What do domestic livestock eat in northern Patagonian rangelands?
Edgar Sebastián Villagra A B , Alicia Pelliza A , Priscila Willems A , Guillermo Siffredi A and Griselda Bonvissuto AA Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria, Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Bariloche, CC 277, 8400 S.C. de Bariloche, Río Negro, Argentina.
B Corresponding author. Email: svillagra@bariloche.inta.gov.ar
Animal Production Science 53(4) 360-367 https://doi.org/10.1071/AN11283
Submitted: 16 November 2012 Accepted: 27 September 2012 Published: 11 February 2013
Abstract
The Patagonian rangelands are dominated by steppes interspersed with meadows (locally called mallines), which are small but permanently humid areas, characterised by high spring–summer quality and productivity of grasses and grasslikes. The region’s main economic activity is sheep ranching, either alone or mixed with goats and/or cattle, using horses as transportation animals. Overstocking has been signalled as one of the causes of rangeland degradation in this region. Knowledge of botanical composition of livestock diets provides valuable information helping in the design of management strategies to improve or maintain the forage resource. With this objective we studied the dietary botanical composition of domestic livestock on Patagonian ranches with and without mallines, at different seasons. It was found that the differences between diets of the same herbivore species on ranches with and without mallines were greater than the differences among the diets of the different herbivores species grazing in the same type of ranch.
Grasses were the forage class most consumed by livestock in 76% of ranches without mallines and in 38% of the diets of ranches with them, with Stipa spp. being the main species consumed. Grass-like species were important in ranches with mallines, specially Juncus spp., and woody plants (Chuquiraga spp. as the most consumed) in ranches without mallines. Forbs hardly exceeded 10% in some spring diets of sheep, at both ranch types. Grasslikes constituted the major component of the spring and summer cattle diets, and constituted one-third of winter diets. For the rest of the herbivores studied, this forage class was important in spring–summer diets, but insignificant in the winter samples. Goats showed a greater use of the shrub in the less productive ranches and they were the most important consumers of shrubs on ranches with mallines during winter, which is the critical season of forage production. We conclude that the presence of mallines strongly condition the diet composition of the studied domestic herbivores. And, since the use of forage classes is different between these animal species, given a ranch type, the replacement of single-species grazing by mixed grazing can achieve the optimal possible use of the Patagonian rangelands.
References
Anchorena J, Baldi R, Collantes M (2002) La selección de dieta a escala regional por grandes herbívoros y su control por el hombre. In ‘Selección de dieta por grandes herbívoros mamíferos: procesos y escalas. Contribuciones del Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales 1’. (Eds MS Cid, N Bonino, M Cassini, J Anchorena, A Pelliza de Sbriller, M Arriaga)Anderson DL, Bonvissuto GL, Brizuela MA, Chiossone G, Cibils AF, Cid MS, Feldman I, Fernández Grecco RC, Kunst C, Oesterheld M, Oliva GE, Paruelo JM, Peinetti H, Villagra ES (2011) Perspectives on rangeland management education and research in Argentina. Rangelands 33, 2–12.
| Perspectives on rangeland management education and research in Argentina.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Ayesa J, Bran D, Cingolani A, Clayton S, Sbriller D (1995) Evaluación del estado actual de la desertificación en la transecta Río Negro. In ‘Evaluación del estado actual de la desertificación en áreas representativas de la Patagonia. Informe Final Fase I. Lucha contra la desertificación en la Patagonia. Cooperación Técnica Argentino-Alemana’. (Eds H del Valle, H Mensching, J Georgen) pp. 153–173. (INTA: Bariloche, Argentina)
Bailey D, Gross J, Laca E, Rittenhouse L, Coughenour M, Swift D, Sims P (1996) Mechanisms that result in large herbivore grazing distribution patterns. Journal of Range Management 49, 386–400.
| Mechanisms that result in large herbivore grazing distribution patterns.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Bonvissuto G, Lanciotti ML (2002) Guía de condición para los mallines con pasto salado (Distichlis spp.) en zonas de Río Negro con menos de 300 mm de precipitación anual. INTA- GTZ-PAN. (Bariloche, Argentina)
Bonvissuto G, Somlo R, Ayesa J, Lanciotti ML, Moricz de Tecso E (1992) La condición de los mallines del área ecológica Sierras y Mesetas de Patagonia. Revista Argentina de Produccion Animal 12, 391–400.
