Prehensile behaviour of sheep on pastures in hot arid zone

During summers sheep spent majority of time (74.3%) on surface gathering for collection of light dry materials as Aristida grass, leaves of Lasiurus and Panicum, fallen dry leaves of Ziziphus, Aerva, trees and bushes, leaves of grasses and grass with fistular stem. Substantial time was also spent in nibbling (13.5%) wherein Ochthochloa grass was consumed. Animals grazing for shorter intervals had preference for higher selected bites that constituted sprouts of Lasiurus grass and dormant Cenchrus species. Browse materials were also consumed by dig and pull and by pull alone that was affected to feed on high moisture roots and to uproot greener stems of prostrate Ochthochloa grass. Aristida grass was the most preferred species during the period. Unsupplemented sheep had higher number of bites and those grazed for shorter interval, preferred soft plant materials as sprouts of Lasiurus with higher protein content.