Abstract: To study the effects of the summer pastures on the grazing behavior of Oula sheep in Maqu Gannan, grass conditions of summer pastures through field survey based on vegetation characteristics were investigated, the grazing behavior of Oula sheep through a followed-up survey was observed. Results showed that feeding time was the longest (about 450 min), and walking time was longer (about 80 min) in summer pastures compared with that in other typical pastures. Rumination and standing time were 32 min and 28 min, respectively, while resting time was only 8 min during the day in summer pastures. Feeding time was positively correlated with both aboveground biomass and grassland vegetation coverage (r=0.782, 0.902; P>0.05). Day ruminating time had highly significant positive correlation with pasture height (r=0.995, 0.9996; P<0.01). Day lying time had significant negative correlation with aboveground biomass (r=- 0.9994; P<0.01). Day standing time had a significant positive correlation with grass height (r=0.989; P<0.05), and had significant negative correlation with grassland vegetation coverage (r=-0.995; P<0.01). There was a negative correlation between day wandering time and grassland vegetation coverage (r=-0.905; P>0.05). Conclusion was that feeding time declined with grass-height increase, but still accounted for 60% of all grazing time. Oula sheep ate longer due to a large amount of young and juicy grasses in the summer pasture.

Key words: Oula sheep, Foraging behavior, Summer pasture

摘要： 为研究甘南玛曲夏季牧场草地状况对欧拉型藏羊牧食行为的影响,根据草地植被特征,通过野外调查了解甘南玛曲夏季牧场的草地状况,并采用跟踪观测的方法对欧拉型藏羊的牧食行为进行观察。结果表明:在夏季草场的昼采食时间最长(约450 min),游走时间较长(约80 min);反刍和站立时间基本相近,分别为32 min和28 min;夏季牧场白天的卧息时间非常少,约8 min。采食时间与地上生物量和牧草盖度成正相关(r=0.782, 0.902; P>0.05);昼反刍时间与牧草高度成极显著正相关(r=0.995; P<0.01);昼卧息时间与地上生物量成极显著负相关(r=-0.9994; P<0.01);昼站立时间与牧草高度成显著正相关(r=0.989; P<0.05),与牧草盖度成极显著负相关(r=-0.995; P<0.01);昼游走时间与牧草盖度成负相关(r=-0.905; P>0.05)。随牧草高度的增加,欧拉型藏羊的昼采食时间呈下降趋势,但采食时间占放牧时间的71.4%;由于夏季牧场牧草幼嫩多汁,欧拉型藏羊采食牧草后的反刍和卧息行为较少。

关键词: 欧拉型藏羊, 牧食行为, 夏季草场