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Yang X, Daraz U, Ma J, Lu X, Feng Q, Zhu H, Wang XB. Temporal-spatial variability of grazing behaviors of yaks and the drivers of their intake on the eastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. Front Vet Sci 2024; 11:1393136. [PMID: 38919156 PMCID: PMC11197466 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2024.1393136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2024] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Grassland-livestock balance is an important principle of sustainable development of grassland livestock production and grassland ecosystem health. Grassland degradation becomes more serious at global scales and especially at the area that is sensitive to climate change and human activities. Decreases in pasture biomass and shifts in plant community composition in degraded grasslands can largely affect grazing behaviors of livestock. Up to date, however, it is unclear that whether livestock behaviors change across spatial and temporal scales and what key factors are to shape observed behavioral patterns of livestock. Methods Here, yak behaviors including grazing, rumination and walking on the eastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP) were monitored by a continuous visual observation, to investigate temporal and spatial variations of grazing behavior of yaks (Bos grunniens); based on the data from public database in the past 18 years, a meta-analysis was conducted to examine the main factors that affect grazing behaviors and intake of yaks. Results We showed that grazing behaviors of yaks differed significantly within hours, among hours of each day and among days as well as across different observation sites. Intake rate of yaks was higher in the morning than in the afternoon, but walking speed showed an inverse trend compared with intake rate. Resting, altitude, the mean annual precipitation (MAP), the mean annual temperature (MAT), forage ash, yak age and season were the main predictors for yak intake, and forage and yak individual characteristics had direct effects on grazing behaviors and intake of yaks. Discussion The findings confirm that grazing behaviors of yaks can vary even at small temporal scales and regional scales, which is closely related to the shift in forage quality and biomass caused by environmental changes. The study suggests that multiple factors can be responsible for the variation in livestock behaviors and shifts in behavioral patterns may consequently lead to positive or negative feedback to grassland ecosystems through plant-animal interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Xiao-Bo Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-Ecosystems, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Center for Grassland Microbiome, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
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Yu T, Yan R, Zhang C, Chen S, Zhang Z, Guo L, Hu T, Jiang C, Wang M, Bai K, Zhou W, Wu L. How does grazing pressure affect feed intake and behavior of livestock in a meadow steppe in northern China and their coupling relationship. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 908:168472. [PMID: 37951273 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.168472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Revised: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 11/13/2023]
Abstract
Livestock feeding behavior and intake play a crucial role in influencing grassland health and productivity. A comprehensive investigation into livestock feeding behavior and intake can effectively elucidate the interactions and impacts of livestock and grasslands, providing scientific evidence and technical support for the formulation and implementation of sustainable grassland development strategies. Based on a long-term controlled grazing experiment platform conducted over 13 years, the feeding behavior and forage intake of cattle under different grazing intensities were observed and analyzed. Additionally, we used GPS sensors to study cattle grazing behavior trends. Using Mantel's test, we analyzed the relationship between cattle movement distance, forage intake, and environmental factors. The results demonstrated that cattle forage intake decreased with increasing grazing intensity. Forage intake peaked at the end of July and beginning of August, with the highest efficiency observed in August. Moreover, under light grazing intensity, cattle exhibited greater fluctuations in forage intake than those under moderate and heavy grazing intensity. Cattle movement levels increased with higher grazing intensity, and during the period of lush grass growth, cattle displayed significantly higher movement levels than during grass senescence. The accuracy of the behavior determination model based on cattle velocity ranged from 60 to 80 %. Using this model, we found that under heavy grazing conditions, cattle spent significantly more time roaming than under light and moderate grazing. Conversely, under light grazing conditions, cattle spent significantly more time feeding. A negative correlation was identified between cattle forage intake and movement distance. Cattle's forage intake was significantly positively correlated with grass height and grass biomass and significantly negatively correlated with stocking rate and movement distance. Thorough research on livestock feeding behavior and intake offers scientific evidence and technical support for formulating and implementing sustainable grassland development strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianqi Yu
- Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences/State Key Laboratory of Efficient Utilization of Arid and Semi-arid Arable Land in North China, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Ruirui Yan
- Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences/State Key Laboratory of Efficient Utilization of Arid and Semi-arid Arable Land in North China, Beijing 100081, China.