Bonvissuto G, Somlo R, Pelliza A, Moricz E (1996) Dieta estacional de ovinos restrictos a un mallín en sierras y mesetas occidentales – Patagonia. Revista Argentina de Producción Animal 16, 35–44.
Bonvissuto G, Somlo R, Lanciotti ML, Gonzalez Carteau A, Busso C (2008) Guías de condición para pastizales naturales de “Precordillera”, “Sierras y Mesetas” y “Monte Austral” de Patagonia. (INTA EEA Bariloche – Global Environment Facility: Patagonia)
Bran D, Ayesa J, López C, Barrios S, Díaz D (1999) Área Piloto Jacobacci. Sistema de Información Geográfico. Cartografía temática. INTA EEA Bariloche. Laboratorio de Teledetección-SIG.
Brizuela M, Cibils A, Cid MS, Cangiano C (2002) Selección de manchones de vegetación por grandes herbívoros mamíferos. In ‘Selección de dieta por grandes herbívoros mamíferos: procesos y escalas. Contribuciones del Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales’. (Eds MS Cid, N Bonino, M Cassini, J Anchorena, A Pelliza de Sbriller, M Arriaga) pp. 89–118. (Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales: Buenos Aires)
Cingolani A, Noy-Meir I, Renison D, Cabido M (2009) La ganadería extensiva, ¿es compatible con la conservación de la biodiversidad y de los suelos? Ecología Austral 18, 253–271.
Easdale MH, Aguiar MR (2012) Regional forage production assessment in arid and semi-arid rangelands – a step toward social-ecological analysis. Journal of Arid Environments 83, 35–44.
| Regional forage production assessment in arid and semi-arid rangelands – a step toward social-ecological analysis.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Easdale MH, Aguiar MR, Román M, Villagra SE (2009) Socioeconomic comparison of two biophysical regions: livestock production systems from Río Negro province, Argentina. Cuadernos de desarrollo rural 6, 173–198.
Escoufier Y (1985) L’analyse des correspondances: Ses propiétés et ses extensions. Bulletin of the International Statistatistical Institute 4, 2–28.
Esmal S (1991) Multispecies grazing by cattle and sheep. Rangelands 13, 35–37.
Gudmundsson O, Dyrmundsson O (1994) Horse grazing under cold and wet conditions. A review. Livestock Production Science 40, 57–63.
| Horse grazing under cold and wet conditions. A review.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Hofmann R (1989) Evolutionary steps of ecophysiological adaptation and diversification of ruminants: a comparative view of their digestive system. Oecologia 78, 443–457.
| Evolutionary steps of ecophysiological adaptation and diversification of ruminants: a comparative view of their digestive system.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Holechek J, Gross B (1982) Evaluation of different calculation procedures for microhistological analysis. Journal of Range Management 35, 721–723.
| Evaluation of different calculation procedures for microhistological analysis.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Holechek J, Vavra M (1981) The effect of slide and frequency observation numbers on the precision of microhistolical analysis. Journal of Range Management 34, 337–338.
| The effect of slide and frequency observation numbers on the precision of microhistolical analysis.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Illius A (1997) Physiological adaptation in savanna ungulates. The Proceedings of the Nutrition Society 56, 1041–1048.
| Physiological adaptation in savanna ungulates.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:STN:280:DyaK1c7ksVKlsQ%3D%3D&md5=0339482ec8af4da7fabe23c568e975aeCAS |
Latour MC, Pelliza Sbriller A (1981) Clave para la determinación de la dieta de herbívoros en el NO de la Patagonia. Revista de Investigaciones Agropecuarias XV, 109–157.
