Abstract
The effect of rotational grazing on the sward structure of long-term abandoned grassland and the sheep diet selection were investigated in the Giant Mts (Krkonoše/Karkonosze). The aim of the study was to answer the following questions: (1) Does sheep grazing affect the sward structure of previously abandoned mountain grassland? (2) How does sheep diet selection develop within and among grazing seasons? (3) Which section of a pasture do sheep prefer to graze? Data was collected three times during each grazing season in spring, summer and in autumn in the years 2001, 2002 and 2003 Fifty 1 × 1 m plots were used where the plant species occurrence and damage of plants by grazing for all species were repeatedly recorded. 1) Nonsignificant changes in plant species occurrences were recorded in spite of obvious visual changes in sward structure due to grazing e.g. the retreat of tall dominant species characteristic of long-term unmanaged grasslands. 2) Seasonal as well as inter-annual changes in sheep diet selection were detected. In spring 2001, sheep grazed over a wide variety of plant species in low quantities. In subsequent springs, they preferred species favoured during previous autumns (Veratrum album subsp. lobelianum; Ranunculus platanifolius; Senecio ovatus) and changed the diet only as a result of the elimination of favoured plants. 3) Sheep preferred to graze at the highest elevated part of the pasture probably as a consequence of anti-predator behaviour not due to higher occurrence of favoured plant species or the presence of a drinking place or salt licks. Changes in the sward structure were mostly of a quantitative not qualitative character, thus the presence-absence data collection is not a suitable method for monitoring the effects of management restoration. The diet selection changed probably due to the animals’ experience; sheep had no experience with montane species in spring 2001. The sheep were able to recognize favoured plant species after 6 months of wintering in lowland.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Barthram G.T., Duff E.I., Elston D.A., Griffiths J.H., Common T.G. & Marriott C.A. 2005. Frequency distributions of sward height under sheep grazing. Grass Forage Sci. 60: 4–16.
Bílek M. & Žáková I. 1997. Ethological observations of the regeneration sheep grazing in the Krkonoše National Park, p. 127. In: ISAE’ 97, Proceedings of the 31st International Congress of ISAE, Prague.
Bílek M., Žáková I. & Bendová P. 2000. Grazing behaviour of ewes in the course of restoration of species diversity of mountain meadows in a protected area. Acta zootechnica, VÚŽV Uhříněves, 1: 18–23.
Coleman S.W. 1992. Plant — animal interface. J. Prod. Agric. 5: 7–13.
Correl O., Isselstein J. & Pavlů V. 2003. Studying spatial and temporal dynamics of sward structure at low stocking densities: the use of an extended rising-plate-meter method. Grass Forage Sci. 58: 450–454.
Dumont B. & Boissy A. 2000. Grazing behaviour of sheep in a situation of conflict between feeding and social motivations. Behav. Process. 49: 131–138.
Dumont B., Carrere P. & D’Hour P. 2002. Foraging in patchy grasslands: diet selection by sheep and cattle is affected by the abundance and spatial distribution of preferred species. Anim. Res. 51: 367–381.
Dumont B., Maillard J.F. & Petit M. 2000. The effect of the spatial distribution of plant species within the sward on the searching success of sheep when foraging. Grass Forage Sci. 55: 138–145.
Dumont B., Petit M. & D’Hour P. 1995. Choice of sheep and cattle between vegetative and reproductive cocksfoot patches. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci. 43: 1–15.
Garcia F., Carrere P., Soussana F. & Baumont R. 2003. How do severity and frequency of grazing affect sward characteristics and the choices of sheep during the grazing season? Grass Forage Sci. 58: 138–150.
Heady H.F. 1964. Palatability of herbage and animal preference. J. Range Manage. 17: 76–82.
Hejcman M., Auf D. & Gaisler J. 2005. Year-round cattle grazing as an alternative management of hay meadows in the Giant Mts (Krkonoše, Karkonosze), the Czech Republic. Ekológia, Bratislava, 24: 419–429.
Hejcman M., Pavlů V., Hejcmanová P., Gaisler J., Hakl J. & Rauch O. 2006. Farmer decision making and its effect on the subalpine grassland succession in the Giant Mountains, Czech Republic. Acta Soc. Bot. Pol. 75: 165–174.
Hejcman M., Žáková I., Bílek M. & Stránská M. 2004. Reestablishment of grassland management in the Klínové boudy locality — Sheep diet selection and sward structure under defoliation. Opera Corcontica 41: 552–559
Henley S.R., Smith D.G. & Raats J.G. 2001. Evaluation of 3 techniques for determining diet composition. J. Range Manage. 54: 582–588.
