چکیده:
In order to estimate the relationship between forage quality and preference value of plant species for Raini goats (Capra aegagrus hircus), a field study was carried out on Raini goats’ grazing behavior in some desert habitats. Crude protein (as the most important factor affecting forage quality) of all plant species was measured at two phenological stages (spring and summer, 2010) in the dry rangeland of Talkhabad, Iran. In addition, the preference value of plant species by free-ranging goats was estimated by visual estimation during the two seasons. One-way ANOVA and paired t-test revealed that forage quality and preference value by goats differed among plant species and between seasons. There was no significant relationship between forage quality and preference value (linear regression and Pearson correlation). Only a few plant species had both high quality and high preference (e.g., Taverniera cuneifolia). An interesting outcome was the importance of minor low-quality feeds such as Ziziphus spina-christ fruit in the goats’ diet. Raini goats were also highly selective feeders, changing their diet from grazing to browsing and
vice versa, which highlights the importance of diversified botanical structures and the preservation of shrubs and trees in their desert habitats.
خلاصه ماشینی:
ir DESERT 19-1 (2014) 35-43 Crude Protein Content does not Determine the Preference Value of Plant Species for the Raini Goat (Capra aegagrus hircus L.
Pétillonb a Rangeland Management Department, Faculty of Natural Resources and Marine Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Mazanderan Province, Noor, Iran b URU 420 - Université de Rennes 1, UMR 7204 – Muséum National d’Histoire National, 263 Avenue du Général Leclerc, CS 74205, 35042 Rennes Cedex, France Received: 27 February 2012; Received in revised form: 27 January 2014; Accepted: 16 March 2014 Abstract In order to estimate the relationship between forage quality and preference value of plant species for Raini goats (Capra aegagrus hircus), a field study was carried out on Raini goats’ grazing behavior in some desert habitats.
Crude protein (as the most important factor affecting forage quality) of all plant species was measured at two phenological stages (spring and summer, 2010) in the dry rangeland of Talkhabad, Iran.
One-way ANOVA and paired t-test revealed that forage quality and preference value by goats differed among plant species and between seasons.
Keywords: Dry rangeland; Forage quality; Raini goat; Plant phenological stage; Preference value Nomenclature: Rechinger (1964) Abbreviations: CP (Crude Protein), PI (Preference Index) 1.
Because it has been proven that crude protein (further abbreviated as CP) content is the most important vegetation parameter that influences forage quality (Biondini, 1986), we considered only crude protein in our estimation of forage quality; 2) determine the preference value of plant species in Raini goats as the most important plant feeder in the study area; and finally, 3) find out if the time goats (Capra aegagrus) spend on grazing or browsing plant species is correlated to the quality of those plants.