Grazing Cycle Research Articles

Performance and grazing behavior of Gyr dairy heifers in integrated production systems in the Cerrado biome

The study aimed to assess the performance of Gyr dairy heifers in four pasture systems: renovated pasture (RP), non-renovated pasture (NRP), crop-livestock integration (CLI) and crop-livestock-forest integration (CLFI). For our study, we used a Marandu Palissadegrass pasture with a slight to moderate stage of degradation. The experimental area had 7.5 hectares which were divided into 3 blocks with four grazing systems: RP, NRP, CLI and CLFI. Thirty-four Gyr dairy heifers with an initial body weight (BW) of 206.9 kg were used. There was no difference in total forage production between the grazing systems. The RP system had a higher % of leaves, while the NRP showed a lower % of leaves and a higher % of dead material. The CLFI showed the highest % of crude protein (CP) in the forage, and lowest levels in the NRP. There was no difference between the grazing systems in the % of neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and acid detergent fiber (ADF). When the BW factor was analyzed in isolation, it was observed that the NRP had a higher BW and there was a linear increase in BW as the grazing cycles progressed. There was an interaction between grazing systems and evaluation periods for the variables related to grazing behavior, with emphasis on the heifers in the NRP system, which ruminated for longer and grazed for less time during the evaluation period. The RP, CLI, and CLFI systems, when established, promoted a pasture of better morphological and nutritional quality for rearing Gyr dairy heifers.

Cover crop grazing effects on soil properties in no-tillage dryland cropping systems in the central Great Plains

Integrating ruminant livestock such as beef cattle (Bos taurus L.) to graze cover crops (CCs) could balance goals of short-term profitability and long-term environmental sustainability when CCs are grown in water-limited environments like the central Great Plains (CGP), USA. However, little information currently exists about the effects of CC grazing on soil properties in no-tillage (NT) dryland cropping systems, especially after multiple cycles of grazing. This study was conducted from 2018 to 2021 to evaluate the effects of beef cattle grazing CCs on residue return, soil bulk density (BD) and penetration resistance (PR), water stable aggregates (WSA) and wind-erodible fraction (WEF), as well as soil pH and nutrient concentrations on three producer fields in central and western Kansas. Across sites, CC biomass left as residue post-grazing was similar to pre-grazing and was 60 % of the ungrazed CCs (3704 kg ha−1) because of CC regrowth after the 30–40 day grazing period. Soil BD, PR, WSA, WEF, pH, particulate organic carbon, nitrate-nitrogen, and phosphorus concentration were not different between grazed and ungrazed CCs. However, soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks and potassium concentrations were greater with grazed CCs compared to ungrazed CCs possibly due to substantial CC residue retention following grazing coupled with manure and urine deposition. Regression and correlation analyses showed that increased SOC was associated with decreased soil BD and increased WSA, which suggests decreased soil erosion potential as well as possible improvements in water infiltration and underscores the importance of SOC for overall soil health in this water-limited environment. Based on these results, we conclude that grazing of CCs is a viable management option for producers to intensify NT dryland cropping systems to improve soil health and maintain or increase overall system profitability in the CGP. Longer (>3 years) grazing studies are needed, and results are likely to vary based on grazing animal stocking rate, categories, duration of grazing, and available CC biomass for grazing.

Habitat Selection by Free-Grazing Sheep in a Mountain Pasture.

For centuries, mountain grasslands have been part of the grazing cycle of sheep and cattle in extensive management systems in the Pyrenees; however, traditional guided herding has been, in many cases, replaced by free-ranging flocks at these pastures. The goal of this study was to analyze the grazing behavior of free-ranging sheep in mountain pastures using GPS-based tracking systems and Geographic Information Systems. During the summer seasons of 2019, 2020, and 2021, a transterminant flock of free-ranging sheep was tracked with GPS devices attached to collars at the mountain pastures of Collarada mountain (Central Pyrenees, Spain). Preferences for grazing on certain geomorphological features (slope, aspect, and altitude) and different plant communities present in the area were evaluated using the Manly's standardized preference index. The results show that sheep prefer altitudes between 2400 and 2600 m; SE-, SW-, and E-facing sites; and slopes under 20%. The preferred pastures were Festucion eskiae, Primulion intricatae, and Nardion strictae; however, they reject Festucion scopariae communities. This study demonstrates the effectiveness of GPS and GIS technologies in monitoring free-ranging sheep activity, providing valuable data for enhancing pastoral practices and ensuring sustainable pasture use.

