Relationships Among Forage and Litter Production in Three Grazing Intensities in Nodooshan Rangeland (Yazd, Iran)

Grazing management plays an important role in the continuous and economic utilization of pastures. Proper grazing management is a main factor for the accumulation of plant litter which reduces soil erosion and increase the soil permeability to keep more moisture in the soil. In current study, the effect of three different grazing intensities (low, moderate and high) along with the grazing gradient on the forage production rate and plant litter percentage was investigated on Nodooshan steppe pastures of Yazd, Iran. A randomized complete block with three replications was used to compare three grazing methods. Data for forage production and litter percent were collected from a 2m2 quadrate in each plot. The results showed significant differences among grazing systems for both traits (P < 0.05). The results showed that low grazing had the highest forage production. The regression equation between forage production and litter percentage were logarithmic in both moderate and high grazing intensities. For low grazing intensity, the relationships between two traits showed quadratic egression and therefore, it was concluded that moderate grazing intensity was the best in terms of both forge and litter production.