| | - Chu Zhang
- Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences/State Key Laboratory of Efficient Utilization of Arid and Semi-arid Arable Land in North China, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Sisi Chen
- Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences/State Key Laboratory of Efficient Utilization of Arid and Semi-arid Arable Land in North China, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Zhitao Zhang
- Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences/State Key Laboratory of Efficient Utilization of Arid and Semi-arid Arable Land in North China, Beijing 100081, China; College of Grassland, Resources and Environment, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010011, China
| | - LeiFeng Guo
- Institute of Agricultural Information, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Tianci Hu
- Institute of Agricultural Information, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China; College of Computer and Information Engineering, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, Xinjiang 830052, China
| | - Chengxiang Jiang
- Institute of Agricultural Information, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China; College of Computer and Information Engineering, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, Xinjiang 830052, China
| | - Miao Wang
- Beijing Digital Agriculture Rural Promotion Center, Building 3, No. 7 Beisha Beach, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Keyu Bai
- Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences/State Key Laboratory of Efficient Utilization of Arid and Semi-arid Arable Land in North China, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Wenneng Zhou
- College of Ecology, Environment and Resources, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China.
| | - Lianhai Wu
- Net Zero and Resilient Farming, Rothamsted Research, North Wyke, Okehampton EX20 2SB, UK
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Liang Z, Zhang J, Ahmad AA, Han J, Gharechahi J, Du M, Zheng J, Wang P, Yan P, Salekdeh GH, Ding X. Forage lignocellulose is an important factor in driving the seasonal dynamics of rumen anaerobic fungi in grazing yak and cattle. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0078823. [PMID: 37707448 PMCID: PMC10581131 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00788-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2023] [Accepted: 07/20/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Anaerobic fungi (AF) inhabit the gastrointestinal tract of ruminants and play an important role in the degradation of fiber feed. However, limited knowledge is available on seasonal dynamics and inter-species differences in rumen AF community in yak and cattle under natural grazing systems. Using the random forests model, the null model, and structural equation model, we investigated the seasonal dynamics and key driving factors of fiber-associated rumen AF in grazing yak and cattle throughout the year on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP). We found that the richness and diversity of rumen AF of grazing yak and cattle in cold season were significantly higher than those in warm season (P < 0.05). We identified 12 rumen AF genera, among which , Cyllamyces, and Orpinomyces were predominant in the rumen of both grazing yak and cattle. LEfSe and random forest analysis showed that Feramyces, Tahromyces, and Buwchfawromyces were important seasonal indicator of rumen AF in grazing yak (P < 0.05), and Caecomyces, Cyllamyces, and Piromyces in grazing cattle (P < 0.05). Null model analysis revealed that the dynamic changes of rumen AF community structure were mainly affected by deterministic factors. Notably, mantel test and structural equation model revealed that forage physical-chemical properties, including dry matter (DM), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and hemicellulose contents (HC) were the key factors driving the seasonal variations of the rumen AF community (P < 0.05). The results revealed that forage lignocellulose was probably an important factor affecting the seasonal dynamics and inter-species differences of the rumen AF community under natural grazing conditions. IMPORTANCE The seasonal dynamics of rumen anaerobic fungi in nature grazing yak and cattle were determined during cold and warm seasons based on pasture nutritional quality and environmental data sets. The main driving factors of anaerobic fungi in yak and cattle rumen were explored by combining random forest and structural equation models. In addition, the dynamic differences in the composition of the anaerobic fungi community in the yak and cattle in different seasons were characterized. It was found that some rumen anaerobic fungi have contributed to high fiber degradation rate in yak. These novel findings improve our understanding of the association of environmental and dietary seasonal variations with anaerobic fungal community, facilitating yak adaptation to high altitude.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeyi Liang
- Key Laboratory of Yak Breeding Engineering, Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Veterinary Pharmaceutical Development, Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Affairs, Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, China
| | - Jianbo Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Yak Breeding Engineering, Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Veterinary Pharmaceutical Development, Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Affairs, Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, China
| | - Anum Ali Ahmad
