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Publication Details
AFRICAN RESEARCH NEXUS
SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON AFRICAN RESEARCH
agricultural and biological sciences
Ingestive behavior of goats grazing in the Southwestern Argan (Argania spinosa) forest of Morocco
Small Ruminant Research, Volume 70, No. 2-3, Year 2007
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Description
This study, conducted in the southwestern Argan forest of Morocco, aimed to assess goat feeding behaviour and goat diet composition. Overall grazing time averaged 387 min/day and represented on average 70% of total time when the goats were released on pasture. Grazing time was higher during winter months. Bipedal grazing was low and never exceeded 10%. Soil grazing varied according to the period of the year. Aerial grazing increased when herbaceous layer was depleted. Walking activity that accounted for 24% of the presence of goats on pasture, varied with the period of the year. Resting time accounted for less than 39 min contributing less than 6% of the temporal behavior budget. The contribution of all argan to the goat's diet ranged from a minimum of 47% in June to a maximum of 84% in December. Aerial argan leaves contributed continuously to goat diets a proportion from 35% to 68%. Under-tree grazing accounted for 50% during June when herbaceous plants and stubble were available, but less than 15% when they were depleted. Total intake changed with advance in season. Total goat intake reached its lowest level when animals spent large amounts of their time grazing argan trees in response to shortage of feed on the ground. Variation of the intake rate was mainly due to bite size, since rate of biting varied little among months. Goats ingested larger bite size from March through June when argan fruits were available and when diversity of availability was the highest. The goats adaptation capacity in argan forest allows a kid meat production when other ruminants such as sheep probably would not be able to do. © 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Authors & Co-Authors
El Aïch, Ahmed
Morocco, Agdal Rabat
Institut Agronomique et Veterinaire Hassan Ii
El Assouli, N.
Morocco, Agdal Rabat
Institut Agronomique et Veterinaire Hassan Ii
Fathi, A.
Morocco, Agdal Rabat
Institut Agronomique et Veterinaire Hassan Ii
Morand-Fehr, Pierre
France, Palaiseau
Agroparistech
Bourbouze, Alain
France, Montpellier
Centre International de Hautes Etudes Agronomiques Méditerranéennes, Institut Agronomique Méditerranéen de Montpellier
Statistics
Citations: 67
Authors: 5
Affiliations: 3
Identifiers
Doi:
10.1016/j.smallrumres.2006.03.011
ISSN:
09214488
Study Locations
Morocco