Anvar Sanaie; Hossein Arzani; Ali Tavili; Mehdi Farahpour
Volume 22, Issue 2 , August 2015, , Pages 275-288
Abstract
This study aimed to evaluate the range suitability for sheep grazing according to the Manual of Suitability for Sheep Grazing instructions in the rangelands of central Taleghan and comparison with the FAO guidelines (1991). Accordingly, the final model of range suitability was determined from combining ...
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This study aimed to evaluate the range suitability for sheep grazing according to the Manual of Suitability for Sheep Grazing instructions in the rangelands of central Taleghan and comparison with the FAO guidelines (1991). Accordingly, the final model of range suitability was determined from combining three criteria of vegetation, water resources and soil erosion. Sampling was conducted in the key area of vegetation types through random-systematic method with four transects of 200 meters and 40 plots of one square meter and in each plot, the list of species, canopy cover percentage, and species composition as well as production were harvested and calculated. For this purpose, the results of the proposed instructions were compared with the results of the FAO model (1991) by non-parametric Wilcoxon test. Our results clearly showed that the lack of available forage, low allowable use, erosion and the formation sensitive to erosion (Marl), poor condition and negative trend in some vegetation types as well as steep and mountainous regions were among the factors, limiting range suitability for sheep grazing. The final results of sheep grazing model showed that no vegetation type was placed in S1 and N classes, and most of the vegetation types of the study area was in S2 range suitability class, so that from 25576.9 ha of the rangelands studied, 87.25% was in S2 class and 12.75% was in S3class. According to the results of comparison of the two methods for determining range suitability, no significant differences were found (P <0.01).
Mohammad Fayaz; Seyed Hamid Habibian; Hasan Yeganeh; Avar Sanaie
Volume 22, Issue 1 , June 2015, , Pages 1-11
Abstract
In this research, the preference value of range species for sheep and goat was studied in the Cheshme-Anjir rangelands of Fars province during four years (2007-2010). Direct observation (timing) method was used during the grazing months (June, July, August and September). In each month, around one to ...
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In this research, the preference value of range species for sheep and goat was studied in the Cheshme-Anjir rangelands of Fars province during four years (2007-2010). Direct observation (timing) method was used during the grazing months (June, July, August and September). In each month, around one to two hours after entering livestock to the rangeland, livestock grazing was filmed for 30 minutes and was transferred to the computer to determine the time of grazing for each species. In addition, the frequency and duration of the use of each species in the mentioned months was examined. Afterward, data were analyzed by SAS software in a completely randomized block design. Results showed that there was significant difference (p<0.01) among the species studied in terms of time percentage and grazing frequency. However, the effect of month and month*species for time percentage and grazing frequency treatments was not significant. The results of preference value of species showed that maximum time percentage and grazing frequency for sheep and goat was on annual grasses+ forbs, and in general, results showed that goat was a browser livestock and sheep was a grazer livestock.