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Thermoregulatory Behaviour and the Skin Temperature of Grazing Cattle
No full textIn order to clarify the thermoregulatory behaviour in hot and frosty environment, the skin temperature of the Japanese Black Cattle in the pasture was measured by a handy radiation thermometer. The regression equation of the temperature (X) and the skin temperature (Y) of grazing cattle was Y=0.814X+ 11.57 (regression coefficient; r=0.972), and that of the direct solar radiation (X) and the skin temperature (Y) was Y=18.05X+30.62 (r=0.824). When the skin temperature rose beyond about 40°C on sunny and hot days in summer, the cattle began to shelter in shade, where the skin temperature went down to about 35°C. When the direct solar radiation went up to 0.55 cal/cm2/min, the skin temperature rose beyond 40°C, and the respiration rate increased to 150-170% compared with that at 35°C of the skin temperature. On frosty nights in winter, the radiative cooling in the evening reduced the skin temperature to 10-12°C. Then the cattle began to shelter under shade trees, because the radiative cooling was mitigated under the trees and the soil temperature under the trees became 2-3°C higher than that of the pasture. Under frosty environments other thermoregulatory behaviours were observed. The cattle in the pasture had a tendency to prefer dry spots to wet spots for the protection of heat loss from the body. Because the hoof temperature was very sensitively varied by the soil temperature in a standing position, the knees were bent under the belly and the hoof temperature was maintained at 25-32°C. As the thermoconductivity of hair in summer was higher than in winter, the nature of keeping warm was increased by the winter coat. Once the winter coat got a wetting, the nature of keeping warm was decreased. These results suggested that the skin temperature had close relation to the themoregulatory behaviour for the body care
Coping with Grazing: A Comparison of Two Savanna Grasses Differing in Tolerance to Defoliation
No full textHeavy grazing by cattle, resulting from various practices to intensify carrying capacity, is reducing the abundance of the dominant Kangaroo grass (Themeda australis) in Australia\u27s tropical and subtropical savannas. The objective of this study was to find whether morphological and/or physiological factors were the cause oflow tolerance of T. australis to heavy grazing. Themeda australis was compared in a glasshouse experiment, with buff el grass ( Cenchrus ciliaris), a successful introduction from Africa and known to be grazing tolerant. Half the plants were subjected to frequent close defoliation and their regrowth was compared with infrequently defoliated plants. The species differed markedly in ability to cope with frequent defoliation. Shoot regrowth was severely depressed in T. australis but unaltered in C. ciliaris for frequently compared with infrequently defoliated plants. A combination of morphological and physiological factors were involved in the differences including capacity to from nodal tillers, photosynthetic capacity of initial leaf growth following defoliation, resource allocation and rates of leaf initiation. It is concluded that the T. australis is not adapted to cope with frequent close defoliation. Higher grazing pressures may be tolerated by the species if a grazing regime is used that maximizes rest periods
The Effect of Fertilization with N-P-K on Utilization and Nutritive Value of Natural Pasture Grazed by Sheep in Southern Italy
No full textResults of four grazing periods carried-out in 1983 and 1984 in a hilly area of Basilicata region (550 m. above s.I.) on a natural pasture utilized by sheep are reported here. Two levels of N(0-50 kg ha-1), P(0-100 kg ha-1) and K(0-100 kg ha-1) arranged in eight factorial combinations were compared. The utilization coefficients of dry matter (DM), crude protein and milk-FU (MFU) were affected by the climatic conditions and grazing period, whereas fertilization effect was low. The influence of treatments was not very emphasized during the first experimental phase also on the nuttritive value of total and utilized forage
Ethogram of Transitive Probabilities Among Cattle Behavior such as Drinking, Salt-Licking, Camping, Resting and Grazing
