ABSTRACT
Fifty-eight Karacabey Merino lambs were used to study the effects of feeding system (triticale pasture, oat pasture, or stall-fed), birth type (single or multiple), gender (male or female), and birth year (2016 or 2017) on various carcass and meat quality characteristics. Stall lambs had higher conformation (CS) and fatness (FS) scores, and higher meat L* and h* values than the two pasture groups, possibly due to higher fat content, while oat pasture lambs had the most tender meat. Single-born lambs had higher CS, FS, and Longissimus thoracis muscle section area, while females had higher subcutaneous and non-carcass fat deposits than their counterparts. Both single-born lambs and 2016-born lambs had higher meat a* and C* values than their counterparts. In conclusion, a pasture-based feeding system is more suitable for Karacabey Merino lambs than a stall feeding system, if lean meat and/or meat products are preferred. However, it should not be ignored that stall-fed lambs showed a better fattening performance in terms of conformation and fatness, during the same period.
ABSTRACT
Background: This study evaluated the extent to which the endemic herbaceous and woody species of shrubby rangelands met the roughage needs of grazing animals throughout the year. Methods: The biomass, botanical composition, and quality of hay were investigated in the shrubby rangelands in Pasaköy of the Ayvacik districts in Çanakkale over the course of a year. Plant samples were taken from the herbaceous species monthly and from the grazing parts of the shrubs in May and November. Results: The total amount of biomass (hay + shrub) in the rangeland was found to be 30.448 kg/ha. Shrubs made up 18.78% of the rangeland, while the annual species comprised 54.96%, and perennial herbs covered 26.26% of the total biomass. Crude protein (CP) ratios of herbaceous species decreased continuously from March (13.58%) to September (6.73%), and then increased. A similar change was also seen in pure ash (PA) ratios. The CP ratios in the shrub species were high in spring and decreased in autumn and there was an irregular variation in PA rates. Oak had the highest PA ratio during the spring, while thuja had the highest ratio in autumn, and Juniperus oxycedrus during the winter months. In herbaceous species, cell wall components (NDF, ADF, and ADL) reached their highest levels in summer and decreased in spring and winter. However, in shrubs, these components varied according to the species and were generally lowest in spring and then increased in autumn and winter. Here, it was determined that year-round grazing is a suitable grazing system in the shrubby rangelands of the Mediterranean zone, and animals are able to find fresh forage in the rangelands due to the presence of shrubs. However, since the contribution of shrubs to the total forage production is low, additional roughage should be provided, except in the spring when the production and quality of hay increase. These practices may contribute to better livestock management.
Subject(s)
Wood , Animals , BiomassABSTRACT
(1) Background: The effects of prickly burnet (Sarcopoterium spinosum) control measures (pulling out, burning and cutting) and grazing on the botanical composition, grazeable dry matter (GDM) yield and nutritional values of rangeland were investigated on Imbros Island (Turkey) in 2010-2013. (2) Methods: The rangeland was grazed by Imbros sheep during the last year of the experiment. About 0.15 ha of rangeland was allocated to each sheep and five sheep were placed in each plot. Grazing was continuous throughout the year. (3) Results: Shrub levels decreased by 50-60% due to pulling out, burning and cutting in the first year and herbaceous species increased. Forbs increased more in the pulled and burnt plots and grasses increased more in the cut plots. In the third year, the shrub level increased to 60-65% and herbaceous species decreased. The decrease in herbaceous species was observed mostly in forbs. Plant cover was mostly (58%) composed of annual species. Development decreased plant cover ratios, but this decrease ceased in the burnt plot in the third year. Grazing also reduced plant cover. Crude protein (CP), NDF, ADF and digestible dry matter (DDM) content did not vary significantly over the experimental period. CP and DDM increased, NDF decreased and ADF did not change in the development plots. Overall, significant differences were not observed in GDM yield and nutritional values due to development efforts (pulling out, burning and cutting). (4) Conclusions: However, cutting is difficult over stony and rough terrain and pulling out creates erosion on sloping surfaces. Therefore, burning is recommended over the entire rangeland and burning or pulling out is recommended over smooth terrain for the temporary control of S. spinosum.
ABSTRACT
This study aimed at identifying changes in natural pastures during the grazing season and investigating the effects of these changes on pasture feeding potential for high yielding dairy goats. During the study, 12 dairy goats were grazed on a 1.5 ha natural pasture for three months from April to June in 2003, 2004 and 2005. The goats were fed 0.5 kg/day of concentrate as a supplement during the grazing season. Botanical composition, herbage production and intake, crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and acid detergent fiber (ADF) contents of the pasture were determined. Live weight, milk yield, milk dry matter (DM) and fat content of the goats were monitored. The data were analyzed using a linear model, which evaluated the effects of grazing seasons in each year. Based on the three-year average, 87% of pasture was herbaceous plants and the remaining was shrubs in DM basis with Cistus creticus, Quercus ithaburensis, Pistacia atlantica and Asparagus acutifolius being the major shrub species. The herbage yield in June was significantly lower than in other months in all years (P = 0.001). In all experimental years, the CP content of the pasture decreased but the structural carbohydrates increased as the grazing season proceeded. While live weight was not affected by grazing periods except for 2004 (P = 0.001), milk yield significantly decreased with advancing grazing period (P = 0.001). The results of the present study indicate that natural pasture has a supportive effect in April and May on the milk yield of lactating goats which are in mid-lactation, and suggested that supplementary feeding is required in consecutive grazing periods.
