Behnam Bahrami; Reza Erfanzadeh; Javad Moetamedi
Volume 22, Issue 1 , June 2015, , Pages 47-58
Abstract
Study on the effect of different grazing intensities on some soil characteristics could be helpful in management and conservation of soil and vegetation. In this study, six key areas were selected with different in grazing intensities. The grazing intensities level for Makueian sheep race was recognized ...
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Study on the effect of different grazing intensities on some soil characteristics could be helpful in management and conservation of soil and vegetation. In this study, six key areas were selected with different in grazing intensities. The grazing intensities level for Makueian sheep race was recognized based on the distance to the villageand the cover percentage of invasive, increaser and decreaser species. In each area, soil sampling was done along systematically established transects, in which 18 soil samples were collected from two depths (0-15 and 15-30 cm). Soil samples were then transferred to the laboratory for the chemical and physical analysis of 17 soil characteristics.The results of principle component analysis showed that silt percentage, coarse and fine aggregate percentage, saturation percentage, and particulate organic carbon of upper layer (0-15 cm) as well as soil texture, the carbon of coarse and fine aggregates, EC, and the bulk density of lower layer (15-30 cm) were more sensitive to sheep grazing as compared to other soil characteristics.
Hosein Arzani; Esmaiel Sabri; Javad Moetamedi; Seyed Akbar Javadi
Volume 22, Issue 1 , June 2015, , Pages 158-167
Abstract
Several sheep breeds with different sizes use the rangelands in different climatic regions of West Azerbaijan province. Since these rangelands differ regarding the vegetation and physical characteristics and these differences cause the amount of animals’ mobility to vary, the amount of required ...
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Several sheep breeds with different sizes use the rangelands in different climatic regions of West Azerbaijan province. Since these rangelands differ regarding the vegetation and physical characteristics and these differences cause the amount of animals’ mobility to vary, the amount of required forage for providing their daily metabolic energy at different grazing times would not be the same. Therefore, to organize the animal feeding on the rangeland, mapping the daily requirement of animals grazing on the rangelands of area was necessary. In this regard, at first, the average amount of metabolic energy per unit weight of rangelands grazed by animals at different growth stages in the summer and winter rangelands were identified and then, considering the daily metabolic energy requirement of each sheep breed in maintenance state, the amount of daily required forage was determined, and on the basis of mentioned results, the map of daily animal requirement at different growth stages was provided. According to the obtained results, it was found that the amount of forage providing the daily requirement of sheep breeds in different climatic pastures of the province varied between 1.04 and 2.31kg per day, so that the least amount was related to the forage providing daily requirement of Makui breed (with an average weight of 45.36 kg) at the initial growth stages of summer rangelands in the northern areas of the province, and the highest amount belonged to the forage providing daily requirement of Ghezel breed (with an average weight of 71.57 kg) and the Herki breed (with an average weight of 53.50kg) at the final growth stages (seeding stage) of winter rangelands in the southern areas of the province
Hosein Arzani; Javad Moetamedi; Seyed Ali Hoseini
Volume 21, Issue 4 , March 2015, , Pages 651-662
Abstract
Knowledge of forage quality is of paramount importance for livestock and rangeland management. For this purpose, the forage quality of range species was investigated in summer rangelands of Saraliabad, Golestan province to meet daily animal unit requirement. In the present study, 12 rangeland species ...
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Knowledge of forage quality is of paramount importance for livestock and rangeland management. For this purpose, the forage quality of range species was investigated in summer rangelands of Saraliabad, Golestan province to meet daily animal unit requirement. In the present study, 12 rangeland species including Achillea millifolium, Agropyron trichophorum, Centurea zuvandica, Crepis khorassanica, Koeleria cristata, Medicago sativa, Poa angustifolia, Taraxacum brevidens, Thymus transcaspicus, Tragopogon graminifolius, Trifolium repens and Artemisia aucheri were sampled at three different phenological stages (vegetative, flowering and seeding) in 2009. In each stage, three samples and for each sample three individuals were cut. Then, forage quality indices were calculated. Results showed that the crude protein values at all growth stages were higher than the critical level (7.0%) to meet daily animal unit requirement. In addition, dry matter digestibility values in vegetative and flowering stages were higher than the critical level (50%) to meet daily animal unit requirement, contrary to the seeding stage. Metabolisable energy values in vegetative stage were higher and in flowering and seeding stages were lower than the critical level (8Mj) to meet daily animal unit requirement. Our results clearly showed that the forage quality of range species varied at different growth stages, indicating that daily animal unit requirement need be determined based on forage quality. The results of this study could be used in determining the daily animal unit requirement in different years since measuring forage quality is costly.
