Lambs Grazing With Adult Ewes Prefer Forbs With High-Nutrient Content in Native Grasslands Dominated by <i>Leymus chinensis</i> and <i>Stipa grandis</i>.

ABSTRACT: Grazing livestock in grasslands face the challenge of obtaining sufficient nutrition due to uneven distribution of plant species and fluctuating vegetation productivity and nutrient levels. In northern China, Leymus chinensis and Stipa grandis are the dominant perennial species in native grasslands, but they provide limited nutrition compared to forbs with higher crude protein (CP) content. While dietary ingredients can affect the nutritional intake of grazing livestock, the influence of different grazing strategies on dietary selection remains unclear. In this study, three sheep grazing strategies (lambs alone, mixed lambs and ewes, and ewes alone) were used to explore dietary selection. We investigated the influence of vegetation characteristic (above-ground biomass product

SUBMITTER: Li P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11573460 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature