Comparative Diets of Rambouillet, Barbado, and Karakul Sheep and Spanish and Angora Goats

Abstract

Diets of Rambouillet, Karakul, and Barbado sheep (Ovis aries) and Spanish and Angora goats (Capra hircus) grazing in 3 plant communities in western Texas were determined by microhistological analysis of fecal samples. Grasses were commonly the major foods of all sheep breeds as well as Angora goats. Forbs were major diet items of all breeds of sheep and goats when they were readily available. Spanish goats, and to a lesser extent Angora goats, relied heavily on browse. Barbado sheep consumed more browse than did Rambouillet or Karakul sheep. Diets of Rambouillet and Karakul sheep overlapped considerably, whereas diets of Rambouillet sheep and Spanish goats were quite dissimilar. Barbado sheep appeared to occupy a food niche intermediate between that of the goats and the other sheep breeds. Spanish and Angora goats exhibited the strongest tendency and Karakul sheep exhibited the least tendency to selectively graze. Neither Barbado nor Karakul sheep consumed sufficient amounts of undesirable shrubs to be considered valuable for brush suppression.

Effects of Continuous or Rotational Grazing on Goat Diets in a Desert Rangeland

“…All other grasses present in the study area were very scarce throughout the year in the goat diets, which agrees with other studies in the same type of vegetation (Mellado et al, 1991;Lopez-Trujillo and Garcia-Elizondo, 1995). In contrast, Warren et al (1984a;b) found high use of grass by Spanish goats (around 50% of diet) in spring in a Chihuahuan desert range under excellent conditions.…”

Goat grazing, its interactions with other herbivores and biodiversity conservation issues

“…They reduced it from 45 to 15% in one year on hill pastures of the Appalachians, whereas sheep required 3 years to bring the same results (Magadlela et al, 1995). Although Fajemisin et al (1996) questioned the potential of Spanish goats for woody plant control in good condition sagebrush steppe pastures, other authors reported that they were more willing to eat browse than Angora goats (Pritz et al, 1997;Warren et al, 1984), or that they reduce it more than Cashmere ones (Celaya et al, 2010). In Cantabrian heathlands, gorse (Ulex gallii) biomass was more efficiently controlled with goat than with sheep grazing, favouring herbaceous presence and turning goats a valuable tool to reduce fire risk (Benavides et al, 2009;Celaya et al, 2007;Jáuregui et al, 2009).…”

Journal of Range Management, Volume 54, Number 4 (July 2001)

“…A more acceptable way to assemble groups of animals with desired dietary and digestive attributes might be to select an adapted breed within a species. Research on cattle (Herbel and Nelson 1966, Winder et al 1996, sheep (Warren et al 1984), goats (Warren et al 1984, Pritz et al 1997, and horses (Mariner and Alexander 1991) has revealed that breeds differ in dietary characteristics.…”