Department of Rangeland Ecology and Management, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA.
USDA/NRCS, Pendleton, Oregon, USA.
Anim Sci J. 2017 Mar;88(3):553-558. doi: 10.1111/asj.12670. Epub 2016 Jul 29.
The spatial occupancy patterns and activity of cattle grazing three riparian pastures was investigated in northeastern Oregon using Global Positioning System (GPS) collars logging at 1-sec intervals. Cattle consistently selected plant communities as grazing areas that had forage in sufficient volume to meet their requirements and favored communities as resting areas that were dry and open. Cattle were stationary for more than 50% of the time in each pasture and consistently rested between dark and 04:00 hours. Interaction with stream channels was found to be 1-2% of total occupancy time and occurred on less than 10% of channel length. Cattle were indifferent or avoided channel areas relative to their area and, when in this zone, they spent most of their time moving not resting. Cattle did not prefer the stream bank zone and spent only 2% of their time in that zone. When occupied, the stream bank zone was used as a travel corridor to gain access to water or cross the channel to access other pasture areas. These results are in contrast with the general belief that cattle are a primary occupant of the stream bank/channel area; additional research is needed to define factors influencing cattle occupancy.
本研究使用全球定位系统（GPS）连续 1 秒记录牛只在俄勒冈东北部三个河岸牧场上的空间占用模式和活动。牛群始终选择有足够草料满足其需求的植物群落作为放牧区，并选择干燥开阔的群落作为休息区。牛群在每个牧场的停留时间超过 50%，并且始终在天黑至凌晨 4 点之间休息。与溪流通道的相互作用仅占总占用时间的 1-2%，并且发生在不到 10%的通道长度上。牛群对其面积相对较小的通道区域表现出漠不关心或回避，当处于该区域时，它们大部分时间都在移动而不是休息。牛群并不喜欢河岸带区域，只花费 2%的时间在该区域。当被占用时，河岸带区域被用作通往水源的通行走廊，或穿越通道以进入其他牧场区域。这些结果与牛群是河岸/通道区域主要占据者的普遍观点相矛盾；需要进一步研究来确定影响牛群占用的因素。
