Alterations in the diversity and composition of the fecal microbiota of domestic yaks (Bos grunniens) with pasture alteration-induced diarrhea

Diarrhea is a common issue in domestic yaks (Bos grunniens) that can occur with pasture alterations and significantly impacts growth performance. Previous research has examined the microbiota of diarrhetic yaks; however, the structural changes in gut bacterial community and microbial interactions in yaks with grassland alteration-induced diarrhea remain poorly understood. To explore variations in gut microbiota homeostasis among yaks suffering from diarrhea, fecal microbiota diversity and composition were analyzed using 16 S rRNA amplicon sequencing. Gut fecal microbiota diversity was lower in diarrhetic yaks than in non-diarrhetic yaks. Furthermore, the bacterial community composition (including that of Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria) in the feces of diarrhetic yaks displayed significant alterations. Co-occurrence network analysis further underscored the compromised intestinal flora stability in yaks with diarrhea relative to that in non-diarrhetic yaks. Interestingly, the abundance of beneficial bacteria, such as Lachnospiraceae_AC2044_group and Lachnospiraceae_NK4A136_group, were decreased in yaks with diarrhea, and the reductions were negatively correlated with the fecal water content. Collectively, these findings indicate that diminished microbial stability and increased abundance of certain bacteria in the gut may contribute to diarrhea occurrence in yaks.

Ecosystem Resilience of a South African Mesic Grassland with Change from Rotational to Continuous Grazing

Grazing practices affect the soil and vegetation of grasslands, which further influence the provision of ecosystem services and the productivity of grasslands. We determined the ecosystem resilience of a mesic grassland under three grazing management systems in the Pakkies area, (30°33'08''S, 29°25'22'' E), South Africa: cooperative (continuously grazed since 2017), commercial (rotationally grazed for >20 years), and communal (continuously grazed for >20 years) farms. This was carried out by measuring the penetration resistance and infiltration, soil nutrients, forage quality contents for livestock, veld condition, plant species composition and richness, and functional diversity. The soils had a higher penetration resistance in the continuously grazed communal farm, while water infiltration was highest in the continuously grazed cooperative farm. The plant species and functional diversity were greater in the rotationally grazed commercial farm than in the continuously grazed communal and cooperative farms. The continuously grazed cooperative farm had the highest veld condition score (97%), while the rotationally grazed commercial and the continuously grazed communal farms had 82% and 56% veld condition scores, respectively. The forage quality and soil nutrients were generally similar among all farms. The lower plant diversity observed with continuous grazing may indicate that the ecological system was not as resilient concerning this type of grazing. However, for forage quality, soil nutrients and veld condition, continuous grazing was resilient, which indicates that rotational grazing may not be better than continuous grazing for livestock production in this specific region. As long as a minimum level of ecological resilience can be retained, continuous grazing can sustain effective animal production, particularly for small-holder farmers.

Ecological thresholds of toxic plants for sheep production and ecosystem multifunctionality and their trade-off in an alpine meadow

Toxic plants are a natural component of alpine meadow which co-evolved with Tibetan sheep for thousands of years. One challenge for indigenous herders is to know the ecological thresholds of toxic plants and maintain their vital functions in ways that are compatible with economic income and ecological conservation. To achieve this, field trials with Tibetan sheep grazing in alpine meadow were conducted to examine the ecological thresholds of toxic plants for sheep production and ecosystem functions and their trade-offs. Our results demonstrated that the changing point values of biomass proportion of toxic plants for dry matter intake and liveweight gain of sheep were 17% and 22%, respectively. The changing point value of biomass (richness) proportion of toxic plants for soil carbon accumulation index was 31% (59%), for soil nutrient cycling index was 38% (42%), and for ecosystem multifunctionality index was 28% (50%). The trade-off between liveweight gain of sheep and ecosystem multifunctionality first decreased and then increased along the gradient of biomass proportion of toxic plants (the value of changing point was 37%), and had a significant negative correlation with richness of toxic plants. In addition, structural equation modeling indicated that toxic plants can affect the trade-off between liveweight gain of sheep and ecosystem multifunctionality though increasing acid detergent fiber of plant and decreasing plant species richness, belowground biomass and soil total phosphorus. Consequently, opinions towards toxic plants should shift from the conventional view that they are serious threat to grassland ecosystem health to an inclusive understanding that they are beneficial to livestock and ecosystem functions under certain ecological thresholds.

