Graduation date: 2008
We studied the distribution and habitat selection differences between
Spanish breed (Corriente and Longhorn mix) and British breed cattle (Angus,
Hereford). This study was located on the Zumwalt prairie during the spring and
fall and along the Imnaha river for the winter. Each trial ran for two weeks and in
the spring and fall trials the breed specific herds rotated from a randomly selected
initial pasture to its counterpart at the end of the first week.
We collected GPS position data, velocity, distance to water, distance to
salt/mineral, landscape aspect, landscape slope, slope of travel path, range site use,
and standing crop of range sites, every 30 seconds for randomly selected cattle
within each herd unit.
Spanish and British breed cattle used in this study had different distribution
and habitat selection patterns; especially when forage quality and quantity was
low. Throughout the study the breeds selected spatially separate areas, but similar
range sites within the pasture independent of the other breed, location, or time of
year. In the fall, Spanish breed cattle accessed known water half as often, traveled
further, and rested further from water sources than did the British breed cattle.
Further research would benefit from procedures that control prior experiences of
the animals, increased stocking rates and increased number of herd units to raise
the level inference.