheep in the Caatinga of Brazil. J Appl Ecol 25(2):379–388. https://doi.org/10.2307/2403830
Poudel S, Karki U, McElhenney W, Karki Y, Tillman A (2018) Behavior and distribution patterns of Katahdin rams in southern-pine silvopastures with cool-season forages. Agrofor Syst 71(3):22. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10457-018-0294-7
Poudel S, Karki U, Karki Y, Tillman A (2019) Confinement influenced the diurnal behavior of Katahdin rams and Kiko wethers in southern-pine silvopastures. Agrofor Syst. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10457-019-00359-7
Sanon HO, Kaboré-Zoungrana C, Ledin I (2007) Behaviour of goats, sheep and cattle and their selection of browse species on natural pasture in a Sahelian area. Small Rumin Res 67:64–74. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smallrumres.2005.09.025
Tölü C, Yurtman IY, Baytekin H, Ataşoǧlu C, Savaş T (2012) Foraging strategies of goats in a pasture of wheat and shrubland. Anim Prod Sci 52(12):1069–1076. https://doi.org/10.1071/AN11251
USDA-FS (1996) Sampling vegetation attributes. Forest Service, Technical Reference 1734-4, Bureau of Land Management, Denver, Colorado. https://archive.org/details/samplingvegetati3619nati/page/n9. Accessed 10 April 2019
Vallentine JF (2001) Grazing management, 2nd edn. Academic Press, San Diego, CA
Weather Underground (date unknown). https://www.wunderground.com/history/monthly/us/al/hope-hull/KMGM/date/2018-6. Accessed 20 June 2019
Zuo H, Miller-Goodman MS (2003) An index for description of landscape use by cattle. J Range Manag 146–151. https://www.jstor.org/stable/4003898
Acknowledgements
This work was funded by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)-National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) Competitive Grant Number 2016-68006-24764. Partial support for the study was provided by McIntire Stennis Forestry Research Program. The authors are grateful to the staffs of Tuskegee University George Washington Carver Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension for their support to set up some of the grazing facilities.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Contributions
UK designed the experiment. SB, SP, and BP collected behavior and distribution data. SB, UK, and WM performed statistical analyses and interpreted the results. SB prepared the manuscript and UK reviewed and edited it. SB and UK finalized the manuscript.
Corresponding author
Additional information
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Bhattrai, S., Karki, U., Poudel, S. et al. Diurnal behavior and distribution patterns of Kiko wethers and Katahdin rams in woodlands with different vegetation heights during fall. Agroforest Syst 94, 1809–1823 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10457-020-00500-x
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10457-020-00500-x