- Key Laboratory of Yak Breeding Engineering, Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Veterinary Pharmaceutical Development, Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Affairs, Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, China
| | - Jianlin Han
- Livestock Genetics Program, International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Nairobi, Kenya
- CAAS-ILRI Joint Laboratory on Livestock and Forage Genetic Resources, Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Beijing, China
| | - Javad Gharechahi
- Human Genetics Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mei Du
- Key Laboratory of Yak Breeding Engineering, Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, China
| | - Juanshan Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Yak Breeding Engineering, Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, China
| | - Peng Wang
- Key Laboratory of Veterinary Pharmaceutical Development, Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Affairs, Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, China
| | - Ping Yan
- Key Laboratory of Yak Breeding Engineering, Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, China
| | - Ghasem Hosseini Salekdeh
- Department of Systems Biology, Agricultural Biotechnology Research Institute of Iran, Agricultural Research, Education, and Extension Organization, Karaj, Iran
- Department of Molecular Sciences, Macquarie University, North Ryde, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Xuezhi Ding
- Key Laboratory of Yak Breeding Engineering, Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Veterinary Pharmaceutical Development, Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Affairs, Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, China
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Cui X, Wang Z, Yan T, Chang S, Hou F. Modulation of feed digestibility, nitrogen metabolism, energy utilisation and serum biochemical indices by dietary Ligularia virgaurea supplementation in Tibetan sheep. Animal 2023; 17:100910. [PMID: 37544052 DOI: 10.1016/j.animal.2023.100910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2022] [Revised: 07/01/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 08/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Ligularia virgaurea is the most widely functional native herbage in the alpine meadow pastures of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP) and has multiple pharmacological and biological activities. The effect of L. virgaurea as a dietary component on the digestion and metabolism of sheep was evaluated by conducting feeding trials in metabolic cages. Thirty-two Tibetan yearling rams (29 ± 1.56 kg BW) were randomly allotted to four groups included in a completely randomised design with eight animals per treatment. Sheep were fed a basal diet (freshly native pasture) without the addition of L. virgaurea (control) or with the addition of L. virgaurea (100, 200, or 300 mg/kg BW per day) for 45 days. Addition of L. virgaurea to the diet of Tibetan sheep was found to influence the average daily gain (quadratic [Q], P < 0.001), feed conversion ratio (Q, P = 0.002), CH4 emissions (linear [L], P = 0.029), DM (Q, P = 0.012), neutral detergent fibre (Q, P = 0.017), acid detergent fibre (ADF) (Q, P = 0.027), and ether extract (EE) intake (Q, P = 0.026). Apparently, different levels of L. virgaurea affected the digestibility coefficients of DM, ADF, and EE (L, P > 0.05; Q, P < 0.05). The nitrogen (N) intake (Q, P = 0.001), retained nitrogen (Q, P < 0.001), and N utilisation efficiency (L, P > 0.05; Q, P ≤ 0.001) were also affected by the dietary inclusion of L. virgaurea. Effects of L. virgaurea feeding were also witnessed on methane energy (CH4-E) (L, P = 0.029), gross energy (GE) (Q, P = 0.013), digestible energy (DE) (Q, P = 0.015), and metabolisable energy (ME) intake (Q, P = 0.015). Energy utilisation efficiency expressed as a proportion of GE intake (DE/GE intake, ME/GE intake, ME/DE intake, FE/GE intake, and CH4-E/GE intake) manifested quadratic changes (P < 0.05) with the increase in the L. virgaurea supplementation level. The addition of L. virgaurea increased the activity of superoxide dismutase (Q, P = 0.026) and glutathione peroxidase activity (Q, P = 0.039) in the serum. Overall, the greatest improvement of feed digestibility, N retention, energy utilisation, and antioxidant capacity of Tibetan sheep was yielded by the inclusion of 200 mg/kg BW per day of L. virgaurea. Therefore, the addition of an appropriate amount of L. virgaurea to the diet of Tibetan sheep is safe and natural, and may enhance the sustainability of small ruminant production systems in QTP areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiongxiong Cui
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-ecosystems, Key Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry Innovation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730020, China
| | - Zhaofeng Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-ecosystems, Key Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry Innovation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730020, China
| | - Tianhai Yan
- Livestock Production Science Branch, Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute, Hillsborough, County Down BT26 6DR, United Kingdom
| | - Shenghua Chang
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-ecosystems, Key Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry Innovation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730020, China
| | - Fujiang Hou
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-ecosystems, Key Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry Innovation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730020, China.
