Comparison of spatial distribution and resource use by Spanish and British breed cattle in northeastern Oregon prairie ecosystems
Permanent citation URL:
http://hdl.handle.net/1957/6326
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| Title: | Comparison of spatial distribution and resource use by Spanish and British breed cattle in northeastern Oregon prairie ecosystems |
| Authors: | Sheehy, Cody M. |
| Advisors: | Johnson, Douglas E. |
| Committee Members: | Ganskopp, Dave M. George, Mel Edge, Dan |
| Keywords: | Cattle Distribution Corriente GPS Zumwalt Range Ecology and Management |
| LCSH Keywords: | Longhorn cattle -- Behavior -- Oregon -- Wallowa County Hereford cattle -- Behavior -- Oregon -- Wallowa County Aberdeen-Angus cattle -- Behavior -- Oregon -- Wallowa County Cattle -- Behavior -- Oregon -- Wallowa County Longhorn cattle -- Habitat -- Oregon -- Wallowa County Hereford cattle -- Habitat -- Oregon -- Wallowa County Aberdeen-Angus cattle -- Habitat -- Oregon -- Wallowa County Cattle -- Behavior -- Habitat -- Oregon -- Wallowa County Spatial behavior in animals -- Oregon -- Wallowa County |
| Issue Date: | 13-Aug-2007 |
| Abstract: | We studied the distribution and habitat selection differences between Spanish breed (Corriente and Longhorn mix) and British breed cattle (Angus, Hereford). This study was located on the Zumwalt prairie during the spring and fall and along the Imnaha river for the winter. Each trial ran for two weeks and in the spring and fall trials the breed specific herds rotated from a randomly selected initial pasture to its counterpart at the end of the first week. We collected GPS position data, velocity, distance to water, distance to salt/mineral, landscape aspect, landscape slope, slope of travel path, range site use, and standing crop of range sites, every 30 seconds for randomly selected cattle within each herd unit. Spanish and British breed cattle used in this study had different distribution and habitat selection patterns; especially when forage quality and quantity was low. Throughout the study the breeds selected spatially separate areas, but similar range sites within the pasture independent of the other breed, location, or time of year. In the fall, Spanish breed cattle accessed known water half as often, traveled further, and rested further from water sources than did the British breed cattle. Further research would benefit from procedures that control prior experiences of the animals, increased stocking rates and increased number of herd units to raise the level inference. |
| Description: | Graduation date: 2008 |
| URI: | http://hdl.handle.net/1957/6326 |
| Appears in Collections: | Theses, Dissertations and Student Research Papers (Rangeland Ecology and Management) Electronic Theses and Dissertations |
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