GRAZING PATTERNS OF PANTANEIRO HORSES. AN ELEMENT OF ADAPTABILITY TO THE PANTANAL REGION, BRAZIL(HÁBITOS DE PASTOREO DE CABALLOS PANTANEIROS. UN ELEMENTO DE ADAPTABILIDAD AL PANTANAL BRASILEÑO)

Santos S.A.

Description

Abstract
Seasonal foods and habitat use of Pantaneiro horses were determined in two Pantanal subregions: Nhecolândia (March 1990 to February 1991) and Abobral (December 1993 to October 1995). In both sub-regions, a direct pasture observation method was used in two daily sessions (morning and afternoon). The forage plants eaten and habitat occupied by animals were recorded every five minutes. Habitat use for feeding was determined using the percentage of all observations which were recorded in the landscape unit ?i? (Ui). Pantaneiro horses exhibited a selective grazing habit which varied seasonally and spatially. This must be taken into consideration for range and breed management and conservation strategies. The herd was apparently healthy during all study period, indicating adaptability to the Pantanal rangeland.
Resumen
El hábito alimenticio fue estudiado en el caballo Pantaneiro en dos sub-regiones distintas en el Pantanal brasileño: Nhecolandia (marzo/1990 a febrero/1991) y Abobral (diciembre/1993 a octubre/ 1995). Los registros del pastoreo fueron obtenidos a través del método de observación directa, dos horas por la mañana y dos horas por la tarde, durante las que se registró cada cinco minutos el hábitat usado por los animales y los forrajes consumidos. El uso del hábitat para la alimentación fue determinado en función del porcentaje de las observaciones realizadas en el período para el área de pasto. Los caballos Pantaneiros presentaron selectividad alimenticia estacional y espacial. Estas informaciones son muy importantes para el establecimiento del manejo alimenticio y conservación de áreas naturales. Los caballos aparentemente se encontraban sanos indicando una buena adaptación a los pastizales.

