Facilitation of red deer grazing by cattle and its impact on red deer performance

Gordon, I.J. (1988) Facilitation of red deer grazing by cattle and its impact on red deer performance. Journal of Applied Ecology, 25 (1). pp. 1-9.

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Abstract

(1) Cattle (Bos taurus L.) were removed from the Isle of Rhum, Scotland, in 1957. They were reintroduced into one area of the island in 1970 and graze on areas occupied by red deer (Cervus elaphus L.).

(2) Winter use by cattle of pasture dominated by Molinia caerulea (L.) resulted in greater biomass and availability of green grass in the spring than in ungrazed areas.

(3) In the spring, deer preferentially grazed areas that had been grazed by cattle the previous winter.

(4) There were more calves per hind in the area of the island grazed by cattle than in another area which was relatively unaffected by cattle grazing. Hind and stag weights were not affected by the reintroduction of cattle.

(5) The implication of these results is that cattle could improve forage availability to red deer, and possibly sheep, over large areas of north-west Scotland.

Item ID: 42651
Item Type: Article (Research - C1)
ISSN: 1365-2664
Funders: Natural Environment Research Council (UK) (NERC), King's College, Cambridge (KCC), Department of Zoology, Cambridge (DZC), Rumenco
Date Deposited: 10 Feb 2016 07:43
FoR Codes: 06 BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES > 0602 Ecology > 060202 Community Ecology (excl Invasive Species Ecology) @ 100%
SEO Codes: 97 EXPANDING KNOWLEDGE > 970106 Expanding Knowledge in the Biological Sciences @ 100%
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