The preference of adult sheep and goats grazing ryegrass and white clover

摘要

Sheep and goats have been shown to select different diets when grazing grass/white clover mixtures, with more clover in the diet of sheep (eg Hughes et al, 1984, Proc NZ Soc Anim Prod, 44, 109-112). To measure dietary preference, six groups of three Scottish Halfbred ewes and their twin lambs and six groups of three British Saanen does and their twin kids were tested on twelve 50 ×50 m plots containing adjacent blocks of clover monoculture (Trifolium repens L. cv Kent Wild White) and perennial ryegrass monoculture (Lolium perenne L. cv Parcour). There was either 20 % clover : 80 % grass by area (50 × 10 m of clover alongside 50 × 40 m grass) or 80 % clover: 20 % grass (50 × 40 m of clover alongside 50 × 10 m grass). Prior to the test the sheepand goats grazed, as separate species, for 12 days on plots containing 50 % clover : 50 % grass by area.