Diets and Forage Preference of Communally Grazed Range Goats in an Acacia Bush Savanna in Southeast Botswana

HOME JOURNALS CONTACT

Journal of Biological Sciences

Year: 2005 | Volume: 5 | Issue: 6 | Page No.: 690-693
DOI: 10.3923/jbs.2005.690.693

**Diets and Forage Preference of Communally Grazed Range Goats in an Acacia Bush Savanna in Southeast Botswana**

U. J. Omphile, A. A. Aganga and B. Malamba

Abstract: The study was aimed at determining the botanical diet composition of goats foraging in Acacia bush savanna rangeland in southeast Botswana. The dominant species in the study area were of the genus Acacia with an understory of mostly perennial grasses. Acacia were the dominant plant species consumed by goats. Certain perennial grasses also featured prominently in their diets, but only during the wet season. Preference ratings for the plants comprising diets of goats were positive for about 80% of the woody plants during the dry season and 50% during the wet season. Less than 30% of the grasses were selected for during the wet season while all were discriminated against in the dry season.

Fulltext PDF

How to cite this article

U. J. Omphile, A. A. Aganga and B. Malamba, 2005. Diets and Forage Preference of Communally Grazed Range Goats in an Acacia Bush Savanna in Southeast Botswana. Journal of Biological Sciences, 5: 690-693.

Keywords: Botswana, goats, diet composition, diet preference and savanna

REFERENCES

Anonymous, 1997. Ministry of Finance and Development Planning. 1st Edn., NDP, Botswana, pp: 227

Anonymous, 1999-2000. Agricultural Statistics of Pakistan. Agriculture and Livestock Economic Wing, Islamabad, Pakistan

Aganga, A.A., T. Adogla-Bessa, U.J. Omphile and K. Tshireletso, 2000. Significance of browse in the nutrition of Tswana goats. Arch. Zootec., 49: 469-480.

Sanders, K.D., B.E. Dahl and G. Scott, 1980. Bite-count versus fecal analysis for range animal diets. J. Range Manage., 32: 146-149.

Omphile, U.J., A.A. Aganga, K. Tshireletso and R. Nkele, 2004. Foraging strategies of sheep and goats under semi-intensive management in Botswana. South African J. Anim. Sci., 32: 120-122.

Olsen, K., 1991. Diet sample collection by esophageal fistula and rumen evacuation techniques. J. Range Manage., 44: 515-519.

Field, D.I., 1976. Basic Ecology for Range Management in Botswana Ministry of Agriculture. Government Printers, Gaborone

Canfield, R.H., 1941. Application of the line interception method in sampling range vegetation. J. For., 39: 288-294.
Direct Link

Storr, G.M., 1961. Microscopic analysis of feces a procedure for ascertaining the diets of herbivore mammals. Aust. J. Biol. Sci., 14: 157-164.

Sparks, D.R. and J.C. Malechek, 1968. Estimating percentage dry weight in diets using a microscopic technique. J. Range Manage., 21: 264-265.

Curtis, J.T. and R.P. McIntosh, 1950. The interrelations of certain analytic and synthetic phytosociological characters. Ecology, 31: 434-455.
CrossRef Direct Link

Ivlev, V.S., 1961. Experimental Ecology of the Feeding of Fishes. Yale University Press, New Haven, pp: 302

Bartolome, J., J. Franch, J. Plaixats and N.G. Seligman, 1998. Diet selection by sheep and goats on Mediterranean health woodland range. J. Range. Manage., 51: 383-391.