Constraints and prospects of utilising mountain pastures in Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan

In the mountain regions of northern Pakistan, pasture-based animal husbandry is a substantial element of people’s livelihood. To study the implications of herding strategies on rangeland utilization patterns, individual interviews with 90 herders and 10 group interviews with five to eight herders per group, respectively, were conducted in three valleys each of Pakistan’s Gilgit-Baltistan region. Data collection targeted number and species of animals kept, livestock management practices and seasonal pasture use and included GIS-based participatory mapping of spring, summer, autumn and winter pastures of yak, small ruminants and cattle. Households kept 10 yaks on average, along with 4 cattle and 15 small ruminants. Herding practices varied between valleys and seasons and were influenced by topographic as well as social factors. Full-time herding led to a more uniform distribution of yaks on pastures than part-time herding and unattended grazing, but in small ruminants promoted higher animal numbers near campsites. Many livestock keepers perceived rangeland degradation as a veritable challenge and identified lack of herding labour as one important problem. Training programmes for young herders, strengthening of group herding schemes and prevention of lowland pasture conversion into farmland were suggested as effective countermeasures.

Grazing Seasons and Stocking Rates Affects the Relationship between Herbage Traits of Alpine Meadow and Grazing Behaviors of Tibetan Sheep in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

Simple Summary

The relationship between vegetation and grazing behavior of Tibetan sheep on the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau (QTP) remains a major concern for pursuing the sustainable grazing management of grassland. Grazing behavior is the daily activity of grazing livestock, which can reflect the growth status of the pasture and the level of grassland health in the local pasture, as well as the nutritional needs of Tibetan sheep. We studied the relationship between the grazing behaviors of Tibetan sheep and the quantity and quality of forage in different seasons and different stocking rates. Our results showed that the grazing behavior of Tibetan sheep was greatly affected by the quantity and nutritional quality of the forage. These results may be helpful for local herders to evaluate the nutritional status of forage and condition of grassland degradation, so that appropriate measures can be taken to protect local pastures in advance.

Abstract

Under the combined effect of stocking rate and grazing season, it is very significant to ascertain whether there is a quantitative relationship between plant community characteristics, chemical composition of forage, and grazing behaviors of Tibetan sheep to better utilize native pasture in the northeast region of the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau (QTP). The two consecutive year observation experiments on Tibetan sheep’s grazing behavior were conducted to evaluate the above-stated relationships between stocking rates of 8 sheep/ha and 16 sheep/ha stocking rates in the both the warm and cold seasons. The results demonstrated that at 8 sheep/ha or in the warm season, due to better forage quality, Tibetan sheep had higher herbage mass, forage crude protein (CP) concentration, CP intake, dry matter intake (DMI), and interval between feed boluses and total number of steps, as well as lower fiber concentration than that at 16 sheep/ha or in the cold season. Diurnal intake rate and walking velocity while intaking increased as both average daylight ambient temperature and relative humidity rose. Using the CP concentration, acid detergent fiber (ADF) concentration, neutral detergent fiber (NDF) concentration, and forage metabolic energy (ME) to predict grazing behavior yielded the best fit equation for Tibetan sheep. For local herdsmen to sustainably use the alpine meadow, 8 sheep/ha in the warm season should be considered as the better grazing condition for preventing grassland degradation.

Prediction of Metabolizable Energy Concentrations of Herbage in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau Using Tibetan Sheep Digestibility Data

Simple Summary

Robust prediction of herbage nutritive value is critical to improve grazing efficiency and to maintain a sustainable environment in the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau. A range of prediction equations were developed in the present study using sheep digestibility data which can produce an accurate estimation of herbage nutritive value. The adaptation of the present equations is expected to benefit local farmers with higher economical return and to improve the fragile ecological systems the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau.

Abstract

Due to its extremely harsh environment, including high altitude, hypoxia, long cold season, and strong ultraviolet radiation in the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau (QTP), herbage species and nutritional value of the pasture may differ considerably from elsewhere across the world. The aim of the present study was to develop biologically relevant equations for estimating the metabolizable energy (ME) value of fresh native herbages in the QTP using digestibility variables and chemical concentrations in the herbage offered to Tibetan sheep at the maintenance level. A total of 11 digestibility trials (6 sheep/trial) were performed in different grazing seasons from 2011 to 2016. The herbage was harvested daily in the morning and offered to sheep at the maintenance feeding level. Thirty-seven equations were developed for the prediction of herbage digestible energy (DE) and ME energy values. The mean prediction error for ME was the lowest when using herbage gross energy digestibility as a sole predictor. When using other digestibility variables (e.g., dry matter and organic matter) as primary predictors, addition of herbage nutrient concentration reduced the difference between predicted and actual values. When DE was used as the primary explanatory variable, mean prediction error was reduced with the addition of ash, nitrogen (N), diethyl ether extract (EE), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and acid detergent fiber (ADF) concentrations. The internal validation of the present equations showed lower prediction errors when compared with those of existing equations for prediction of DE and ME concentrations in the herbage. Equations developed in the current study may thus allow for an improved and accurate prediction of metabolizable energy concentrations of herbage in practice, which is critical for the development of sustainable grazing systems in the QTP.

