Portal de Periódicos da CAPES

Grazing activities and bioenergetics of sheep on native range in Southern Peru

1990; Elsevier BV; Volume: 3; Issue: 2 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/0921-4488(90)90088-n

1879-0941

L. C. Fierro, Fred C. Bryant,

Reproductive Physiology in Livestock

Grazing activity of herded Corriedale ewes on the Peruvian Puna was monitored by direct observation for 2 animal-days (11.5 h, daytime only) each month from June 1983 through March 1984. Sheep spent an average of 52% of the day grazing, 13% ruminating, 13% resting, 20% walking, and 2% drinking. Time spent grazing was negatively correlated with forage intake but was not correlated with forage availability. Grazing time was positively correlated with distance traveled and time spent walking, and negatively correlated with crude protein and ME intake. In terms of energy, grazing and walking each accounted for 45% of the daily energy expended on behavioral activities (walking, grazing, resting, and ruminating). Estimated total daily energy costs (i.e., for behavioral activities, production processes, and basal metabolism) ranged from 1.56 Mcal ME/ day in June to 3.32 Mcal ME/day in January. Lactation accounted for over 50% of the daily energy expended during December through March, and resulted in negative energy balances of up to 0.57 Mcal ME/day during that period. Se registraron las actividades de pastoreo de ovejas Corriedale on pastoreo en la zona do la Puna Peruana, a traves de observaciones directas de 2 dias-animal (11.5 h durante el dia unicamente) cada mes a partir de Junio de 1983 a Marzo de 1984. Las ovejas dedicaron, en promedio, el 52% del dia a pastorear, 13% a rumiar, 13% a descansar, 20% a caminar y 2% a bobor agua. El tiempo dedicado al pastoreo estuvo negativamente correlacionado con el consumo de forraje, sin embargo, no se correlaciono con la disponibilidad de forraje. El tiempo dedicado al pastoreo estuvo positivamente correlacionado a la distancia caminada y al tiempo dedicado a caminar, a la vez que estuvo negativamente correlacionado con la proteina cruda y el consumo de energia metabolizable (EM). En cuanto a la energia, el pastoreo y la actividad de caminar consumieron el 45% de la energia diaria invertida en actividades de comportamiento (caminar, pastorear, descansar y rumiar). Los costos estimados de energia diaria total (ejemplo: actividades de comportamieto, procesos de produccion y metabolismo basal) fluctuaron de 1.56 Mcal EM/dia en Junio a 3.32 Mcal EM/dia en Enero. La lactancia consumio mas del 50% del gasto energetico diario de Diciembre a Marzo resultando en un deficit de energia de hasta 0.57 Mcal EM/dia durante este periodo.