The Characterization of Pastures by Grazing Cycle and Evaluation of Supplementation with Agro-Industry Co-Products on the Performance of Buffaloes in the Humid Tropics.

The objective was to characterize the pastures by grazing cycle, as well as to evaluate the performance of buffaloes in intensive rotational grazing in a silvopastoral system in the eastern Amazon supplemented with agro-industry co-products in order to characterize the grazing cycles, the composition of the fractions, and the carcass yield. Fifteen non-castrated, crossbred water buffaloes (Murrah × Mediterranean) were used. All animals used in the study were clinically healthy and weighed approximately 458 kg. The animals were grazed in a single group, and supplementation (1% of live weight-LW/day) was divided into three treatments: control (control-conventional ingredients); Cocos nucifera coconut cake (Cocos nucifera) (coconut cake-70%); and palm kernel cake (Guinean elaeis) (palm kernel cake-70% palm kernel cake). The chemical composition of the forage is different in each part of the plant, with higher protein values in the leaves (11.40%) and higher acid detergent fiber (ADF) values in the stems (50.03%). Among the ingredients of the supplement, corn has the highest percentage of indigestible protein (35.57%), most of the protein in palm kernel cake is B3 (49.11%), and in Coco, B2 (51.52%). Mombasa grass has a higher percentage of B3 and B2 proteins; the indigestible fraction is lower in the leaves (17.16%). The leaf/stem ratio also varied between grazing cycles, being better in the second cycle (2.11%) and with an overall average of 1.71. Supplement consumption varied between cycles and was higher in the control treatment, with an overall mean of 4.74. There was no difference in daily weight gain and carcass yield, with an average of 1 kg/day and 49.23%, respectively. Therefore, it can be concluded that including supplements based on by-products from the coconut and palm oil agro-industries promotes performance and carcass yields compatible with conventional supplements. Their use reduces production costs, optimizes the utilization of forage mass, enhances the sustainability of the production chain, and, therefore, is recommended.

Ingestive behavior of beef calves on oat and ryegrass pasture intercropped with vetch at different seeding rates

The use of winter forage plants constitutes a procedure that optimizes cattle production, particularly in the subtropical region of Brazil. Understanding the relationship between forage species and grazing cattle, as well as their behavior within the environment, becomes crucial for a more efficient use of the forage. Therefore, the objective was to evaluate the ingestive behavior of beef calves in intercropped pastures of black oats, ryegrass, and vetch. A randomized block design was employed, with three area replications. The treatments resulted from the combination of ryegrass, black oats, and 0, 20, and 40 kg of vetch seed/ha. Twenty-seven Brangus calves kept under continuous grazing with variable stocking rates were used. Three daytime assessments of ingestive behavior were conducted. The forage systems did not influence the time spent on grazing, rumination, and other activities (P>0.05). However, as the grazing cycle progressed, the calves spent more time grazing and less time on other activities. The introduction of vetch into the forage mixture increased both the time and the number of chews during rumination (P<0.05). Towards the end of the grazing cycle, the calves needed to visit more feeding stations per minute and have a higher bite rate. Calves that grazed in higher vetch densities exhibited a greater number of steps between feeding stations, but only during the second period. The inclusion of vetch in conjunction with grasses only modifies the rumination patterns of calves, while the advancement of the phenological stage of the pasture leads to more evident changes in the ingestive behavior of grazing calves.

