Palatability of Herbage and Animal Preference

Heady, Harold F.

doi:10.2307/3895315

Cited by 111 publications

(76 citation statements)

References 40 publications

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“…La palatabilidad se define como la característica de un alimento que estimula una respuesta selectiva de un animal que pastorea (Heady 1964) y es un factor determinante en el consumo de las especies vegetales, lo cual tiene implicaciones importantes en la elección de alimentos para venados en confinamiento. A pesar de que existe información sobre el tipo de especies vegetales que consume el venado en vida libre (Hansen y col 1977, Stuth y Winward 1977, Stuth y Sheffield 2001, no se han estudiado los efectos de los nutrientes sobre el consumo.…”

Section: Introductionunclassified

Palatabilidad y composición química de alimentos consumidos en cautiverio por el venado cola blanca de Yucatán (Odocoileus virginianus yucatanensis)

et al. 2009

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Palatabilidad y composición química de alimentos consumidos en cautiverio por el venado cola blanca de Yucatán (Odocoileus virginianus yucatanensis) SUMMARYThe study was conducted at the Regional University Center located in Temozon, north of Yucatan (Mexico). The dietary preferences of 10 white tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) subspecies yucatanensis were estimated in the selection of eleven plants growing in the state of Yucatan, using a cafeteria study type. The chemical composition and in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD) of the diet and the different vegetal species were determined, as well as the nutritional balance of the deer (30.2±2.65 kg of BW) fed with those species. The deer selected mainly the arboreal ones (76.52%), with a smaller proportion of forbs (19.37%), herbaceous (5.81%) and a minimum of graminae (0.29%). The legumes Leucaena leucocephala and Brosimum alicastrum constituted 51.20% of the ration. The diet had a composition of 56.97% dry matter, 17.64% crude protein, 42.53% cell walls with an IVDMD of 56.90%. The results of multiple linear regression analyses showed that the arboreal species have a significant impact (P < 0.0006) in the food consumption, whereas the crude protein tended (P < 0.096) to modify it. The analysis of variance showed that dry matter percentage influences the intake (P < 0.0085) in a quadratic form. Although the crude protein did not have an important effect in this analysis (P > 0.1), it presented a significant correlation (r = 0.23; P < 0.05), and none of the other nutrients or digestibility had a significant effect on feed intake. When the vegetal species were evaluated within the same analysis, the arboreal ones showed a significant positive linear effect (P < 0.0012) whereas the herbaceous tended (P < 0.11) to reduce the intake quadratically. It was estimated that the ration meets the maintenance requirements of nitrogen and energy in excess, allowing a maximum of 30% increase in energy for activity over the basal metabolism, a reason why the vegetation in Regional University Center can be considered nutritionally excellent due to its protein content and digestibility for the white tailed deer.Palabras clave: digestibilidad, dieta, consumo de alimento, requerimientos, Odocoileus virginianus.

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Section: Introductionunclassified

Palatabilidad y composición química de alimentos consumidos en cautiverio por el venado cola blanca de Yucatán (Odocoileus virginianus yucatanensis)

et al. 2009

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“…Even though Cyperaceae species are usually considered plants of low palatability owing to the accumulation of silica in vegetation tissues (Heady 1964;Ollendorf 1992), Carnelli (2001) determined that Carex species growing in the Alps have a low biogenic silica content, and this may explain their selection by sheep. In addition,…”

Section: Bothriochloa Ischaemum L Keng Was Almost Completely Refusedmentioning

confidence: 99%

Plant species selection by sheep in semi-natural dry grasslands extensively grazed in the south-western Italian Alps

et al. 2017

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Sheep can have an important role in the conservation of abandoned and shrub-and tree-encroached, semi-natural dry grasslands because their feeding behaviour is known to affect plant diversity and structure. Nevertheless, little information is available about feeding preferences of sheep at the sward-patch scale and about the effects of stocking density on their selectivity. Consequently, we investigated plant-species selection by sheep managed with a low-intensity grazing, examining the influence of stocking density and plant species abundance by means of vegetation surveys and animal GPS tracking. Sheep grazed a graminoid-dominated, semi-natural dry grassland (Festuco-Brometea) in Piedmont Region, north-west Italy. Plant species, classified into graminoids, suffruticose forbs, and herbaceous forbs, were selected with a different intensity by sheep, which preferred graminoids over suffruticose and herbaceous forbs. Plant species showing a high consumption ratio (CR), i.e. the level of selection of plant species (CR >10%), were mostly graminoids (e.g. Bromus erectus, Koeleria vallesiana and Stipa pennata). Furthermore, Carex species were also noticeably selected, in particular C.humilis, whereas spiny species and those with a rosette or prostrate forms were rarely grazed. The heterogeneity of stocking density over the pasture allowed testing of the relationships between stocking density and CR. For many species, the higher the stocking density, the higher was the CR, regardless of the abundance of dominant neighbouring species. Results suggest that sheep under low-intensity grazing conditions exert a specific plantspecies selection in abandoned dry grasslands. By regulating the stocking density through the management of grazing sheep, it may be possible to condition the consumption of certain plant species, with medium-long-term effects on the botanical composition.

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“…Higher biomass productions will affect intake rate because intake per bite will be increased (Hodgson 1982). On the other hand, chemical composition (nutrient and plant secondary metabolite content) and also structural features (thick bark, waxy coverings, hardy leaves, lignified or thorny stems) determine plant palatability, which in turn stimulates a selective behavioural response defined as animal preference (Heady 1964). Animal preferences for areas that have been recently grazed can be explained by their prevalence of herbage re-growth shoots which are more palatable than ungrazed material (Viiralt and Selge 2012).…”

Section: Variable Demand-foraging Behaviourmentioning

confidence: 99%

Overgrazing in the Montado? The need for monitoring grazing pressure at paddock scale

2015

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Montados are presently facing the threat of either abandonment or intensification, and livestock overgrazing has been suspected of contributing to reduced natural regeneration and biodiversity. However, reliable data are to our knowledge, lacking. To avoid potential risks of overgrazing, an adaptive and efficient management is essential. In the present paper we review the main sources of complexity for grazing management linked with interactions among pasture, livestock and human decisions. We describe the overgrazing risk in montados and favour grazing pressure over stocking rate, as a key indicator for monitoring changes and support management decisions. We suggest the use of presently available imaging and communication technologies for assessing pasture dynamics and livestock spatial location. This simple and effective tools used for monitoring the grazing pressure, could provide an efficient day-to-day aid for farm managers' operational use and also for rangeland research through data collection and analysis.

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Palatability of Herbage and Animal Preference

Cited by 111 publications

References 40 publications

Palatabilidad y composición química de alimentos consumidos en cautiverio por el venado cola blanca de Yucatán (Odocoileus virginianus yucatanensis)

Palatabilidad y composición química de alimentos consumidos en cautiverio por el venado cola blanca de Yucatán (Odocoileus virginianus yucatanensis)

Plant species selection by sheep in semi-natural dry grasslands extensively grazed in the south-western Italian Alps

Overgrazing in the Montado? The need for monitoring grazing pressure at paddock scale

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