Foraging behaviour of sheep at pasture with different types of paddock

Abstract

This experiment was designed to study the foraging behaviour of ewes on a pasture with paddocks with three different types of vegetation, herbaceous (n = 3), woody (n = 2), and semi open (n = 1). Forty sheep were bred on a farm in the Karst region of Slovenia. Ten sheep were focally observed during day light (5 a.m.–9 p.m.). Ewes were observed for 2 days in each paddock with one rotation, so 12 days in total. Grazing time, circadian rhythm of grazing, drinking frequency, and frequency of salt consumption were the observed behaviours. On average, ewes grazed for 10.5 hours a day (mean ± SD = 626.2 ± 47.2 min), with a significant difference between individual variation (P < 0.001). Sheep grazed the most in herbaceous paddocks (P < 0.001), with lower yet similar levels observed in woody and semi open paddock. The frequency of drinking and salt consumption was low. Individual grazing sheep would drink slightly less than once per day, while consuming salt on average 1.25 times per day. Drinking frequency was the highest in the semi open paddock with some trees and bushes, whereas salt consumption was most frequently observed in the woody paddocks.