Preference of dhurrin‐free sorghum by ewes

AbstractSorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] is a resilient forage crop due to its drought tolerance and adaptation to low‐N environments. Sorghum produces a cyanogenic glucoside called dhurrin. The breakdown of dhurrin leads to the release of hydrogen cyanide (HCN), which can cause cyanide toxicity in livestock. Dhurrin‐free sorghum lines have been developed through chemical mutagenesis by mutagenizing the gene for the first enzyme, CYP79A1, in the biosynthetic pathway. The CYP79A1 mutation was bred into sorghum lines to create a dhurrin‐free experimental hybrid. Grazing preference of ewes was assessed when allocated to the dhurrin‐free hybrid and three commercial hybrids. Near isogenic lines (NIL), contrasting in dhurrin production, were also compared for grazing preference. Forage mass was measured before and after grazing to determine the amount of forage mass grazed by the ewes. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) was flown to quantify changes in normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) over time for each hybrid. The nutritive values of the hybrids were also evaluated. The dhurrin‐free hybrid was grazed 19% and 13% more (p‐value ≤ 0.05) in comparison to the commercial hybrids for the second and third grazing cycles in 2019 and 2020. The NIL Tx623 bmr6 CYP79A1, was grazed 20% more than Tx623 bmr6 in two grazing cycles in 2020. Remote sensing data showed a similar pattern with the dhurrin‐free hybrid having the largest decline in NDVI for three grazing cycles in 2019. Nutritive value of the dhurrin‐free hybrid was similar to the two hybrids with the brown midrib (bmr) trait.

Soil carbon and nitrogen after eight years of rotational grazing in the Nebraska Sandhills meadows

Grassland provides many ecosystem services; therefore, sustainable management practices of grassland are crucial for maintaining and enhancing its ecosystem health and resilience. Rotational grazing at a high stocking density (a.k.a., ultrahigh stocking density) is purported to sequester greater amounts of carbon (C) in grassland soils than rotational grazing at low stocking densities. This study was conducted in the Nebraska Sandhills meadows for eight years to evaluate how rotational grazing with different stocking densities can affect soil C and total nitrogen (TN) in bulk soils, soil organic matter fractions, and sequestration rate. The grazing management included a high stocking density with one grazing cycle (MOB), a 4-pasture rotation system with one grazing cycle at a low stocking density (4PR1), and no grazing (CNT). Results showed that soil C and N contents were higher in the total particulate organic matter fraction than in the soil mineral-associated organic fraction at the 0–10 cm depth and visa verse at the 10–20 cm depth. Grazing management did not affect C and N contents in the bulk soils (SOC averaged 28.19 g C kg−1 and TN averaged 2.67 g N kg−1 at the 0–10 cm depth). Both MOB and 4PR1 grazing treatments recorded similar C and N contents in all SOM fractions. However, the MOB grazing treatment increased C and N contents in the macro-aggregate occluded particulate and dissolved organic matter fractions compared to the CNT. The 4PR1 grazing treatment increased soil C and N contents in the dissolved organic matter and mineral-associated organic matter fractions and increased SOC sequestration rate compared to the CNT. Rotational grazing at a low stocking density for one cycle appears to enhance long-term SOC accumulation in these Sandhills meadows soil.

Modeling and quantification of soil compaction promoted by animal trampling in an integrated crop–livestock system

At critical levels, animal trampling can physically degrade soil, leading to the loss of sustainability of agricultural production. Therefore, it is becomes necessary to model and quantify the soil compaction potential. In this context, the objective was to evaluate the occurrence of soil compaction promoted by animal trampling in crop-livestock integration system (ICL). The study was conducted in a field at Centro Tecnológico da Comigo in the municipality of Rio Verde, Goias state, Brazil, during the agricultural off-season. The experimental area was composed of 1.97 ha, which was equally divided into eight paddocks. Soil was sampled before the grazing phase and after each of four grazing cycles. The compressive behavior of the soil was evaluated by determining the pre-consolidation and critical pressures. The results showed that only the first cycle of grazing showed additional compaction in 14.59% of samples. No critical compaction was observed in the evaluated area. Animal trampling under the studied conditions is not responsible for the dissemination of structural soil degradation in crop-livestock integration systems and may contribute to physical improvement resulting from biological soil loosening.

