Variation in quantity and quality of native forages and grazing behavior of cattle and goats in Tanzania

Abstract The study was conducted to assess the effects of seasonal variation in the quality and quantity of pasture and management of livestock exclosures ( ngitili) on the grazing behavior of cattle and goats. The study was 2×2×2 factorial design with three independent variables: season (Dry or Rainy), ngitili management (Private or Communal) and animal species (Cattle or Goats). Focal and scan observation methods were used to record different behavioral activities. Vegetation attributes from the study areas were measured in two consecutive seasons. Most key forage species had significant higher crude protein (CP) content and in vitro organic matter digestibility (INVOMD) in rainy than in dry season ( P P >0.05). ADF and NDF were significantly higher in species from communal ngitili than those from private ngitili ( P ngitili than in the dry season and in the communal ngitili respectively. Cattle and goats spent considerably more time grazing and browsing respectively in the rainy season than in the dry season ( P P >0.05) with ngitili management, but goats found to spend considerably more time browsing in the communal ngitili and more time grazing in the private ngitili ( P