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Mefleh M, Motzo R, Boukid F, Giunta F. Clipping Effect on the Grain Nitrogen and Protein Fractions of Ancient and Old Wheats Grown in a Mediterranean Environment. Foods 2023; 12:2582. [PMID: 37444319 DOI: 10.3390/foods12132582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Revised: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 06/30/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
This study is the first to assess the effects of clipping, cultivar, season, and their interactions on the protein composition of six old and ancient wheat cultivars (n = 6). For this, nitrogen content, the proportion of wheat protein fractions, and the molecular weight distribution of the extractable and unextractable glutenin polymers were investigated as a function of cultivar and clipping in two consecutive seasons. The relationships between genotypic variation in grain nitrogen and protein fraction content under clipping and non-clipping conditions were also assessed. Clipping delayed and shortened the grain filling period of all of the cultivars. The protein composition of some cultivars behaved differently to clipping due to differences in the environmental conditions of S1 (exceptional dry season) and S2 (rainy season). In S1, clipping decreased the ratio of gliadins over glutenins (GLI/GLU) (<1) of Cappelli and Giovanni Paolo, while in S2, clipping improved the GLI/GLU of Giovanni Paolo, Monlis, and Norberto. The unextractable polymeric proteins were not affected by clipping. Khorasan was shown to be indifferent to clipping in S1 and S2. These results suggest that it is possible to have ancient/old wheats suitable for a dual-purpose system, in different climatic conditions, while maintaining good grain quality traits. The increased market demand for ancient and old wheats presents an economic opportunity for farmers who adopt the dual-purpose technique to cultivate these resilient crops again and increase their profit margins and revenues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina Mefleh
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Sassari, Viale Italia 39/a, 07100 Sassari, Italy
| | - Rosella Motzo
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Sassari, Viale Italia 39/a, 07100 Sassari, Italy
| | - Fatma Boukid
- ClonBio Group Ltd., 6 Fitzwilliam Pl, D02 XE61 Dublin, Ireland
| | - Francesco Giunta
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Sassari, Viale Italia 39/a, 07100 Sassari, Italy
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Cui X, Wang Z, Fan Q, Chang S, Yan T, Hou F. Ligularia virgaurea improved nutrient digestion, ruminal fermentation, and bacterial composition in Tibetan sheep grazing on the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau in winter. Anim Feed Sci Technol 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anifeedsci.2023.115628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/09/2023]
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Carreira E, Serrano J, Gomes CJP, Shahidian S, Paniagua LL, Pilirito A, Lopes Castro J, Carvalho M, Pereira AF. Effect of Sheep Grazing, Stocking Rates and Dolomitic Limestone Application on the Floristic Composition of a Permanent Dryland Pasture, in the Montado Agroforestry System of Southern Portugal. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12192506. [PMID: 36230248 PMCID: PMC9559647 DOI: 10.3390/ani12192506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2022] [Revised: 09/09/2022] [Accepted: 09/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The Montado is a complex agroforestry–pastoral ecosystem due to the interactions between soil–pasture–trees–animals and climate. The typical Montado soil has an acidic pH and manganese toxicity, which affect the pasture’s productivity and pasture floristic composition (PFC). The PFC, on the other hand, can also be influenced by the type and intensity of grazing, which can lead to significant decreases in the amount of biomass produced and the biodiversity of species in the pasture. