The determination of yield and some quality characteristics of ungrazed natural pasture vegetation

This study was conducted with the aim of guiding future breeding studies on pastures by determining the effects of protection from grazing and contributing to the development of animal husbandry. It comprises the April 2007-September 2014 period of research carried out on a natural pasture protected in the ecological conditions of the Tokat province between 1993-2014. According to the eight year mean values of the study, the data of basal cover area acquired according to transect, quadrat and visual estimation methods was 81.25%, 73.35% and 74.25% respectively. Botanical composition based on the basal cover area and the weight, and hay yield was; 39.58%, 71.09%, 8.548 kg ha-1 in legumes, 48.78%, 22.14%, 2.662 kg ha-1 in grasses, and 11.61%, 6.77%, 815 kg ha-1 in other families respectively. Total hay yield was determined as 12.025 kg ha-1, 91% of which was formed by 34 species (10.940 kg ha-1). A grazing capacity of 16.7 Animal Unit (AU; 500 kg livestock) was observed, required area per animal was 0.3 ha and pasture quality degree was 8.4 (very good). Regarding other quality properties; crude protein content (CPC) was 19.76%, crude protein yield (CPY) 237.6 kg ha-1, acid detergent fiber (ADF) 28.54%, neutral detergent fiber (NDF) 42.35%. © by PSP