10 Behavior and Landscape-Use Pattern of Small Ruminants Co-grazed in Woodlands with different Vegetation Characteristics

Abstract

Abstract Woodland is the major landcover in Alabama (69%) and other states of the Southeast (≈60%). The understory vegetation present in woodlands can be a great feed resource for small ruminants when woodland grazing is practiced well, for which the understanding of animals’ landscape-use pattern is important. The study objective was to determine the diurnal behavior and landscape-use pattern of Kiko wethers and Katahdin rams co-stocked in woodlands. Eight Kiko wethers (77±2.5 kg. LW) and five Katahdin rams (92±4.6 kg. LW) were co-stocked rotationally in three woodland plots (0.4-ha. each) during May–August 2019 in Atkins Agroforestry Research and Demonstration site, Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, Alabama. Each study plot contained four treatments, where the average canopy height were 0.82 m, 1.34 m, 1.67 m and 1.73 m. The diurnal behavior (grazing, browsing, loafing, lying) and landscape-use pattern of animals were monitored from dawn to dusk when they were in each study plot at each rotation. Diurnal period was categorized into morning (dawn–11:00 am), midday (11:00 am–3:00 pm), and post-midday (3:00 pm–dusk) for the analysis and diurnal behavior and distribution pattern of animals were analyzed in SAS 9.4, GLM procedure with MANOVA option. Animal species differed in their feeding behavior (P < 0.0001), with wethers mostly browsing and rams grazing. Significant interaction effects of animal species and diurnal period occurred on all behavior categories, except loafing and lying (P < 0.0001). Wethers spent less time grazing (84–88%), but more time browsing (90%) during morning and post-midday vs. rams. Animals were actively feeding when the weather was nice and cool, and resting when it was hot. Feeding behavior was dominant during the post-midday period (3 PM–dusk) and lying during midday (11 AM–3 PM). The specific behavior and landscape-use pattern observed in this study can be useful to design and utilize woodland resources more efficiently.