Feeding behaviour of sheep on shrubs in response to contrasting herbaceous cover in rangelands dominated by Cytisus scoparius L

Forage potential of several halophytic species grown on saline soil in arid environments

This study was carried out to evaluate the forage quantity and quality of several halophyte species grown in arid-saline environments. After identifying 44 halophytic species in the region and considering the potential of quantitative and qualitative forage production, 13 species from four families, i.e. Amaranthaceae, Asteraceae, Leguminosae and Convolvulaceae, and eight genera were selected for further evaluation. These species differed significantly in terms of both forage quantity, measured in terms of fresh (FW) and dry weight (DW), and forage quality assessed in terms of tissue water content (TWC), ash, nitrogen content (N), crude protein (CP), acid detergent fiber (ADF), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), dry matter digestibility and metabolizable energy (ME). The highest fresh and dry weights were obtained from Suaeda ferticosa (1006.3 g and 306.3 g, respectively) and Noaea mucronata (909.3 g and 309 g, respectively). However, based on forage quality characteristics, Alhagi maurorum, Bassia scoparia, Noaea mucronata, Halostachys belangriana and Cressa cretica showed the best forage potential. Values of ash, CP, ADF, NDF and ME measured in the halophytes species ranged between 7.9% and 33.2%, 6.2% and 15.8%, 30.0% and 50.3%, 33.2% and 56.4%, 5.6 and 8.7 MJ kg^-1, respectively. The forage quality of the evaluated halophytic plants was influenced by unfavorable environmental conditions such as high soil salinity and low rainfall, however, these species can be considered as new sources of forage. Nevertheless, further studies are needed to improve the quality of such halophytic species by reducing the ash content and increasing the ME.

Foraging Behavior of Goats Browsing in Southern Mediterranean Forest Rangeland

Simple Summary

Grazing goats in forests is an ancestral practice in the Mediterranean region. This study aims to assess the seasonal variations in the feeding behavior of goats browsing in the Mediterranean forest rangeland of Northern Morocco for two years. The goats’ diet was largely composed of woody species. Overall, the smaller the bite mass, the higher the biting rate, leading to an increased instantaneous intake rate. During the dry season, goats tend to compensate for the low intake rate by extending daily grazing time, thus reducing the sensitivity of intake rates to forage availability. A particular high selection of cork oak was observed over seasons. The higher diet diversity was recorded during summer and fall compared to the spring. Nevertheless, it should be remembered that the diet selection of goats is ultimately influenced by the herder’s decisions. Results confirm the high adaptability of goats to the seasonality of complex Moroccan forest rangelands.

Abstract

Mediterranean forest rangelands offer an important feed source for goats. Concerns about grazing strategies and management schemes in order to ensure the rangeland sustainability of Southern Mediterranean forest have revived interest in the foraging behavior of goats. This study was conducted to investigate the seasonal changes of feeding behavior of grazing goats in the Southern Mediterranean forest rangeland of Northern Morocco during two consecutive years beginning in 2016. The direct observation method was used to compare diet composition, intake rate, and diet selectivity of goats during three seasons (spring, summer, and fall). Bite mass of each plant species selected by goats was estimated using hand-plucked simulation. The optimal foraging theory was used as a tool to explain the goats foraging decisions. Bite mass range was extremely wide and varied seasonally. The goats’ diet was largely composed of Cistus spp., Lavandula stoechas, Quercus spp., and Myrtus communis. The result shows that the smaller the bite mass, the higher the biting rate, leading to increased short term intake rates. The selection of various plant species during fall and summer enlarged the diet diversity of goats. As expected, goats preferred trees and some shrubs despite their low availability. Consequently, the most available species is not necessarily the most positively selected. Particular high and positive selection of Quercus suber was observed over seasons. The outcomes confirm the high adaptability and ability of goats to select a woody species across seasons. Knowledge about forage availability and the feeding behavior of goats could be used as the first guide for rangeland managers to ensure herd and forest sustainability.

Integrating Agricultural and Ecological Goals into the Management of Species-Rich Grasslands: Learning from the Flowering Meadows Competition in France

Current agri-environmental schemes for reconciling agricultural production with biodiversity conservation are proving ineffective Europe-wide, increasing interest in results-based schemes (RBSs). We describe here the French "Flowering Meadows" competition, rewarding the "best agroecological balance" in semi-natural grasslands managed by livestock farmers. This competition, which was entered by about a thousand farmers in 50 regional nature parks between 2007 and 2014, explicitly promotes a new style of agri-environmental scheme focusing on an ability to reach the desired outcome rather than adherence to prescriptive management rules. Building on our experience in the design and monitoring of the competition, we argue that the cornerstone of successful RBSs is a collective learning process in which the reconciliation of agriculture and environment is reconsidered in terms of synergistic relationships between agricultural and ecological functioning. We present the interactive, iterative process by which we defined an original method for assessing species-rich grasslands in agroecological terms. This approach was based on the integration of new criteria, such as flexibility, feeding value, and consistency of use, into the assessment of forage production performance and the consideration of biodiversity conservation through its functional role within the grassland ecosystem, rather than simply noting the presence or abundance of species. We describe the adaptation of this methodology on the basis of competition feedback, to bring about a significant shift in the conventional working methods of agronomists and conservationists (including researchers).The potential and efficacy of RBSs for promoting ecologically sound livestock systems are discussed in the concluding remarks, and they relate to the ecological intensification debate.