Sujets

• Rangeland

Informations

• Publié par: erevistas
• Publié le: 01 janvier 2002
• Nombre de lectures: 40

Extrait

GRAZING PATTERNS OF PANTANEIRO HORSES. AN ELEMENT
OF ADAPTABILITY TO THE PANTANAL REGION, BRAZIL
HÁBITOS DE PASTOREO DE CABALLOS PANTANEIROS. UN ELEMENTO DE
ADAPTABILIDAD AL PANTANAL BRASILEÑO
1 1 2 1 3 1Santos, S.A., S.M.A. Crispim, A.C. Soares, R.A. Mauro, M. Pereira and J.R.B. Sereno
1Researchers of Embrapa Pantanal. Caixa Postal 109. CEP – 79320 900, Corumbá. MS, Brazil.
E mail: [e-mail]
2Student Rhae CNPq Embrapa Pantanal. Corumbá. MS, Brazil.
3Researcher of Embrapa Gado de Corte. Caixa Postal 154. CEP 79002 970. Campo Grande. MS, Brazil.
ADDITIONAL KEYWORDS PALABRAS CLAVE ADICIONALES
Animal diet. Habitat use. Rangeland. Native Dieta animal. Uso del hábitat. Pastizales. Razas
breeds. nativas.
RESUMENSUMMARY
El hábito alimenticio fue estudiado en el ca Seasonal foods and habitat use of Pantaneiro
horses were determined in two Pantanal sub ballo Pantaneiro en dos sub regiones distintas en
el Pantanal brasileño: Nhecolandia (marzo/1990regions: Nhecolândia (March 1990 to February
1991) and Abobral (December 1993 to October a febrero/1991) y Abobral (diciembre/1993 a oc
tubre/1995).1995).
In both sub regions, a direct pasture obser Los registros del pastoreo fueron obtenidos a
través del método de observación directa, dosvation method was used in two daily sessions
(morning and afternoon). The forage plants eaten horas por la mañana y dos horas por la tarde,
durante las que se registró cada cinco minutos eland habitat occupied by animals were recorded
every five minutes. hábitat usado por los animales y los forrajes
consumidos. El uso del hábitat para la alimenta Habitat use for feeding was determined using
the percentage of all observations which were ción fue determinado en función del porcentaje
de las observaciones realizadas en el períodorecorded in the landscape unit ‘i’ (Ui). Pantaneiro
horses exhibited a selective grazing habit which para el área de pasto. Los caballos Pantaneiros
presentaron selectividad alimenticia estacional yvaried seasonally and spatially. This must be
taken into consideration for range and breed espacial. Estas informaciones son muy importan
tes para el establecimiento del manejo alimenti management and conservation strategies. The
herd was apparently healthy during all study cio y conservación de áreas naturales. Los caba
llos aparentemente se encontraban sanos indi period, indicating adaptability to the Pantanal
rangeland. cando una buena adaptación a los pastizales.
Arch. Zootec. 51: 129 138. 2002.SANTOS, CRISPIM, SOARES, MAURO, PEREIRA AND SERENO
INTRODUCTION there are no records of changes that
occurred or organisms that were lost.
The Pantanal is a vast floodplain of Adaptability to the local environ
2140,000 km , located in Central ment is the most important trait in
Western, Brazil (16 22° S, 55 58° W).native breeds, thus it is necessary to
The Pantanal supports many wild know the grazing patterns of these
herbivores, such as marh deer ( Blasto breeds and then provide a basis for
cerus dichotomus), pampas deer range and breed management and
(Ozotoceros bezoarticus), capibara conservation strategies. The purpose
(Hydrochaeris hydrochaeris), which of this study is to evaluate the diet and
share areas of natural rangeland with habitat use of grazing Pantaneiro horses
livestock species, such as cattle and (figure 1) in two sub regions of the
horses. In this region, beef cattle Pantanal.
ranching is the main economic activity.
Farming systems are extensive and
MATERIALS AND METHODSnative forage is the cattle's main feeding
source. Given the differing biomasses
The experiment was conducted inof native and exotic ungulates that
two sub regions of the Pantanal:inhabit the Pantanal, it is necessary to
Nhecolândia and Abobral (figure 2).know the grazing behavior of the
Nhecolândia sub region is one of thedifferent herbivores that make up these
most important area of extensive cattleecosystems. The Pantanal presents
ranching. The vegetation forms adifferent landscape units, variable
complex mosaic and is generallywithin and among sub regions. The
related to topographic features. It isquality and availability of native
characterized by the presence ofpasture changes seasonally due to flood
permanent or temporary ponds , openand dry periods.
grasslands ordinarily subject toCattle and horses were introduced
th seasonal inundation and semideciduousin the region in the 16 century during
forest on ridges of sandy soils. Allthe colonization period. Pantaneiro
observations were made in an area ofhorses probably originated from
about 75 ha, with the presence ofIberian horses introduced by Spanish
twenty five brood mares, includingsettlers, and are a product of natural
two with a foal at foot, under conti selection – over the last three centuries
nuous grazing, from March 1990 towith little or no human action.
February 1991. Only horses were keptPantaneiro horses are adapted to the
in the area. The study area is normallybioclimatic conditions of this region.
flooded with local rainfall. For theThey constitute an economically and
socially important factor, being a mustpurpose of this study, the area was
for the cattle industry and for regionalstratified into five landscape units:
transportation (Santos et al., 1992). open grasslands (OG), permanent
The impact of domesticated animals ponds (PP), ponds edge (PE), tempo
introduced in the region, such as horsesrary ponds (TP) and semideciduous
and cattle, happened so long ago that forest (SF). Abobral sub region is a
Archivos de zootecnia vol. 51, núm. 193 194, p. 130.GRAZING PATTERNS OF PANTANEIRO HORSES
Figure 1. Pantaneiro horse. (Caballo Pantaneiro).
true floodplain because the area is from 8:00 to 10:00 am, the second one
flooded by riverine overflows. Savanna was from 15:00 to 17:00. The forage
and grassland are the most common plant parts eaten and habitat occupied
vegetation types. The study was carried by animals were recorded every five
out in a transition area, which had minutes (scan sampling).The main
some ponds. The study area has vast species selected were expressed as a
grassland areas and only a small percentage of the total ingested plants
amount of small woodlands (forest observed.
islands). The soils are sandy. All Habitat use for feeding was determi
observations were made in an area of ned using the percentage of all obser
about 300 ha. Ten horses and about 90vations which were recorded in the
heads of cattle were allowed to graze, landscape unit ‘i’ (Ui). The observed
under continuous grazing, from use by season was compared with an
December 1993 to October 1995. Forexpected value calculated from the
the purpose of this study, the area waspercentage of the area covered by each
stratified into OG, PP, PE, TP and habitat using a chi square test. The
forest islands (FI). normalized index of preference (Pn)
In both sub regions, a direct described by Duncan (1983) was
observation method was used in two employed in this study:
daily sessions (morning and afternoon). Pn = log (Pc + 1),
The morning grazing observation was Pc is the conventional index of
Archivos de zootecnia vol. 51, núm. 193 194, p. 131.SANTOS, CRISPIM, SOARES, MAURO, PEREIRA AND SERENO
preference Pc=Ui/Ai, where Ai is the Samples of important forage species
percentage of the area covered by were collected in each season and
landscape unit ‘i’. Higher values indicateanalyzed for crude protein (CP),
increasing degrees of preference. calcium (Ca) and phosphorus (P). CP
Brasil
B ras ília
Pantanal area
MT
10 9
11
7
Sub-regions
1 Porto M urtinho
82 Nabileque
3 M iranda
Nhum irim farm4 Aquidauana
5 - Abobral 6Leque farm6 Nhecolândia
7 Paiaguas 5
8 Paraguai
49 Barão de M elgaço 3
10 - Poconé
11 C áceres 2
Basin area: 361.666 km 2
Pantanal area: 138.183 km 2
MS
Laboratório de Geoprocessam ento
Embrapa Pantanal l 1
Rua 21 de Setembro, 1880
Bairro Nossa Senhora de Fátima
79320 900 CORUMBÁ-MS
Fone: 67 233 2430
Fax: [phone]
www.cpap.embrapa.br
Figure 2. Pantanal Map. (Mapa del Pantanal).
Archivos de zootecnia vol. 51, núm. 193 194, p. 132.GRAZING PATTERNS OF PANTANEIRO HORSES
was determined by the Kjeldahl method In Nhecolândia sub region availa
(AOAC, 1975), Ca by atomic absor ble herbage was sampled in each
ption (Harris and Popat, 1954) and P landscape unit from random quadrats
2by colorimetry (Fick et al ., 1976). Data of 1m. The plants in each plot were
were expressed on a percent dry mattercut at ground level, sored by species
basis. Mean dietary quality was and weighed fresh. In Abobral sub
calculated for each season as per region, the Botanal method (Tothill et
McInnis and Vavras (1987). al., 1978) was used.
Table I. Mean forage species and dietary composition of selected seasonal diets by Pantaneiro
horses, Nhecolândia sub region, Pantanal, from March 1990 to February 1991. (Promedio de
las especies en el pastizal y la composición estacional de la dieta seleccionada de caballos Pantaneiros,
sub región de Nhecolân