Comparative studies of diet selection by Churra and Merina genotypes grazing on a hill shrub community

Abstract

Knowledge of the foraging strategy is a useful tool in the quantification of the plant-herbivore interaction, knowledge of which is essential to joint studies of grazing management and herbivore performance (Gordon and lason, 1989). The major sheep genotypes of northern Spain are Churro and Merino and they differ in a number of characteristics which have importance in the utilization of hill pastures. There is limited knowledge about the composition and the nutritive value of roughages ingested under various extensive conditions. This is specially true with regard to the mountain areas of northern-Spain where plant communities undergo significant seasonai changes. The aim of this work was to study the seasonal variation in the diet selected by two different breeds of sheep (Churro v. Merino) grazing on a hill shrub community (Calluna vulgaris) of northern Spain.