Grazing intensity effects on sward responses of UF Riata Bahiagrass

AbstractBahiagrass (Paspalum notatum Flüggé) is a rhizomatous, perennial, warm‐season forage widely grown in the southeastern United States "UF Riata" bahiagrass is more upright growing with greater herbage production when days are shorter compared with most other cultivars. Lesser daylength sensitivity extends the grazing season, but in combination with more upright growth may negatively affect persistence under grazing, especially if out‐of‐season herbage production interferes with normal reserve storage. This 3‐year study investigated above and belowground sward responses of UF Riata bahiagrass to three levels of post‐grazing herbage mass (HM) (500 [heavy grazing, HG], 1500 [moderate grazing], or 2500 [light grazing, LG] kg DM ha−1, where DM is dry matter) imposed by mob stocking every 14 days. Total herbage accumulation (HA) and HA rate were not affected by treatment. Crude protein (CP) was affected by treatment × grazing cycle × year, whereas in vitro digestible organic matter concentrations were affected by treatment × year and grazing cycle × year. Root–rhizome biomass (12,940–9230 kg OM ha−1, where OM is organic matter) and soil cover percentage (97%–93%) decreased linearly as grazing intensity increased from LG to HG. Proportion of non‐planted grasses was 34% and 17% in HG and LG swards, respectively. Proportion of non‐grass weeds increased across treatments from 2% to 22% over the years. Moderate grazing could maintain similar CP to HG, and similar root–rhizome biomass to LG. Thus, considering both sward persistence and forage nutritive value, a target post‐grazing HM of ≈1500 kg DM ha−1 is recommended when UF Riata pastures are grazed every 2 weeks.

Biostimulant effects on the herbage yield and nutritive composition of a mixed ryegrass–clover pasture

Dairy producers are continuously searching for environmentally friendly and economically sustainable alternatives to increase pasture herbage yield and reduce reliance on chemical fertilisers. A possible means to reduce fertiliser reliance is the use of biostimulants. Biostimulants such as fulvic acid and bioflavonoids help to increase N uptake efficiency, thereby increasing herbage quantity and quality. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of a soil application of a carbohydrate-derived fulvic acid and bioflavonoid biostimulant on herbage yield and nutritive composition of a mixed perennial ryegrass–clover pasture. Biostimulant treatment resulted in a lower ryegrass component of the mixed sward, in both winter and summer grazing cycles. However, the nutritive composition and total herbage yield of the pasture were not significantly affected by biostimulant treatment. The treatment did show a tendency to affect total herbage yield within a season. This suggests that total herbage yield could be increased if additional N fertiliser is applied together with a biostimulant soil treatment, although further investigation is needed to confirm this postulation. Biostimulant treatments have the potential to lead to reduced fertiliser inputs on perennial ryegrass–clover pastures as they may increase nutrient uptake efficiency.

Protein and carbohydrate fractionation of Urochloa spp. and Megathyrsus maximus forages after intercropping with soybean in an integrated crop-livestock system

ABSTRACT The objective was to evaluate the protein and carbohydrate fractionation of forage plants of the Urochloa spp. and Megathyrsus maximus after intercropping with soybean in crop-livestock integration, in the off-season. The experimental design used was entirely randomised, with four repetitions, in a 4 × 5 factorial scheme. The treatments consisted of four forages: Xaraes palisadegrass (Urochloa brizantha cv. Xaraés), Ruziziensis grass (Urochloa ruziziensis), Mombaça guinea grass (Megathyrsus maximus cv. Mombaça), Tamani guinea grass (Megathyrsus maximus cv. BRS Tamani) and five grazing cycles (each grazing cycle was carried out every 28 days). Forage samples and protein and carbohydrate fractionation were obtained using destructive methods. The results showed that Tamani guinea grass and Xaraes palisadegrass presented higher fractions A of protein and carbohydrates and lower fraction C, being more suitable for integrated systems during the offseason. For all forages, there was a reduction in the protein and carbohydrate A fractions and an increase in the C fraction as grazing cycles advanced. Tamani guinea grass and Xaraes palisadegrass showed the best potential to be used for grazing in the off-season, by being planted as a replacement for soybean, and can be an alternative of quality food to be fed during the dry season.

Grazing intensity and nitrogen fertilization effects on biomass and morphology of black oat roots in an integrated crop–livestock system