Arezoo Alizadeh; Javad Moetamedi; Reza Erfanzadeh
Volume 21, Issue 4 , March 2015, , Pages 663-675
Abstract
This research was aimed to investigate the potential of four halophytes from the Urmia Lacke including Salsola dendroides, Salsola nitraria, Salsola iberica and Halocnemum strobilaceum as soli phytodesalination. For this purpose, soil samples were collected from two soil depths of 0-15 and 15-30 cm inside ...
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This research was aimed to investigate the potential of four halophytes from the Urmia Lacke including Salsola dendroides, Salsola nitraria, Salsola iberica and Halocnemum strobilaceum as soli phytodesalination. For this purpose, soil samples were collected from two soil depths of 0-15 and 15-30 cm inside the ecological patches as well as around it. Our results clearly showed that the studied halophytes could reduce the amount of Na+, Ca2+, and Mg2+ significantly in the first soil depth (p<0.01). However, in the second depth, less affected by the root of species, there were no significant differences in the amounts of these cations in the soil of inside and outside the patches. The absorption of Mg2+, Cl-, Ca2+, Na+ and K+ by underground and aboveground biomass was also investigated. The results of mean comparisons showed that Salsola nitraria and Halocnemum strobilaceum accumulated the highest concentration of magnesium and chlorine in each gram of dry weight biomass. Also, the studied species showed no significant difference in SAR. The amount of these elements were compared in the roots of two species having the highest salt accumulation in aboveground biomass, and the species accumulating lower levels of these elements in roots was introduced. Overall, Halocnemum. strobilaceum showed the highest potential in absorbing salt through roots (soli phytodesalination) as compared to the rest of the species and its cultivation could be recommended for soil improvement and forage production in saline lands.
Hosein Arzani; Javad Moetamedi; Hasan Yeghaneh; Hamzeh Ali Shirmardi
Volume 21, Issue 2 , August 2014, , Pages 221-233
Abstract
Being informed about the sufficiency of forage required for the daily need of the animal unit grazing on the rangeland is of paramount importance in animal and rangeland management. Therefore, in the current study, 32 important plant species grazed by animals on semi-steppe rangelands of Karsank in Chaharmahal-o-Bakhtiari ...
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Being informed about the sufficiency of forage required for the daily need of the animal unit grazing on the rangeland is of paramount importance in animal and rangeland management. Therefore, in the current study, 32 important plant species grazed by animals on semi-steppe rangelands of Karsank in Chaharmahal-o-Bakhtiari were sampled during three growth stages (vegetative growth, flowering and seeding). During each stage, three samples were taken and three plant bases were cut for each sample. Having measured the percentage of nitrogen (N) and acid detergent fiber (ADF) of the studied species, the amount of their crude protein (CP), dry matter digestibility (DMD) and metabolisable energy (ME) were determined to know their critical level for meeting animals’ daily requirements. In order to analyze the data, analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used and to observe the within-groups differences Duncan's test was employed. Results showed that the maximum crude protein (23.87%), dry matter digestibility (74.35%) and metabolisable energy (6.73 Mj/Kg/DM) belonged to Bellevalia glauca. The minimum crude protein (9.81%) belonged to Thymus daenensis and the minimum dry matter digestibility (51.38%) and metabolisable energy (6.73 Mj/Kg/DM) were recorded for Asperula molluginoides. The average crude protein for vegetative, flowering and seeding stages were 20.92, 13.03 and 8.89%, respectively, that at all three growth stages, it was higher than its critical level (7.0%) to meet the daily maintenance requirement of an animal unit. Average dry matter digestibility values for the three phenological stages were 62.48, 55.02 and 46.18%, respectively, that its amount was higher than the critical level (50%) for vegetative and flowering stages and was lower than the critical amount at the seeding stage for meeting the daily maintenance requirements of an animal unit. Metabolisable energy in vegetative, flowering and seeding stages were 8.62, 7.35 and 5.85%, respectively, which were higher than the critical level (8Mj) during the vegetative growth and flowering stages and lower than the same critical level at the seeding stage for meeting the daily maintenance requirements of an animal unit. This is an indicator of the fact that desirability of range forage at different grazing times is not the same and it is necessary to determine the daily requirement of animal unit on the basis of forage quality. In general, the studied rangelands are considered to be desirable in terms of supplying required daily crude protein and metabolisable energy for an animal unit. Results presented in this paper are important for livestock and range management in the studied area.
Hosein Arzani; Javad Motamedi; Ali Nikkhah; Hosein Azarnivand; Mehdi GHorbani
Volume 20, Issue 3 , November 2013, , Pages 333-344
Hossein Arzani; Javad Moetamedi (Torkan); Mohammad Jafary; Mehdi Farahpour; Mohammad Ali Zare chahooki
Volume 20, Issue 2 , June 2013, , Pages 271-250