Influence of Plant Cover on Dietary Selection by Goats in the Mixteca Region of Oaxaca, Mexico

Abstract

Franco, F.J., Gómez, G.A., Mendoza, G.D., Bárcena, R., Ricalde, R., Plata, F. and Hernández, J. 2005. Influence of plant cover on dietary selection by goats in the Mixtec Region of Oaxaca, Mexico. J. Appl. Anim. Res., 27: 95–100. This research was conducted to study grazing time and to determine the relationship between the vegetable cover (arboreal, shrubs) and degree of preference by transhumance goats in six rangelands in the Mixteca region of Oaxaca, Mexico. Grazing time and number of bites was recorded by direct observation during summer, autumn and winter. Three preference levels of vegetable cover were established. A total of 65 species were selected: 52% had a frequent consumption coinciding with abundance and 48% were occasionally consumed related to low availability. Shrubs were the main plant preferred (57.2%), followed by forbs (40.5%), whereas, trees were the least preferred (2.2%). A positive relationship was observed between the degree of use and species cover in the rangelands (r=0.703, P<0.001). Plant cover, particularly from trees and shrubs, determines the degree of use by goats in the Mixteca rangelands.