Small ruminant landscape distribution: A literature review

Wade, Caroline; Trotter, Mark; Bailey, Derek W.

doi:10.1016/j.smallrumres.2023.106966

Cited by 4 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 140 publications

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“…Drivers of sheep movement across the landscape include abiotic, biotic, and social factors [9]. Sheep's use of mountain slopes was found to be affected by several factors related to the mountainous terrain [10].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The results showed that some variables, such as stocking rate, water and shade location, weather conditions, terrain, and vegetation characteristics, have a significant impact on the behavior of grazing cattle. Spatial landscape use has been studied more in cattle than in small ruminants [9]. For instance, Putfarken et al [18] studied the site use of grazing cattle and sheep in a large-scale pasture landscape typical of the lowlands of northern central Europe, combining GPS/GIS, and found that sheep preferred dry and nutrient-poor habitats and grazing sites close to their shed.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The development of sustainable grazing management strategies can be enhanced by understanding the mechanisms behind observed landscape distribution and grazing patterns [9]. The selection of grazing sites by animals responds to a complex interaction of factors that must be studied at different spatio-temporal scales and according to the particularities of each location [10,11].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Habitat Selection by Free-Grazing Sheep in a Mountain Pasture

Larraz,

Barrantes,

Reiné

2024

Animals

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For centuries, mountain grasslands have been part of the grazing cycle of sheep and cattle in extensive management systems in the Pyrenees; however, traditional guided herding has been, in many cases, replaced by free-ranging flocks at these pastures. The goal of this study was to analyze the grazing behavior of free-ranging sheep in mountain pastures using GPS-based tracking systems and Geographic Information Systems. During the summer seasons of 2019, 2020, and 2021, a transterminant flock of free-ranging sheep was tracked with GPS devices attached to collars at the mountain pastures of Collarada mountain (Central Pyrenees, Spain). Preferences for grazing on certain geomorphological features (slope, aspect, and altitude) and different plant communities present in the area were evaluated using the Manly’s standardized preference index. The results show that sheep prefer altitudes between 2400 and 2600 m; SE-, SW-, and E-facing sites; and slopes under 20%. The preferred pastures were Festucion eskiae, Primulion intricatae, and Nardion strictae; however, they reject Festucion scopariae communities. This study demonstrates the effectiveness of GPS and GIS technologies in monitoring free-ranging sheep activity, providing valuable data for enhancing pastoral practices and ensuring sustainable pasture use.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%