AbstractGrazing stimulates root and forage mass of perennial pastures, but few studies have addressed the effects of grazing on annual pastures which are often grown in short periods within integrated crop–livestock systems (ICLS). In these pastures, N fertilization is a common practice to increase forage mass, but its effects on root morphology are unclear. In a field experiment, we evaluated how grazing intensities (ungrazed, moderate, and heavy grazing) and N fertilization rates (0, 75, and 150 kg N ha−1) affected morphological attributes of oat (Avena strigosa Schreb.) roots and forage accumulation in ICLS in Brazilian subtropics. Forage mass was evaluated in each grazing cycle and roots were sampled to a 30‐cm depth at the end of the grazing season in 2 years. Heavy and moderate grazing reduced (p < 0.05) forage accumulation by 15%–37% compared to ungrazed (4867 kg DM ha−1) in the first year, characterized by extended periods of water deficit, but in the second year forage accumulation from grazed and ungrazed was similar (p > 0.05), averaging 4273 kg ha−1. N fertilization increased forage accumulation in both the years, without differences between 75 and 150 kg N ha−1 in grazed treatments. Grazing and N rates mainly reduced root diameter and increased root N concentration. Increasing N fertilization rates increased root length but it was more expressive in the first year. Nitrogen fertilization with 75 or 150 kg N ha−1 on moderately grazed oat is an alternative to increase forage accumulation as it stimulates fine root development and increase N uptake, mainly when adverse climatic conditions can affect pasture growth.

Wildfire-Grazing Impact on Forage Quality Assessed with Near-Infrared Spectroscopy and Generalized Partial Least Squares Regression

Fire and grazing are key drivers of plant community structure in the Great Plains ecoregion, with critical impacts on the quantity and quality of forage. While the impact of fire on forage quality is well understood in many ecosystems, few studies have examined this question in the northern mixed-grass prairie. We investigated the postburn nutrient content of forbs and graminoids over a 4-yr timeframe, asking 1) how forage quality changed over the 4 yr post fire and 2) whether the effect of fire on quality was impacted by the resumption of grazing. We used near-infrared spectroscopy and generalized partial least squares regression (plsRglm) methods to assess crude protein. We show that the use of generalized models provides improved estimates of percent nitrogen than the standard partial least squares approach. Both crude protein and fiber varied annually after the wildfires, with no effect of grazing on forage quality. In the first and second years, burned sites displayed higher protein than unburned locations. Fire did not affect crude protein between plant functional groups; however, forbs showed higher nutrient values than grasses throughout the 4 yr. Fire affected fiber content with grasses showing higher fiber than forbs. There was a positive relationship between neutral and acid detergent fiber and litter in burned sites. These results indicate no long-term effect of wildfire on protein content, which stabilizes in the third year post burn. The improvement of forb digestibility and retention of protein under dry conditions could modify the grazing capacity of the prairies at large scales. This may also change the foraging behavior of large ungulate grazers through mechanisms such as increasing patch reselection (i.e., intensified grazing cycles) and broadening feeding preferences to forbs when grasses are limited or have high fiber content.

Integrated crop-livestock systems in lowlands with rice cultivation improve root environment and maintain soil structure and functioning

Integrated Crop Livestock Systems (ICLS) are important alternative for diversification and sustainable food production, while conserving soil. The effects on soil structure of adopting ICLS in lowlands are widely unknown. Our hypothesis was that the adoption of ICLS, in lowland production systems for flooded-irrigation rice cultivation, improves the structure and functionality of the porous soil system, mainly stimulated by the increased root growth from pastures. The objective was to investigate how different managements of integrated systems in lowlands influence the structure and quality of a Planosol in southern Brazil. The evaluation was carried out between the fifth and sixth year of an experiment consisting of four agricultural production systems, based on irrigated rice cultivation, in a randomized block design with three replications. The systems were RFR-ct: rice – fallow – rice, without animal grazing in winter and with soil disturbance (conventional tillage) in the spring; RGrR-nt: rice - grazed ryegrass - rice, with no till; RGrSGrR-nt: rice - grazed ryegrass - soy - grazed ryegrass - rice, with no till; e P4R-nt: pasture (ryegrass + white clover + birdsfoot trefoil) in winter, and succession field in the summer, being continuously grazed and cultivated with rice under no-tillage every four years. Samples with preserved structure were collected at three seasons: after the grazing cycle (spring 2018), after harvesting the summer crops (fall 2019), and after another grazing cycle (spring 2019). Soil bulk density, total porosity, macroporosity, microporosity, water retention curve, pore size distribution, porosity and organic material by computed tomography (CT), and root biomass were determined. The results indicated that the ICLS, even without tillage and with animal trampling, kept the same physical condition as tilled system, and the system with rice in succession to ryegrass increased available water. Thus, soil tillage as a strategy to improve its physical structure is unjustifiable. The CT revealed that periodic tillage forms spherical, poorly connected pores, while root growth in ICLS created a continuous, connected porosity. Therefore, similar physical properties do not correspond to equal soil structure and functionality. Presence of organic material in the soil, roots or crop residues are crucial to porosity maintenance in all systems.