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of grazing type, by sheep, and different stocking rates on the PFC throughout the vegetative pasture cycle in areas with and without dolomitic limestone application. Thus, four treatments (P1UC to P4TC) were constituted: P1UC—without limestone application (U) and continuous grazing (CG); P2UD—U and deferred grazing (DG); P3TD—with the application of limestone (T) and DG; P4TC—T and CG. In DG plots, the placement and removal of the animals were carried out as a function of the average height of the pasture (placement—10 cm; removal—3 to 5 cm). The PFC was characterized in winter, at the peak of spring and in late spring. The PFC data were subjected to a multilevel pattern analysis (ISA). The combination of rainfall and temperature influenced the pasture growth rates and consequently the height of the pasture at different times of the year. Therefore, with the different growth rates of the pasture throughout the year, the sheep remain for different periods of time in the deferred grazing treatments. In the four treatments, 103 plant species were identified. The most representative botanical families in the four treatments were Asteraceae, Fabaceae and Poaceae. ISA identified 14 bioindicator species: eight for the winter period, three for the late spring vegetative period and three for the TC treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emanuel Carreira
- MED-Mediterranean Institute for Agriculture, Environment and Development, Instituto de Investigação and CHANGE—Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Institute for Advanced Studies and Research Universidade de Évora, Pólo da Mitra, Ap. 94, 7006-554 Evora, Portugal
- Correspondence:
| | - João Serrano
- MED-Mediterranean Institute for Agriculture, Environment and Development, Instituto de Investigação and CHANGE—Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Institute for Advanced Studies and Research Universidade de Évora, Pólo da Mitra, Ap. 94, 7006-554 Evora, Portugal
| | - Carlos J. Pinto Gomes
- MED-Mediterranean Institute for Agriculture, Environment and Development, Instituto de Investigação and CHANGE—Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Institute for Advanced Studies and Research Universidade de Évora, Pólo da Mitra, Ap. 94, 7006-554 Evora, Portugal
| | - Shakib Shahidian
- MED-Mediterranean Institute for Agriculture, Environment and Development, Instituto de Investigação and CHANGE—Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Institute for Advanced Studies and Research Universidade de Évora, Pólo da Mitra, Ap. 94, 7006-554 Evora, Portugal
| | - Luís L. Paniagua
- Escuela de Ingenierías Agrarias, Universidad de Extremadura, Avenida Adolfo Suárez, S/N, 06007 Badajoz, Spain
| | - Alexandre Pilirito
- Department of Animal Sciences, Universidade de Évora, Pólo da Mitra, Ap. 94, 7006-554 Evora, Portugal
| | - José Lopes Castro
- MED-Mediterranean Institute for Agriculture, Environment and Development, Instituto de Investigação and CHANGE—Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Institute for Advanced Studies and Research Universidade de Évora, Pólo da Mitra, Ap. 94, 7006-554 Evora, Portugal
| | - Mário Carvalho
- MED-Mediterranean Institute for Agriculture, Environment and Development, Instituto de Investigação and CHANGE—Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Institute for Advanced Studies and Research Universidade de Évora, Pólo da Mitra, Ap. 94, 7006-554 Evora, Portugal
| | - Alfredo F. Pereira
- MED-Mediterranean Institute for Agriculture, Environment and Development, Instituto de Investigação and CHANGE—Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Institute for Advanced Studies and Research Universidade de Évora, Pólo da Mitra, Ap. 94, 7006-554 Evora, Portugal
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El Sabry M, Almasri O. Space allowance: a tool for improving behavior, milk and meat production, and reproduction performance of buffalo in different housing systems-a review. Trop Anim Health Prod 2022; 54:266. [PMID: 35970907 PMCID: PMC9378332 DOI: 10.1007/s11250-022-03247-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2022] [Accepted: 07/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Buffalo population has dramatically increased during the last two decades, especially in tropical and subtropical regions. Although buffalo are important milk and meat-producing animal, still practices of buffalo farming and welfare aspects are not well established. Housing system and stocking density are significant factors that affect the welfare and production of animals; however, no space allowance standards have been demonstrated for buffalo at different ages. This review article presents the following: (1) an overview of buffalo subtypes and the geographical distribution of buffalo populations and their production; (2) the effect of housing systems and space allowance on the social behavior and welfare indices; (3) the effects of space allowance on milk production and growth performance of buffalo; and (4) the relationship between space allowance and reproductive performance. Although the limited