Abstract

CARABALLOSO¹, A; BORROTO, Ángela  and  PEREZ, R. Behavior of grazing buffaloes in wetlands of Ciego de Ávila, Cuba. Pastos y Forrajes [online]. 2011, vol.34, n.2, pp.211-217. ISSN 0864-0394.

With the objective of characterizing the behavior of grazing buffaloes in a Ciego de Ávila wetland, this study was conducted in areas of the Livestock Production Enterprise of the Bolivia municipality, in the Northern Wetland of the Ciego de Ávila province. Clinically healthy river, swamp and crossbred Buffalypso buffaloes were used. In order to determine the floristic composition different transepts were made through the intercept line procedure. The behavior of the grazing buffaloes was evaluated for 10 consecutive days and in both seasons, through the visual method adapted for this species. A total of 165 plant species corresponding to 20 families were identified in the grazing area of the buffaloes. The animals dedicated most of their time to grazing in both periods (58,5 and 64,3% for periods I and II, respectively), followed by rumination (13,2 and 15,1%, respectively). The behavior study is concluded to be an important tool in buffalo exploitation and management; the buffaloes were observed to dedicate the highest time percentage to the grazing activity, with a trend to its increase in the first three hours of day. Intensifying the sowing of plant cover is recommended to prevent its deterioration, as well as the migration of the animals to other ecosystems.

Keywords : Grazing; water buffalo.

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