Efficient livestock production from pasture requires an understanding of preference and selection by grazing animals. Selective grazing influences diet not just in the short-term but more importantly, in the long-term through its affect on pasture composition. This paper summarises techniques developed to explore the nutritional basis for preference in complementary indoor and field studies. In...

The creation of improved areas is one way of increasing the productivity of livestock on Cantabrian heathland (NW Spain), a habitat that is frequently located in less favourable mountainous areas where the development of sustainable husbandry is limited. The effect of this on the biodiversity of heathland is unclear and likely to depend on several factors, such as the grazing regime. In order t...

I . An isotope dilution method, known to be satisfactory for measurement of volatile fatty acid (VFA) production in the rumen under steady-state conditions, was tested for its applicability where the VFA pool in the rumen could vary irregularly. The method indicated mean production rates closely similar to those obtained when the pool size was virtually constant. Tests carried out in a model ru...

Livestock breeding programmes have created resistant (R) and susceptible (S) sheep that differ in their ability to control parasites through their immune function but potentially also their grazing behaviour (i.e. parasite avoidance). Using the Perendale genetic lines, we tested the hypothesis that R-sheep avoid parasites more effectively, reducing their parasite exposure/challenge, compared wi...

The effects of fall and spring sheep use on cover components and recovery following a change in seasonality of grazing practices, were studied within long-term grazing treatments of threetip sagebrush (Artemisia tripartitu Rydb.) steppe on the U.S. Sheep Experiment Station near Dubois, Ida. Few significant differences existed among treatments within the litter, moss, lichen, and soil components...

Browse and cereal stubble represent the two most important resources for grazing small ruminants in dry Mediterranean areas. The purpose of the present review is to provide updated information regarding their nutritional value. In a mixed Mediterranean environment, browse represents at least 40% of goat’s diet. Most browse species in the Mediterranean are rich in tanniferous phenolic substances...

Experiments were conducted to investigate which environmental cues were used by sheep when discriminating against patches of pasture contaminated with faeces. The influence of the spatial distribution of contaminated patches and the parasite infection status of sheep on avoidance of contaminated patches and ingestion of parasite larvae was also investigated. In experiment 1, sheep infected with...

a primary uses from iran rangelands is livestock grazing and the major livestock is sheep. sheep grazing on the slopes above 60%, because of using a lot of energy for grazing operation, caused to not only reduces livestock performance but also increases the risk of erosion. sheep grazing in an area where more than five kilometers away from water sources, due to the prolongation of the march rou...

W hen I first began considering what I would like to speak about today, I reviewed the last five presidential lectures. After considering these, it didn't seem like there was much left to cover! There was, however, the irresistible urge to have, at least, a catchy title, hence " The Sheep, the Ostrich, the Ant, Diabetes , and the Tragedy of the Common. " What links these things together? In 196...