Tibetan sheep grazing modifies rodent density and their interactions effect on GHG emissions of alpine meadow

Digging and mound-building by rodents lead to considerable disturbances in the topsoil and may affect plant composition, soil properties. However, little is known about the effects of these activities on GHG emissions, especially under different grazing management. This paper aimed to measure changes in CO₂ and CH₄ efflux with varying grazing management during the warm and cold seasons and to relate CO₂ and CH₄ efflux to pika burrow density and zokor mound density with different grazing management. Results of this study showed that CO₂ efflux was significantly affected by the grazing season, whereas CH₄ efflux was significantly affected by the grazing system. There were significant relationships between GHG efflux and rodent population density which were regulated by grazing management. CO₂ efflux increased linearly with rodent density under seasonal continuous grazing in warm season. CO₂ and CH₄ efflux and rodent population density showed a significant quadratic convex relationship under rotational grazing at 24 SM/ha in warm and cold seasons and rotational grazing at 48 SM/ha in cold season. Under rotational grazing at light stocking rate (24 SM/ha), appropriate populations of rodents were beneficial for decreasing GHG emissions. This results also used to help drive a best-practices model for grazing practices of local herders.

An evaluation of government-recommended stocking systems for sustaining pastoral businesses and ecosystems of the Alpine Meadows of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

China introduced the "Retire Livestock and Restore Grassland" policy in 2003. It was strengthened in 2011 by additional funding for on-farm structures. On the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP), fences were erected, livestock excluded from degraded areas, rotational stocking introduced, nighttime shelters were built, forages grown, and seed sown. However, the effectiveness of these actions and their value to Tibetan herders has been questioned. We conducted a sheep stocking experiment for 5 years in an Alpine Meadow region of the QTP to evaluate stocking options recommended by Government. Cold and warm season stocking each at three rates (0, 8, and 16 sheep/ha) and continuous stocking at 0 and 4 sheep/ha were compared. We measured live weights of sheep, plant species richness and evenness, root biomass and carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) contents of the 0-10 cm of soil. We found that resting grassland from stocking during the warm season for later cold season stocking significantly reduced plant species richness and evenness and root biomass but not soil C, N, and P. During cold season stocking, live weights of sheep declined whether at a stocking rate of 8 or 16 per ha. In contrast, sheep continuously stocked on grassland at 4 per ha gained weight throughout both the warm and cold seasons and plant species richness and evenness were maintained. Warm season stocking at 8 and 16 sheep/ha increased plant species richness and root biomass but reduced plant species evenness. Resting these alpine grasslands from stocking in the warm season has adverse consequences for plant conservation. Fencing from stocking in the warm season is not justified by this study; all grassland should be judiciously stocked during the warm season to maintain plant species richness. Neither resting nor stocking during the cold season appears to have any adverse consequences but sheltering and in-door feeding of sheep during the cold season may be more profitable than cold season stocking with use of open nighttime yards.

How can sedentarised pastoralists be more technically efficient? A case from eastern Inner Mongolia

Technical efficiency (TE) means the effectiveness of production outputs attained for a given level of production inputs. This study examines pastoralist TE and its determinants for 416 pastoralist households from two leagues (prefectures) in eastern Inner Mongolia, a typical rangeland area in China. A one-step stochastic frontier method is applied to analyse data about household livestock production in 2011 to assess opportunities for increasing income and reducing poverty through increased TE. The main results show that pastoralists, in general, did not perform well with currently available technology, with the average TE score just 0.50 out of 1.0. Only about one-fifth (20.2%) of respondents had TE scores >0.7, and the same proportion had a TE score <0.3. More than one-quarter had TE scores in the range 0.3–0.5, and slightly more than one-third had TE scores in the range 0.5–0.7. About 83% of the variation in pastoralist livestock production is explained by the loss of TE. The age of the head of household, available pasture, investment in covered pens and participation in the rangeland rental market were found to influence TE. Encouraging younger pastoralists to enter pastoralism, and enlarging available grazing land through the rangeland rental market or cooperative rangeland use would likely enhance pastoralist performance; promoting investment in covered-pen construction could also improve productivity and alleviate a rangeland degradation cycle, which is pervasive in the study area.