León R, Bran D, Collantes M, Paruelo J, Soriano A (1998) Grandes unidades de vegetación de la Patagonia extraandina. Ecología Austral 8, 125–144.
Movia CP (1972) ‘Formas de erosión eólica de la Patagonia. Photointerprétation 6/3.’ (Editions Technip: París)
Oliva G, Cibils A, Borrelli P, Humano G (1998) Stable states in relation to grazing in Patagonia: a 10-year experimental trial. Journal of Arid Environments 40, 113–131.
Papachristou T, Dziba L, Provenza F (2005) Foraging ecology of goats and sheep on wooded rangelands. Small Ruminant Research 59, 141–156.
| Foraging ecology of goats and sheep on wooded rangelands.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Paruelo J, Beltrán A, Jobbágy E, Sala A, Golluscio R (1998) The climate of Patagonia: general patterns and controls on biotic processes. Ecología Austral 8, 85–101.
Pelliza A, Willems P, Manacorda M (2001) Dietary structural types of polygastric herbivores at different environments and seasons. Journal of Range Management 54, 330–337.
| Dietary structural types of polygastric herbivores at different environments and seasons.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Robbins Ch, Spalinger D, van Hoven W (1995) Adaptation of ruminants to browse and grass diets: are anatomical-based browser-grazer interpretations valid? Oecologia 103, 208–213.
| Adaptation of ruminants to browse and grass diets: are anatomical-based browser-grazer interpretations valid?Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Rodríguez Iglesias R, Kothmann M (1998) Best linear unbiased prediction of herbivore preferences. Journal of Range Management 51, 19–28.
| Best linear unbiased prediction of herbivore preferences.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Sepúlveda Palma L, Pelliza A, Manacorda M (2004) La importancia de los tejidos no epidérmicos en el microanálisis de la dieta de herbívoros. Ecología Austral 14, 31–38.
Siffredi G (2003) ‘Conceptos de Evaluación Forrajera y de Determinación de Carga Animal en Patagonia Norte. Jornadas de Capacitación en Pastizales. December 1–5.’ (Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria – INTA: Bariloche, Argentina)
Somlo R, Bonvissuto G (1996) Tasas de sustitución entre herbívoros simpátricos en el área ecológica Sierras y Mesetas Occidentales de Patagonia. Revista Argentina de Producción Animal 16, 143–155.
Somlo R, Durañona G, Ortiz R (1985) Valor nutritivo de especies forrajeras patagónicas. Revista Argentina de Producción Animal 5, 589–605.
Somlo R, Bonvissuto G, Pelliza A, Bonino N, Moricz E (1994) La influencia de la condición del Pastizal sobre la dieta estacional de los herbívoros y el pastoreo múltiple, en Sierras y Mesetas Occidentales de Patagonia. 1994. Revista Argentina de Producción Animal 14, 187–207.
Soriano A (1983) Deserts and semideserts in Patagonia. In ‘Ecosystems of the world. Temperate deserts and semi-deserts’. (Ed. NE West) pp. 423–460. (Elsevier: Amsterdam)
Villagra ES (2005) Does product diversification lead to sustainable development of smallholder production systems in Northern Patagonia, Argentina. Doctoral Dissertation Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Cuvillier Verlag, Göttingen (Germany).
Villagra ES, Giraudo C (2010) Aspectos sistémicos de la producción ovina en la provincia de Río Negro. Revista Argentina de Producción Animal 30, 211–224.
Williams O (1969) An improved technique for identification of plants fragments in herbivore feces. Journal of Range Management 22, 51–52.
| An improved technique for identification of plants fragments in herbivore feces.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
