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Strategically placed mineral mix supplements and traditional salt placement on grazing distribution in the Italian Alps

This paper is available in a repository.
This paper is available in a repository.

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Abstract

Traditional livestock practices have changed in the Italian Western Alps resulting in a reduction in grassland and an increase in shrub cover. A study was conducted in Val Troncea Natural Park (Piedmont, Italy) to compare the effects of strategically placed mineral mix supplement (MMS) and traditional salt (NaCl) placement (TS) on cattle distribution. During the summer, 11 cows were tracked in three enclosures with Global Positioning System collars. Salt (TS) was placed on traditional rocks within flat and herbaceous areas, while 5-kg blocks of MMS were strategically placed on five poles along 50 m transects in steep and shrub-encroached sites to lure cattle to historically underused areas. Grazing within each enclosure was divided into two equal periods, one with TS and the other with MMS. For each treatment site a paired control site was identified, and vegetation structure surveys were performed in the 50 m radius surrounding areas of MMS and their respective control sites. Cows spent more time (P<0.001) near TS than MMS placements. Both TS and MMS placement areas were used more than associated control areas (P<0.01). Herbaceous height near MMS was less (P<0.001) than associated control areas. After grazing, herbaceous and shrub cover declined (P<0.05) and bare ground cover increased near MMS sites, while no changes (P>0.05) were detected in associated control sites. This reduction likely occurred as the result of trampling and grazing and should help reduce the rate of shrub encroachment in the treated area. Although cows used gentle terrain near TS more than MMS placements in steep terrain, the latter should be more useful for increasing cattle use of underused, steep and shrub-encroachment areas.