Post on 20-Jun-2015
description
Principles of Diet Selection
Beth BurrittArea Rangeland Resources Extension Agent
Website: extension.usu.edu/behave
Or why animals eat certain foods
Behavior Depends on
Consequences
ConsequencesBehavior ConsequencesConsequences
ConsequencesBehavior
Most Behaviors are Learned
Sheep Chase Dog
Her parents refused to buy her a horse
Mother Knows Best
1 2 3 4 50
5
10
15
20
25
Day of Exposure
avoids mountain mahogany
Mom eats serviceberry and …
Nu
mb
er o
f b
ites
/lam
bLambs Eat What Mom Eats
and Avoids What She Avoids
. . .even after weaning
1 2 3 4 5 6 70
25
50
75
100
serviceberry
mountain mahogany
62 63 64 65 66 67 680
25
50
75
100
mountain mahogany
serviceberry
%
of
bit
es b
y la
mb
s
Days after weaning
Neurology Structure Physiology
Experience Changes the Body
Experience changes the body• Brain structure and function• Liver function• Nitrogen recycling• Rumen size• Rumen papilla size and number
Foraging Skills
Palatability is more than a
matter of taste
Nutrients Increase Palatability
Toxins Decrease Palatability
Flavor allows animals to discriminate between foods.
Feedback tells the body whether a particular food flavor is useful or harmful.
Flavors apart from feedback are neither palatable or unpalatable
What is the purpose of flavor?
They can’t be that smart.
1. Changes in preferences for foods are automatic.
2. They don’t have to think about them.
3. At times, they are not rational.
Variety is the spice of life
Monotony – Same Flavor
1 2 3 4 50
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
Day
maple
coconut
1 2 3 4 50
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
maple
coconut
Day
Inta
ke (
g)
Preference for Nutrients
PreferenceEnergy ProteinMeal
High Energy
High Protein
Toxins Limit Intake
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 90
150
300
450
600
Day
.75% LiCl
0% LiCl
1.5% LiClInta
ke o
f oat
s, g
Most toxins limit intake causing
animals to eat a variety of foods
PoisonousPlants
Plants with Toxins
the fear of anything new
Neophobia -
Animals Sample Novel Foods
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 90
100
200
300
400
no
ve
l f
lav
or
Inta
ke (
g)
Day
Beijing fast food
Beijing fast food
Beijing fast food
How does neophobia keep animals safe and help them learn
about new foods?
1 2 3 40
50
100
150
200
250
Inta
ke (
g)
LiCl
Day
Familiar-Novel Dichotomy
Rye – Novel Food
Corn
Alfalfa
Barley
Oats
How do livestock select their diets?
1. with companions2. familiar foods3. foods high in nutrients and
low in toxins4. a variety of foods5. familiar foods that are rare in
the environment
They prefer to eat:
Training Cows to Eat Weeds
. . . by reducing novelty and
providing variety and positive feedback.
Know your weed• Nutrients• Toxins• Nutrient/Toxin Interactions
2. Work with the right animals
• Young• Female• Healthy• Manageable in Number and Temperament
3. Build on how animals learn
• Reduce fear of new things
• Make the unfamiliar seem familiar
4. Test animals in trial pastures
• Small• Provide a variety of forages
Early Experience Matters Most
Same strawDifferent performance
Different experience
Experience Influences Performance
Body weight ** *Body condition ** *Milk production ** -Post-partum interval ** -
Year 1 Year 2 Year 3
Strategic supplementation
improves use of forage and landscapes
• Low moisture blocks (LMB) contain 2 – 4 % moisture.• LMB are available in 125 - 250 lb containers.• LMB (250 lb) only need to be replaced about once every 2 weeks when fed 1 barrel per 25 cows.
Low moisture block (LMB) effectively
increased and focused grazing in moderate terrain.
LMB attracted cows to graze difficult terrain that typically was not used.
Low-moisture block can be placed with an ATV and trailer in steep, rocky terrain
Training is critical for supplement to be an effective tool to improve grazing distribution.
Animals must also know where supplement is located.
The question isn’t: Do animals learn?
They learn everyday.
The question is:Do we as managers want to
bepart of the process?
Website: extension.usu.edu/behave