data in this area of research, it can be driven that a larger space allowance with access to a pool, especially during the hot season, maintains buffalo production at optimal levels. Moreover, optimal floor space improves the welfare and social indices of buffalo; however, there are discrepancies in aggressive and agonistic behavior results. Surprisingly, the reproductive performance of buffalo was not affected by space allowance. Therefore, further research is needed to identify the impact of the housing aspects, including space allowance and enrichment tools, on the productive performance, and welfare indices of buffalo. This would assist in implementing welfare-economic standards for buffalo production and reveal the potentiality of this eco-friendly animal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohamed El Sabry
- Department of Animal Production, Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University, El-Gamma street, Giza, 12613, Egypt.
| | - Obaida Almasri
- Department of Animal Production, Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University, El-Gamma street, Giza, 12613, Egypt.,General Commission for Scientific Agricultural Research, Damascus, Syria
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Yang C, Tsedan G, Fan Q, Wang S, Wang Z, Chang S, Hou F. Behavioral patterns of yaks (Bos grunniens) grazing on alpine shrub meadows of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2020.105182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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Jaroszewicz B, Borysowicz J, Cholewińska O. Forest floor plant diversity drives the use of mature spruce forests by European bison. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:636-647. [PMID: 33437457 PMCID: PMC7790634 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2020] [Revised: 11/16/2020] [Accepted: 11/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The distribution of large ungulates in space is in large extent driven by the availability of forage, which in temperate forests depends on light availability, and associated plant diversity and cover. We hypothesized that the increased number of GPS fixes of European bison (Bison bonasus L.) in usually avoided spruce forests was an effect of higher plant species richness and cover of the forest floor, which developed owing to increased light availability enhanced by spruce mortality. We carried out 80 forest floor plant surveys combined with tree measurement on plots chosen according to the number of GPS locations of GPS-collared European bison. The mean plant species richness per plot was higher on intensively visited plots (IV) than rarely visited (RV) plots (30 ± 5.75 (SD) versus. 26 ± 6.19 (SD)). The frequency of 34 plant species was higher on IV plots, and they were mainly herbaceous species (32 species), while a significant part of 13 species with higher frequency on RV plots was woody plants (5 species). The species richness of forbs was higher on IV plots, while other functional groups of plants did not differ. Tree stem density on the IV plots was lower than on the RV plots (17.94 ± 6.73 (SD) versus 22.9 ± 7.67 (SD)), and the mean value of Ellenberg's ecological indicator for light availability for all forest floor plant species was higher on IV plots. European bison visiting mature spruce forests was driven by higher forest floor plant cover and species richness, and high share and species richness of forbs. The two latter features may be translated into higher quality and diversity of forage. In spite of morphological characteristics suggesting that European bison is a species of mixed (mosaic) habitats, it seems to be well adapted to thrive in diverse forests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bogdan Jaroszewicz
- Białowieża Geobotanical StationFaculty of BiologyUniversity of WarsawBiałowieżaPoland
| | - Joanna Borysowicz
- Białowieża Geobotanical StationFaculty of BiologyUniversity of WarsawBiałowieżaPoland
| | - Olga Cholewińska
- Białowieża Geobotanical StationFaculty of BiologyUniversity of WarsawBiałowieżaPoland
