1. Grazing preferences of goats in diverse rangeland
Jørgensen M1, Helgesen R2, Eknæs M2, Mølmann J1 and Steinshamn H3
1 Bioforsk, Norwegian Institute for Agricultural and Environmental Research, Arctic Agriculture Division, Tromsø, Norway
2 Department of Animal and Aquacultural Sciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway
3 Bioforsk, Organic Food and Farming Division, Tingvoll, Norway
Photo R. Helgesen

2. Introduction
Goats spend in average about 125 days on forest and mountain pastures
Ca % of milk produced on these pastures
Limited knowledge on which species are grazed and on nutritional quality of the plants during the grazing season
Photo S. Dalmannsdottir

3. Objectives:
Gain insight into which vegetation types and plant species are preferred in rangeland
Uptake and nutrition content of preferred plants during grazing season
Photo: Kia Hansen

4. Materials and methods Study performed: Early (June 28 – July 16)
Late (August 16 – September 3)
Diet preferences:
37 species collected in early summer, and 41 in late
Analysed plant wax compounds; n-alkanes and long-chained alcohols in plants and faeces
Plants grouped according to PCA analyses of alkane/alcohol profiles
Diet composition estimated using least square optimisation
Vegetation types and preferences of goats:
Vegetation mapped
GPS-collars to record position of goat every 15 minutes

5. GPS-observations of goats during two periods summer 2010
Vegetation map Summer 2010
Gibostad, Troms county, Norway 69oN, 18oE
GPS-observations of goats during two periods summer 2010
GPS-obs
Period 1
Period 2
Vegetation type
Damp heath Cultivated land Pastures Dwarf shrub heath
Lichen-heath.birch forest Blueberry-birch forest
Meadow-birch forest
Pasture-land forest
Billberry spruce forest
Meadow spruce forest Poor swamp forest Rich swamp forest
Bog Deer‑grass fen Fen Mud‑bottom fens/bogs
P1 - Mest i Blåbærbjørkeskog (37%), beitevoll (27%) og engbjørkeskog (19%), gang 5,2 km/dag
P2 – Mest i Blåbærbjørkeskog (49%), beitevoll (23%) og hagemarkskog (14 %) gang 7,6 km/dag
Map: P. K. Bjørklund and M. Angeloff, Skog og Landskap

6. Percentage of
total area
Vegetation types
Pasture
3.5
Fen/Bog
17.6
Swamp
4.1
Spruce forest
2.3
Pasture-land forest
0.2
Meadow-birch forest
20.9
Blueberry-birch forest
41.1
Lichen/heather-birch forest
5.9
Other
4.4
Total area
298 ha

7. Vegetation types Photo: Per K. Bjørklund
Blueberry-birch forest with Avenella flexuosa
Meadow-birch forest dominated by ferns
Fen dominated by Carex species
Forest turned in to pasture by goats
Photo: Per K. Bjørklund

8. Electivity index * * ** ** Difference between seasons
Level of siginificance:
* p<0.05
** p<0.01 * ** **

9. Estimates of diet components0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Early (Jun 28 – Jul 16)
Late Aug 16 – Sep 3
Mean 9 goats
Grasses
Rushes and sedges
Ferns
Birch
Trees; Picaea abies,
Juniperus
Vaccinium ssp
Salix ssp
Sorbus aucup.
Proportion of diet
Rushes and sedges
Grasses; Anthoxanthum,
Avenella, Phleum alp
Salix ssp
Birch
Photo: Kia Hansen

10. Protein content of grazed species in early July (P1) and late August (P2)
Crude protein, g kg-1 DM
Type
Species P1 P2
Ferns
Athyrium spp., Phegopteris connectilis
118
106
Rushes and sedges
Carex spp, Eriophorum angustifolium
144 93
Grasses
Anthoxanth odoratum, Avenella flexuosa, Phleum alpinum 79
Trees, shrubs
Betula pubescens
133
105
Heath
Vaccinium myrtillus, V. vitis-idea 88

11. Conclusions
Goats cleary preferred some vegetation types, but this was also dependent on season
They walked longer distances in autumn compared to early summer
They grazed a very diverse diet consisting of sedges, grasses, shrubs and trees both early and late in the season
Protein content in grazed plants decreased and NDF increased to some extent from early to late in season
The choice of species reflects availability and to some degree nutrient content of plants
Utmark P1 bjørk, blåbær bregner
P2 mer gras, rogn, selje

12. Acknowledgement
The Norwegian Research Council and TINE SA for financially support

13. Thank you!
Photo: Kia Hansen