No full textEthogram of transitive probabilities among cattle behaviour, especially among drinking, salt-licking and other behaviour are described. The behaviour of 48 identified cattle on the inclined pasture were investigated for two whole days each in May, July, August and October of 1977 and 1978. The frequency and diurnal pattern of drinking and salt-licking were influenced by solar radiation and the physical condition(scours) of cattle. The mean frequencies of drinking and salt-licking behaviour per head in a day were 1.92 ± 0.99 and 1.50 ± 0. 71, respectively. However many following heads without drinking were observed together with drinking cattle. Although the herd of cattle had a tendency of moving to water and salt sites at the same time, the relationship between drinking and salt-licking behaviour were not found for an individual cattle. The probabilities between drinking or salt-licking behaviour and grazing behaviour were large as compared to other transitive probabilities except between grazing and resting behaviour. Drinking behaviour was believed to be depended on a herd moving in contrast to salt-licking behaviour which was independent on a herd moving. In mountainous pasture, the planning of the location of watering site which have caused the development of the vertical cattle tracks is very important in reducing erosion
Alternative for Managing Beef Yearlings After Intensive Early Stocking of Kansas Flint Hills Range
No full textIntensive early stocking of Kansas Flint Hills tall grass prairie (2X normal rate during the first half of the grazing season) has produced greater beef/ha than season -long stocking because of low animal gains during the last half season. Alternatives for animals removed from native range in mid-July include grazing seeded forages such as alfalfa or hybrid sudangrass or direct placement to the feedlot. During 3 years, we compared grazing alfalfa or hybrid sudangrass during the last half season and subsequentfeedlot placement for finishing with placement directly to the feedlot in mid-July. In our studies, animal gains were better for alfalfa than hybrid sudangrass in both 1977 and 1978 but gains on these forages during the last half season were much less than for intensive early stocked range in the first half. There was no advantage for grazing alfalfa or hybrid sudangrass in late summer, compared to direct feedlot placement, during 2 of 3 years studied. Advantages of direct placement in midsummer include lower total feed requirement, fewer days of ownership, and finishing to market weight before the coldest winter period
Behavioral and Physiological Characteristics of Misaki Horses as Adapted to their Winter Habitats
No full textFew informations have been found on the metabolic adaptation of domestic animals to their winter circumstances. The present study was conducted to make clear the behavioral and physiological characteristics of Misaki horses living under semi-wild condition as adapted to their winter habitats. Nine 24 hour consecutive observations were made from 1983 to 1984, and simultaneously heart rate (beatd per min.), rectal temperature and ambient temperature were recorded at the intervals of 30 min .. Horses were frequently found to graze and rest in the forests or on south-facing weedy grasslands in winter. Time budget of a day changed seasonally and time spent grazing decreased, inversely time spent resting increased, especially at night in winter. Mean traveling distance (meter/30 min.) as indicated intensity of daily activities declined gradually from the highest level in Aug. to the lowest level in Jan. Heart rate and rectal temperature were found to relate significantly positively to ambient temperature on a seasonal basis, and significant positive correlation was found between heart rate and rectal temperature. Heart rate and rectal temperature in winter were significantly lower than those in summer. It is suggested from the results of the present study that Misaki horses may adapt to their winter habitats not only by behavioral alternations to reduce energy expenditure for physical activities and also by lowering energy metabolism in winter as compared with that in summer
Investigations on the Ecology and the Forage Value of a Sheep Grazed Skiing Slope
No full textThe influence of sheep grazing and fertilization on the vegetation of a steep skiing course was investigated within the northern calcereous Alps from 1979 to 1983. When measuring vegetation dynamics, we made use of the Relevemethod, the Point-Intercept-method and the Quadrat-Charting-method. Good grasses and legumes increased their biomass portion, whereas sedges almost disappeared. So the fodder value of the original pasture improved due to sheep grazing and fertilization. The vegetation which was injured by heavy skiing regenerated best after fertilization and restricted grazing. Thus sheep grazing proved to be a good measure for taking care of skiing grounds and for stopping reforestation