Effects of Sheep and Goats on Diet Selection and Grazing Intensity in the Guinea Savanna Region of Nigeria

Abstract

Reduction in grazing intensity and use the use of traditional instead of commercial breeds has frequently been recommended to meet the required goals in sustainable grazing systems for ruminant’s production in Nigeria. The impact of forage selection within a range of contrasting grassland was studied. This paper studied the effect of foraging behaviour in a study conducted to determine selection behaviour of cattle on natural pasture lands and supplemented with multinutrient blocks after the day’s grazing. Livestock at all sites preferentially selected bites containing legumes and forbs, and also short rather than tall vegetative patches. Grazing intensity affected not only diet consumed, largely reflecting the different availability of the dietry components, but also some differences in diet selection. Livestock grazing frequently exploited the short patches of higher nutritive value, which is expected to reinforce the spatial heterogeneity of the pastures. There were few differences in the choices made by traditional breed. The white Fulani and the Red bororo breeds appeared slightly less selective than goats.