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Liu H, Hu L, Han X, Zhao N, Xu T, Ma L, Wang X, Zhang X, Kang S, Zhao X, Xu S. Tibetan Sheep Adapt to Plant Phenology in Alpine Meadows by Changing Rumen Microbial Community Structure and Function. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:587558. [PMID: 33193243 PMCID: PMC7649133 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.587558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2020] [Accepted: 09/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The rumen microbiota is strongly associated with host health, nutrient absorption, and adaptability. However, the composition, functioning and adaptability of rumen microbiota in Tibetan sheep (TS) across different phenological periods are unclear. In this study we used sequencing of the V4-V5 region of 16S rRNA, qPCR technology and metagenomics to investigate the adaption of rumen microbiota to forage in different stages of phenology. In a grassy period, due to the high nutritional quality of the forage, TS can produce high concentrations of NH3-N and short fatty acids by increasing the content of key bacteria in the rumen, such as Bacteroidetes, Prevotella, Succiniclasticum, Treponema, Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens, Fibrobacter succinogenes, Prevotella ruminicola, Ruminococcus albus, and Ruminococcus flavefaciens to aid in growth. In the withering period, there was a positive correlation between microorganisms which indicated the closely cooperation between microorganisms, and metagenomic analysis showed that the high genes (GHs and CBMs) and subtribe (GH8, GH12, GH45, GH6, GH9, GH5, GH10, GH3, GH52, GH11, GH57, CBM1, CBM4, CBM6, CBM16, CBM37, CBM13, CBM35, CBM42, CBM32, and CBM62) that encode cellulolytic enzymes were significantly increased when the host faced low quantity and quality of forage. Genes involved in metabolic pathways, fatty acid biosynthesis and biosynthesis of antibiotics were significantly enriched, which indicated that rumen microbiota could improve plant biomass deconstruction and energy maintenance in the face of nutritional deficiencies. In the regreen period, both the composition and function of rumen microbiota had obvious disadvantages, therefore, to improve the competitiveness of microorganisms, we suggest TS should be supplemented with high-protein feed. This study is of great significance for exploring the high altitude adaptability of TS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongjin Liu
- Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining, China.,Key Laboratory of Adaptation and Evolution of Plateau Biota, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining, China
| | - Linyong Hu
- Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining, China.,Key Laboratory of Adaptation and Evolution of Plateau Biota, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining, China
| | - Xueping Han
- Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining, China.,Key Laboratory of Adaptation and Evolution of Plateau Biota, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining, China.,College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Na Zhao
- Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining, China.,Key Laboratory of Adaptation and Evolution of Plateau Biota, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining, China
| | - Tianwei Xu
- Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining, China.,Key Laboratory of Adaptation and Evolution of Plateau Biota, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining, China
| | - Li Ma
- Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining, China.,Key Laboratory of Adaptation and Evolution of Plateau Biota, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining, China.,College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xungang Wang
- Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining, China.,Key Laboratory of Adaptation and Evolution of Plateau Biota, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining, China.,College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaoling Zhang
- Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining, China.,Key Laboratory of Adaptation and Evolution of Plateau Biota, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining, China.,College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Shengping Kang
- Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining, China.,Key Laboratory of Adaptation and Evolution of Plateau Biota, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining, China.,College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xinquan Zhao
- Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining, China.,Key Laboratory of Adaptation and Evolution of Plateau Biota, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining, China
| | - Shixiao Xu
- Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining, China.,Key Laboratory of Adaptation and Evolution of Plateau Biota, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining, China
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