Abstract
In order to determine the diet of Dalagh sheep, winter rangeland of Gomishan plain was selected. After delineating of the grazingland territory, rangeland condition and plant combination was determined by Range Value method and range trend was obtained by Trend Balance method. Time of bite-count record was done in morning and afternoon in a five-day period; first week of November (1389) and last week of April (1390). The diet selection of sheep was evaluated by direct vision method and comparison of the diet in two record periods was done by T-test and one way ANOVA method. Result showed that the most selection of sheep was Aeluropus littoralis (36/6% in a.m. & 33/3% in p.m.) and the minimum also was Halocnemum strobilaceum (1/01% in a.m. & 0/23% in p.m.) in first record. Lastly, the most selection of sheep was Hordeum marinum (42/99% in a.m. & 59/76% in p.m.) and the minimum also was Salicornia herbaceae (2/04% in a.m. & 4/16% in p.m.) Moreover, there is not any significant difference between grazing periods. Although shrub is the most species in the study area, diet selection of sheep was grasses form. It was for their growing phenology period that this time, grasses are palatable than halophytes shrubs.
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