TÜRK, Mevlüt Süleyman Demirel Üniversitesi - Ziraat Fakültesi - Tarla Bitkileri Bölümü, Turkey , ALBAYRAK, Sebahattin Ondokuz Mayıs Üniversitesi - Bafra Meslek Yüksekokulu, Turkey , BOZKURT, Yalçın Süleyman Demirel Üniversitesi - Ziraat Fakültesi - Zootekni Bölümü, Turkey

The Effects of Grazing on Botanical Composition in Different Artificial Pastures

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This research was conducted to determine the effects of grazing on botanical composition of artificial pastures in Isparta between 2010 and 2012. For this purpose, two different artificial pastures were established, each covering 1.5 ha area during the first year of the research. The mixtures of the pastures used were as follows: First pasture: Medicago sativa L. (%20) + Bromus inermis L. (%40) + Agropyron cristatum L. (%30) + Poterium sanguisorba (%10), second pasture: Medicago sativa L. (%15) + Onobrychis sativa Lam. (%15) + Agropyron cristatum L. (%35) + Bromus inermis L. (%35). The grazing applications were conducted in the second and the third years of research. Twenty Holstein male animals with 6 months old were appointed to experimental area randomly, each pasture containing 10 calves. Non-grazing areas were established in artificial pastures. Forage samples were collected from grazing and non-grazing areas once every 15 days during grazing season. According to results, in the first pasture, alfalfa and crested wheatgrass in grazing areas decreased at discrete rates while the proportion of burnet and smooth brome grass increased. In the grazing parts of the second pasture, while alfalfa, sainfoin and crested wheatgrass rate decreased, smooth brome grass rate increased. In general, burnet was the least preferred species by animals while smooth brome grass was grazed well during the first period it was not preferred by animals after drying.

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Artificial pasture , grazing , grazing season , botanical composition.

Journal Of The Faculty Of Agriculture, Suleyman Demirel University

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