Journal of Range and Watershed Managment

Diet by Dalagh sheep in east winter rangelands of Golestan province (Case study: Gomishan rangelands)

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

Gholam Ali Heshmati 1
Diana Askarizadeh 2
Rahim Forouzeh 3

1 Professor, Gorgan University of Agricultural Science and Natural Resources

2 Ms. Graduated of rangeland management, Gorgan University of Agricultural Science and Natural Resources

3 Ph’D student of rangeland science, Gorgan University of Agricultural Science and Natural Resources

https://doi.org/10.22059/jrwm.2013.35575
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.

Keywords

diet selection
Bite-count
sheep
Dalagh
winter rangeland
Gomishan
Journal of Range and Watershed Managment
Volume 66, Issue 2 - Serial Number 2
Summer 2013
Pages 237-249

  • Receive Date 08 April 2012
  • Revise Date 24 August 2013
  • Accept Date 22 December 2012
  • Publish Date 22 June 2013

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