Características morfogênicas, estruturais e índice de estabilidade populacional de perfilhos de azevém submetidos a métodos de lotação

ABSTRACT This study aimed to evaluate the morphogenic and structural characteristics and the population stability index of ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) tillers when the pasture was submitted to two stocking methods during grazing cycles. The experimental design was a complete randomized block, with repeated measurements over time (n=6 cycles), two treatments (stocking methods) and three area replicates. In the continuous stocking method, the highest population density of tillers was observed. The highest tiller weight occurred in the rotational stocking method. The morphogenic variables and the other structural variables were not altered by the stocking methods and showed differences during the grazing cycles. The tiller population stability index was similar in the two pasture management strategies, and both can be used for ryegrass management considering this parameter.

Vegetation and Animal Performance Responses to Stocking Density Grazing Systems in Nebraska Sandhills Meadows

Management-intensive grazing, which is proposed to increase forage and animal productivity and maintain soil integrity and biodiversity, is seen as an alternative to meet 21st century agricultural and environmental challenges. The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that high levels of trampling of standing vegetation associated with mob grazing (a.k.a., ultrahigh stocking density) leads to increased plant diversity and productivity. A long-term experiment was established on a subirrigated meadow in the Nebraska Sandhills as a complete block design comparing three grazing treatments applied annually during the growing season for 8 consecutive yr (2010−2017): 120-pasture rotation with one grazing cycle (mob; 225 000 kg live weight ha−1), four-pasture rotation with one grazing cycle (4PR1; 7 000 kg live weight ha−1), and four-pasture rotation with two grazing cycles (4PR2; 5 000 kg live weight ha−1). All treatments were set at a moderate stocking rate (7.4 animal unit months ha−1) using yearling steers. Percentage trampling, plant production, species composition, and steer weight gain were estimated annually. We applied linear mixed-effect models to account for year and treatment effect on the response variables. Percentage trampling on mob pastures ranged from 40% to 55% over the 8 yr of the study, nearly double that of the 4PR1 and 4PR2 pastures. We observed that mob grazing had no overall effect on plant species composition, aboveground production, and root growth relative to low stocking densities. Average daily gain of steers in the mob pastures was less than gain of steers in 4PR2 pastures in all years, with intermediate weight gains for the 4PR1 steers. Overall, stocking density did not appear to be a driver of plant composition and productivity in rotationally grazed pastures on subirrigated meadows in the Nebraska Sandhills.

104 Grazing Evaluation of Two Bermudagrass Bases Interseeded with Alfalfa for Stocker Production in Southeastern US

Abstract Alfalfa (Medicago sativa) has shown promise in the Southeastern United States when interseeded into bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon) to reduce reliance on synthetic N fertilization while also providing a high-quality grazable forage. However, data is limited when grazing alfalfa interseeded into different bermudagrass bases with stockers in the Southeastern U.S. A two-year grazing evaluation was conducted in a randomized complete block design with two replications from June-October 2020 (Y1) and April-October 2021 (Y2) at the University of Georgia Tifton Campus Better Grazing Program in Tifton, GA, to compare stocker cattle performance when grazing ‘Bulldog 805’ alfalfa interseeded into either ‘Russell’ or ‘Tifton-85’ bermudagrass (RAG and TAG, respectively). Paddocks (1-ha) were split into 4 (0.25-ha) sections and rotationally grazed to 10 cm using the put-and-take stocking method with two tester steers for each treatment (Y1 BW=228.3±27.02 kg; Y2 BW=183.1±20.8 kg). Paddock sections were evaluated pre- and post-grazing for herbage availability, botanical composition, and nutritive value. Stocker steers were weighed at study initiation, conclusion, and on a 28d interval for calculation of ADG and gain/ha. Data were analyzed using the PROC MIXED procedure of SAS 9.4. Differences for herbage mass, gain/ha, and stocking density were not detected seasonally but were observed within grazing cycle with RAG being greater in the earlier season, TAG being greater in the later portion of the grazing season, and no difference during the grazing cycles that occurred in the hot summer months. This study suggests that the bermudagrass variety utilized in the alfalfa-bermudagrass mixture will influence stocking management decisions.

