1.1.4.2 Study of grazing system
In the mountains, too many rocks, small ridges, cliffs
interrupt pasturelands, sheep are scattered because that make them find the
herbs they prefer. On these small ledges, it seems that nothing grows whereas
very palatable grasses here are abundant. We can no longer see them all, and it
is at that time they benefit! (Discussion1; 7&8, May 2008). Technically,
there is a distance between shepherd and animal that "allows" animal to stop.
So if shepherd addresses to the flock, all the daytime the message: go ahead!
There will be trampling without true consumption but it runs out. In addition,
animal on rangeland ruminates as soon as his belly is full and cannot consume
more than its consumption capacity. For Agreil & al (2004) a sheep
is correctly fed on grassland when mixes grass and ligneous in his diet; that
is a sheep able to «organise his time with serenity».
Worried/restless sheep because of feeling of insecurity from predation for
example and that interrupt frequently his meal in order to verify the absence
of predator are not well fed. Not well in nutritional point of view because
they will concentrate on species easy to cut off. Not well also in ecological
management point of view because there will be thus imbalance grazing impact.
In summary, a restless herd will confine oneself in cleared zones with
over-grazing. Converse, a calm herd will easily scatter, animal consuming a
large range of plants.
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