Cattle grazing behavior and activity pattern under agropastoral system

Abstract

Poor knowledge of grazing behavior activity of cattle in traditional system pose a limitation to grazing land condition improvement and cattle productivity. Cattle grazing behavior is an effective tool for sustaining grazing land and improve cattle production performance in Agro-pastoral System (AS). However, information on grazing activities of cattle under AS in derived savannah agro-ecological zone of Oyo state was studied. Ido Local Government Area was purposively selected for the study. Behavioural activity budget of cattle (n=120): Grazing Activity Budget (GAB), Walking Activity Budget (WAB) and Ruminating Activity Budget (RAB) were determined using visual observation. Activity pattern: Grazing Activity Pattern (GAP), Walking Activity Pattern (WAP) and Ruminating Activity Pattern (RAP) as influenced by time of day; period 1 (P1, 7:00hr to 9:59hr), period 2 (P2, 10:00hr to 12:59hr), period 3 (P3, 13:00hr to 15:59hr) and period 4 (P4, 16:00hr to 18:59hr) and seasons; (Early Wet-EW), (Late Wet-LW), (Early Dry-ED) and (Late Dry-LD) were determined in a 2x4 factorial arrangement. Forages selectively grazed by cattle were assessed for Dry Matter- DM and Crude Protein-CP, Crude Fibre-CF and Neutral Detergent Fibre-NDF contents using near infra-red spectroscopy. Data were analysed using  descriptive statistics, canonical correlation and ANOVA at á The highest behavioural activity budget of cattle was recorded 0.05. for GAB (42.49%), WAB (23.67%) and RAB (22.98%) for LW, EW and ED, respectively. Activity pattern: GAP, WAP and RAP ranged 29.54% (LD) to 48.39% (LW), 13.02% (ED) to 20.56%% (EW) and 8.70% (EW) to 22.56% (ED), respectively. While, for time of day ranged 23.46% (P4) to 53.33% (P1), 8.06% (P2) to 25.98% (P4) and 5.21% (P2) to 21.14% (P4) for GAP, WAP and RAP, respectively. Significant differences (p<0.05) was observed for season and time of day interaction effects. Strong relationship was observed between forage quality and grazing behavioural activity for Ido Local Government Area in wet  seasons (r=0.79) and dry seasons (0.77).Better knowledge of cattle grazing behavior decision gives information on biotic and abiotic factors  interplay. The interplay allows for a better choice of sustainable intervention in selecting grazing land and time-specific tool to adjust cattle activity  budget and pattern.

Keywords: Agropastoral System, Derived Savanna, Cattle Behaviour, Activity Budget, Activity Pattern