Open AccessA STUDY OF THE GRAZING BEHAVIOUR OF SHEEP ON A HIGH COUNTRY SUMMER RANGE
Author(s) -
Peter Harris
Publication year - 1978
Publication title -
proceedings of the new zealand grassland association
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1179-4577
pISSN - 0369-3902
DOI - 10.33584/jnzg.1978.40.1505
Subject(s) - grazing , tussock , dry matter , abundance (ecology) , vegetation (pathology) , biology , range (aeronautics) , dry season , agronomy , cattle grazing , rangeland , zoology , ecology , environmental science , medicine , materials science , pathology , composite material
At a high country sheep station in Central Canterbury a study was made of the grazing behaviour of sheep. For three summers, between approximately late October and early April, the distribution of an average of 250 dry sheep grazing 590 ha of a 6200 ha summer range was recorded. During the third season, levels of dry matter and water contents of available inter-tussock vegetation were measured, the visual abundance of plant species in cut samples assessed, and diet determined using faecal cuticle analysis. Digestibilities of some available dry matter samples and selected plant species were also measured. Sheep activities were monitored.