Comparison of grazing behavior of Suffolk and Paul Dorset ewes in a less favored area

Abstract

In Japan, there are 420,000 ha of abandoned farmland.  Recently, cattle, sheep and/or goat have been grazed on there in some area.  This study aimed to make a comparison of grazing behavior of Suffolk and Paul Dorset ewes in a less favored hilly and mountainous area in Nagano Prefecture Japan. 

In observation 1, five Suffolk ewes (Group S) and three Suffolk and two Paul Dorset ewes (Group P) were introduced to formerly cultivated fields (0.5 ha each), and grazing behavior and place use were observed four times, 13 hrs (5 : 00-18 : 00) each, for two months (June 7─August 11, 2014).  The percentages of performed each behavior (feeding, exploration, stand-resting, lay-resting, migrating, and other) were significantly different between Groups S and P (P＜0.05).  The feeding behavior was observed more times, and average duration of feeding behavior was longer in Group P than Group S.  In Group P, behavior patterns of Suffolk and Paul Dorset ewes were almost the same, but the Suffolk ewes in Group P performed more feeding behavior than Suffolk ewes in Group S.  So, the Paul Dorset ewes might lead the active behavior.

In observation 2, four Suffolk and two Paul Dorset ewes were introduced to one of the same areas, and grazing behavior, place use, and migrating order of individuals were observed four times, 13 hrs (5 : 00-18 : 00) each, for two months (June 27─August 18, 2015).  When the herd was moving, Paul Dorset ewes leaded the Suffolk ewes in most cases (P＜0.001).

Suffolk has been the major breed in Japan.  However, a few active breed ewes like a Paul Dorset are mixed with Suffolk group, the behavior of them might be activated.  But further studies of the effects of mixed grazing on growing rate, and the data of breeding performance and meet quality of F1 are needed.