Publications by authors named "Elis Vollmer"
Article Synopsis
- Grazing behavior in diverse grasslands is under-researched, particularly compared to less diverse grasslands.
- Using video technology and vegetation classification, a study in Estonia analyzed how both animal and plant factors affect sheep grazing behaviors based on bite and step rates.
- Findings revealed that vegetation class strongly influences bite rates, with sheep identity being less significant; however, in open pastures, sheep identity becomes more important, suggesting that animal factors may outweigh plant factors in certain environments, which could inform better conservation grazing practices.
Foraging behavior of livestock in species-rich, less intensively managed grassland communities will require different methodologies from those appropriate in floristically simple environments. In this pilot study on sheep in species-rich grassland in northern Estonia, foraging behavior and the plant species of the immediate area grazed by the sheep were registered by continually-recording Go-Pro cameras. From three days of observation of five sheep (706 animal-minutes), foraging behavior was documented.
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