Peat palaeorecords from the arid Caspian Lowland in Russia: Environmental and anthropogenic effects during the second half of the Holocene

The current study presents new palaeoecological records from arid areas in the western sector of the Caspian Lowland, covering the second half of the Holocene . Environmental alterations, driven by global climatic factors and regional features initiated by the Caspian Sea, were identified based on palynological and sedimentological changes in two mires . The study revealed that the wetlands in the south and northwest of the Caspian Lowland have different origins and sources of water supply because they are associated with the priority influence of the Caspian Sea (i.e. Arkida mire) or the dynamics of winter-cyclonic precipitation (i.e. Zelmen mire). Therefore, the humidification episodes in the peatlands under consideration were rarely synchronous. In the south of the Caspian Lowland adjacent to the Caucasus, the climate was milder, steppe vegetation predominated, and the most favourable intervals were at about 4.1–3.8, 3.4–2.8, 2.3–2.9 and after 1.5 cal ka BP. Apparently, the moisturising influence of the Caspian Sea was decisive there, even during the strengthening of the high-pressure zone in Siberia , resulting in a decreased role of westerlies and dryness in other regions. The northeast of the Caspian Lowland was distinguished by longer arid episodes and a more significant contribution of semi-desert vegetation. An increase in moisture and steppe predominance detected there at intervals of 6.7, 3.8, 2.8–2.4, and several shorter ones after 1.4 cal ka BP is associated with warm and humid winters that coincided with a weak Siberian High and North Atlantic warming combined with Caspian transgression. Wetlands in arid areas were vulnerable to intensive human activity over thousands of years and were involved in year-round grazing cycles, even during dry periods. Peculiarities of paleoecological records reflect the burning and forced grazing on the mire under aridification , evident signs of overgrazing, and the use of swamp herbs for building purposes. • Holocene moisture in the arid Caspian lowland was influenced by the Caspian Sea and westerlies. • Influence in the Caspian transgression was decisive even in the strengthening of the Siberian High. • Peat records reflect different episodes of aridification in the south and northwest. • Wetlands in arid areas were used by human activity in the past.

Evaluation of a Binary Classification Approach to Detect Herbage Scarcity Based on Behavioral Responses of Grazing Dairy Cows.

In precision grazing, pasture allocation decisions are made continuously to ensure demand-based feed allowance and efficient grassland utilization. The aim of this study was to evaluate existing prediction models that determine feed scarcity based on changes in dairy cow behavior. During a practice-oriented experiment, two groups of 10 cows each grazed separate paddocks in half-days in six six-day grazing cycles. The allocated grazing areas provided 20% less feed than the total dry matter requirement of the animals for each entire grazing cycle. All cows were equipped with noseband sensors and pedometers to record their head, jaw, and leg activity. Eight behavioral variables were used to classify herbage sufficiency or scarcity using a generalized linear model and a random forest model. Both predictions were compared to two individual-animal and day-specific reference indicators for feed scarcity: reduced milk yields and rumen fill scores that undercut normal variation. The predictive performance of the models was low. The two behavioral variables “daily rumination chews” and “bite frequency” were confirmed as suitable predictors, the latter being particularly sensitive when new feed allocation is present in the grazing set-up within 24 h. Important aspects were identified to be considered if the modeling approach is to be followed up.

Pastoralist Dilemmas: Where to Go and When to Move, or with Whom to Talk?

Pastoralists in Western Mongolia face a range of challenges during their annual grazing cycle due to the simultaneous but conflicting needs for secure allocation rules and a high degree of flexibility. In this paper, I analyze the seasonal arrangements and corresponding strategies that households adopt to deal with unpredictable environmental conditions and the demands of supplying livestock with sufficient forage throughout the year. In contrast to game theory simulations, I argue that dilemmas are: a) often not a question of cooperating or not, but form continua of more or less; and b) socially embedded as people operate in a multitude of relationships that influence their decision-making. Therefore, sharing information in a manner that prioritizes the requirements of individual households while not jeopardizing social reputation is crucially important. Rhetorical skills play an important role in this regard, but there are also situations when herders blatantly ignore state law or local institutional arrangements and risk confrontation to ensure the survival of livestock leading to a situation where free-riding may at times become the dominant strategy.