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GRAZING DISTRIBUTION ON NEBRASKA SANDHILLS.
Author
Stott, Jace
Stephenson, Mitchell
Publisher
Society for Range Management
Publication Year
2017
Body

Global Positioning Systems (GPS) have advanced the study of not only distribution patterns of free-ranging livestock but also behavioral responses to environment. Advancements have come in the ability to track livestock position at a particular time and place, as well as capabilities in detecting when and where cattle are grazing and resting. Behavioral responses and distribution are effected by many factors including: topography, water locations, forage location and variety, pasture dimensions, climate, herd dynamics, and parasitism (both external and internal). A study was conducted to track livestock behavior within 4-pasture deferred rotations with herds between 40 and 90 animals. The goal of this study was to better understand factors that affect livestock grazing patterns on Sandhills rangelands as grazing time progressed on specific pastures and over the growing season.� Six cows were tracked within each herd with GPS collars at 10 min intervals from May 15 to Sept 8.� �Head movements were collaborated with visually-observed behavioral patterns throughout the growing season of 2016. Conditions on site that may contribute to particular behaviors or movement such as weather, parasite avoidance, or foraging behaviors were collected. Preliminary, first-year data based on visual observations showed cattle exhibiting grazing behavior 46.8�% � 18.4 SD of time, travel 2.5% � 2.5 SD of time, and resting behavior (including time at water, salt, licking, and rubbing) 50.6% � 18.7 SD of time. Preliminary visual observations suggest that behavior may be influenced by fly annoyance as cattle increased time bunched together, hastened pace of foraging, and utilized brush and trees. Visual observation data will be collaborated with GPS tracking data to evaluate these visual observations and better explain cattle behaviors and distribution patterns.

Language
English
Resource Type
Text
Document Type
Conference Proceedings
Conference Name
SRM St. George, UT
Collection
SRM Annual Meeting Abstracts