Grazing behavior of cows measured by handheld GPS and bite counter collar: A case of Fazenda Baía Bonita in South Pantanal, Brazil

Abstract

Detailed data on the grazing behavior of cattle is vital for the estimation of grazing capacity, which is the basis for the sustainable grazing. This study examined the grazing behavior of cows by using handheld GPS and a bite counter collar system. Fazenda Baía Bonita ranch in south Pantanal in Brazil was selected as the study area, and our fieldwork was carried out in the rainy season. We attempted to clarify the cows' migration and herbage intake (jaw movement) by land classification (temporary grassland, year-round grassland and forest). The results are summarized as follows: (1) We observed about five to eight peaks of herbage intake per day by the three cows sampled. (2) One or two of the peaks appeared at midnight, about from 10 PM to 2 AM. (3) The cows did not graze much in the early morning after low night temperatures. (4) Cows migrate 10 to 19 km per day, a longer distance than we expected from previous studies. (5) Considering grazing behavior by land classification, the migration distance of cows is long in forest, emporary grassland and year-round grassland, and herbage intake is greater in temporary grassland, and shorter respectively in year-round grassland and forest. The basic data presented by this study will offer critical data for estimating grazing capacity of the traditional ranches in the Pantanal. The results are expected to contribute to the development of a herd management system that could realize sustainable grazing of cows while preserving natural grassland in a fragile wetland environment.