Foraging Strategies K.Launchbaugh K.Launchbaugh BLM Photo

Herbivore Carnivore Food Source Animals Plants Mobile Stationary Rare Hi energy & time Lo success Few prey/day Lo intake Plants Stationary Abundant Lo energy & time Hi success 10,000 bites/day Hi Intake Food Capture Take a closer look at the main differences between the food source and food capture of herbivores and carnivores. Animals don’t have to be fast to be herbivores; carnivores need to be quick to catch their prey.

Herbivore Carnivore Lo & variable in protein & energy Food Quality Lo & variable in protein & energy High fiber in cell wall Hi & uniform in protein & energy No fiber or cell wall Almost all meat has about the same quality compared to plants which vary greatly in quality. Animal cells are thin whereas plants have thick cellulose cell walls. The digestive structures of the animal has to be totally different.

Herbivore Carnivore Much chewing Complex digestive tract Digesting food Much chewing Complex digestive tract Energy & protein from microbial fermentation Little chewing Simple digestive tract Energy & protein from catabolism Ruminants have much more complex digestive structures.

Mammalian Digestive Systems Carnivore Omnivore Herbivore Carnivore = simple (stomach, intestine, out) Omnivore = more complex (small stomach, small intestine, complex large intestine, out) Herbivore = most complex (complex 4-part stomach, elaborate small intestine, complex large intestine, out) Can Animal Digest Cellulose? No Some Yes

Omnivore Herbivore Carnivore Thanks to Dr. Lisa Shipley of Washington State University for this slide.

Ruminant Feeding Types We can categories animals based on their grazing behavior and digestive morphology. From: Hofmann, R. R. 1989. Evolutionary steps of ecophysical adaptation and diversification of ruminants: A comparative view of their digestive system. Oecologia 78:443-457.

Diet Preferences How animals meet nutrient needs Roughage Feeder (grass) Intermediate Feeder (forbs) Concentrate Feeder (browse) Photos by K. Launchbuagh

Example 1 - Grassy Pasture Similarity between pasture and cattle diet = 94% Similarity between pasture and sheep diet = 83%

Example 2 – Shrubby Pasture Similarity between pasture and cattle diet = 69% Similarity between pasture and goat diet = 80%

Multi Species Grazing

Multi Species Grazing Multi-species grazing is when more than one kind of livestock (i.e. sheep, goats, cattle, or horses) graze a unit of land. The grazing can occur at the same time or at different times and still be considered multispecies grazing. Multi-species grazing is the norm for naturally regulated ecosystems grazed by a variety of herbivores.

Advantages of multi-species livestock grazing over single-species grazing include? Increased carrying capacity. Improved botanical composition of pastures Suppression of undesirable plants Increased individual animal performance of one or more species in the mix. Improved animal health --parasite problems are often reduced.

Advantages of multi-species livestock grazing over single-species grazing include? Reduced predation of sheep or goats grazing among or bonded to cattle. Greater net return for the ranch. Improved cash flow -- marketing different products at different times of the year. Reduced financial risk --increased enterprise diversity.

Major challenges to multi-species grazing: Increased fencing requirements – if sheep and goats are added to cattle or horse pastures. Lack of knowledge of animal husbandry for a variety of species. Increased complexity because of enterprise diversity. Potential disease transmission from sheep to cattle. (Sheep are the unaffected carrier and cattle are affected.)

Domestic Grazers Diets of Grass , Forb & Browse

Wild Grazers Diets of Grass , Forb & Browse

Domestic & Wild Grazers