Rangeland Ecology & Management

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Botanical composition of cattle and vizcacha diets in central Argentina
Author
Bontti, E. E.
Boo, R. M.
Lindström, L. I.
Elia, O. R.
Publisher
Society for Range Management
Publication Year
1999-07-01
Body

Cattle (Bos taurus) and vizcacha (Lagostomus maximus) diets were examined monthly in the semiarid caldénal in central Argentina. Cow-calf operations are the most important economic activities within the region. In spite of a widespread distribution of the vizcacha in Argentina, comparative studies of the diet of cattle and vizcacha are scarce. The objective of this work was to analyze the botanical composition, seasonal trends, and possible dietary overlap between cattle and vizcacha. Diets were determined by microscopic analysis of cattle and vizcacha feces collected from November 1994 through December 1995 in a shrubland community of the southern caldénal. Grasses were the bulk of the diet for both herbivores. Piptochaetium napostaense (Speg.) Hack. was the most abundant grass in vizcacha (53%) and cattle (40%) diets. Prosopis caldenia Burk. pods partially (34%) replaced this grass in cattle diets during late summer and fall. Consumption of P. napostaense was generally higher (13%) in vizcachas than in cattle, especially during the dry period of the study (21%). During the drier months, cattle consumed more of the less preferred grasses (48%). Forbs were poorly represented in the diets perhaps because of scarce rains and low availability. Classification and ordination techniques revealed seasonal trends and overlapping diets. A greater overlap (75%) was found during the wet period due to simultaneous consumption of P. napostaense by both herbivores. Trends in diet diversity were similar with indices generally higher for cattle than for vizcachas, especially during the dry period. The Journal of Range Management archives are made available by the Society for Range Management and the University of Arizona Libraries. Contact lbry-journals@email.arizona.edu for further information. Migrated from OJS platform August 2020

Language
en
Resource Type
Text
Document Type
Journal Issue/Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
10.2307/4003548
Additional Information
Bontti, E. E., Boo, R. M., Lindström, L. I., & Elia, O. R. (1999). Botanical composition of cattle and vizcacha diets in central Argentina. Journal of Range Management, 52(4), 370-377.
IISN
0022-409X
OAI Identifier
oai:repository.arizona.edu:10150/643911
Journal Volume
52
Journal Number
4
Journal Pages
370-377
Journal Name
Journal of Range Management
Keywords
free range husbandry
diversity
Lagostomus maximus
ambient temperature
feces composition
rain
species differences
grazing intensity
diets
cattle
seasonal variation
Argentina
botanical composition
grasses
forage
feeding preferences