Dietary overlap between cattle and chital in the Queensland dry tropics
Article
Article Title | Dietary overlap between cattle and chital in the Queensland dry tropics |
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ERA Journal ID | 3312 |
Article Category | Article |
Authors | Watter, Kurt (Author), Baxter, Greg S. (Author), Pople, Anthony (Author) and Murray, Peter J. (Author) |
Journal Title | The Rangeland Journal |
Journal Citation | 42 (3), pp. 221-225 |
Number of Pages | 5 |
Year | 2020 |
Publisher | CSIRO Publishing |
Place of Publication | Australia |
ISSN | 1036-9872 |
1834-7541 | |
Digital Object Identifier (DOI) | https://doi.org/10.1071/RJ20075 |
Web Address (URL) | https://www.publish.csiro.au/rj/RJ20075 |
Abstract | Chital deer (Axis axis) are an ungulate species introduced to northern Queensland, Australia, in an environment where land is managed for large scale cattle production. Rainfall and pasture growth are markedly seasonal and cattle experience a nutritional shortfall each year before monsoon rain. The presence of chital is perceived by land managers to reduce dry-season grass availability and this study sought to estimate the potential effect of free-living chital on regional cattle production. Diet overlap was greatest during the wet season when both ungulates principally consumed grass, and least during the dry season when chital diet comprised only,50% grass. Using local estimates for energy values of wet and dry season grass, and the maintenance energy requirements of chital and cattle, we estimated the relative dry matter seasonal grass intakes of both ungulates. The grass consumed annually by 100 chital could support an additional 25 cattle during the wet season and an additional 14 cattle during the dry season. |
Keywords | Axis axis, cattle, Chital deer, co-grazing, diet, dry matter digestibility, dry tropics, forage, grazing, grazingequivalents, introduced species, rangelands, seasonal, ungulates |
ANZSRC Field of Research 2020 | 410402. Environmental assessment and monitoring |
300303. Animal nutrition | |
410407. Wildlife and habitat management | |
Public Notes | Files associated with this item cannot be displayed due to copyright restrictions. |
Byline Affiliations | University of Queensland |
Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Queensland | |
Institution of Origin | University of Southern Queensland |
https://research.usq.edu.au/item/q6427/dietary-overlap-between-cattle-and-chital-in-the-queensland-dry-tropics
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