Heroldová M. 1996. Dietary overlap of three ungulate species in the Palava Biosphere Reserve. For. Ecol. Manage. 88: 139–142.
Homolka M. & Heroldová M. 1992. Similarity of results of stomach and faecal constents analyses in studies of the ungulate diet. Folia Zool. 41: 193–208.
Kleijn D. & Steinger T. 2002. Contrasting effects of grazing and hay cutting on the spatial and genetic population structure of Veratrum album, an unpalatable, long-lived, clonal plant species. J. Ecol. 90: 360–370.
Krahulec F., Skálová H., Herben T., Hadincová V., Wildová R. & Pecháčková S. 2001. Vegetation changes following sheep grazing in abandoned mountain meadows. Appl. Veg. Sci. 4: 97–102.
Kubát K., Hrouda L., Chrtek J.jun., Kaplan Z., Kirschner J. & Štěpánek J. (eds) 2002. Klíč ke květeně České republiky. Academia, Praha.
Lepš J., Michálek J., Kulíšek P. & Uhlík P. 1995. Use of paired plots and multivariate analysis for the determination of goat grazing preference. J. Veg. Sci. 6: 37–42.
Matějkova I., van Diggelen R. & Prach K. 2003. An attempt to restore Czech species-rich mountain grassland through grazing. Appl. Veg. Sci. 6: 161–168.
Mayland H.F. & Shrewmaker G.E. 1999. Plant attributes that affect livestock selection and intake, pp. 28–35. In: Proceedings Grazing Behavior of Livestock and Wildlife. Idaho Forest, Wildlife and Range Exp. Sta. Bull. No. 70, University of Idaho, Moscow.
Mellado M., Rodriquez A., Villarreal J.A. & Lopez R. 2004. Height to withers and abdominal circumference effects on diets of grazing goats. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci. 88: 263–274.
Papachristou T.G., Dziba L.E. & Provenza F.D. 2005. Foraging ecology of goats and sheep on wooded rangelands. Small Rumin. Res. 59: 141–156.
Pavlů V., Hejcman M., Pavlů L. & Gaisler J. 2003. Effect of rotational and continuous grazing on vegetation of an upland grassland in the Jizerske hory Mts, Czech Republic. Folia Geobot. 38: 21–34.
Provenza F.D. 1991. Behavior and nutrition are complementary endeavors, pp. 157–169. In: Proceedings 2nd Grazing Livestock Nutrition Conference, Agric. Expt. Sta. MP-133. Oklahoma State Univ., Stillwater.
Provenza F.D. 1995. Postingestive feedback as an elementary determinant of food selection and intake in ruminants. J. Range Manage. 48: 2–17.
Provenza F.D. & Balph D.F. 1988. Development of dietary choice in livestock on rangelands and its implications for management. J. Anim. Sci. 66: 2356–2368.
Provenza F.D., Villalba J.J., Dziba L.E., Atwood S.B. & Banner R.E. 2003. Linking herbivore experience, varied diets and plant biochemical diversity. Small Rumin. Res. 49: 257–274.
Rook A.J., Dumont B., Isselstein J., Osoro K., WallisDeVries M.F., Parente G. & Mills J. 2004. Matching type of livestock to desired biodiversity outcomes in pastures — a review. Biol. Conserv. 119: 137–150.
Schaffner U., Kleijn D., Brown V. & Müller-Schärer H. 2001. Veratrum album in montane grasslands: a model system for implementing biological control in land management practices for high biodiversity habitats. Biocontrol/News and Information 22: 19–28.
Stroh M., Storm Ch., Zehm A. & Schwabe A. 2002. Restorative grazing as a tool for directed succession with diaspore inoculation: the model of sand ecosystems. Phytocoenol. 32: 595–625.
Ter Braak C.J.F. & Šmilauer P. 2002. CANOCO Reference manual and CanoDraw for Windows user’s guide: Software for Canonical Community Ordination (version 4.5). Microcomputer Power, Ithaca, New York, USA.
Villalba J.J. & Provenza F. 1999. Effects of food structure and nutritional quality and animal nutritional state on intake behaviour and food preferences of sheep. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci. 63: 145–163.
Woji A.Y. & Iji P.A. 1996. Oesophageal fistulation of West African Dwarf sheep and goats for nutritional studies. Small Rumin. Res. 21: 133–137.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Hejcman, M., Žáková, I., Bílek, M. et al. Sward structure and diet selection after sheep introduction on abandoned grassland in the Giant Mts, Czech Republic. Biologia 63, 506–514 (2008). https://doi.org/10.2478/s11756-008-0076-1
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/s11756-008-0076-1