Abstract

FRANCO-GUERRA, Francisco J et al. Method of the use point diameter to estimate the ingestion by bite in trashumant goats, Mexico. Zootecnia Trop. [online]. 2008, vol.26, n.3, pp.375-377. ISSN 0798-7269.

The objective of the present work was to establish prediction equations to estimate the weight of the bite browsed by goat livestock in transhumant grazing in the most preferred arboreal and shrubs species in six rangelands. Grazing behaviour was observed in six animals at random and it was simulated the mouthful manually by cutting with scissor according to the portion ingested ant the depth of the mouthful (stem, petiole, and central nerve of the leaf) collecting 10 samples by woody species. In each case, 100 couples of data (diameter and weight) were obtained. The values were contrasted by means of lineal regression, potential, exponential, and reciprocal equations. Due to the high alpha biodiversity and consequently of morphology and size of the leaves, the method of the use point diameter turned out to be of low applicability. Nevertheless, from a total of 132 tested equations, the best adjustment was obtained with the equations of potential type.

Keywords : grazing transhumant; diameter above the use point; woody; regression equations.

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