Journal of Food, Agriculture and Environment

Forage yield and quality of kermes oak and herbaceous species throughout a year in Mediterranean zone of western Turkey

Author(s):

Altıngül Özaslan Parlak ^*, Ahmet Gökkus, B. Hakan Hakyemez, Harun Bayetekin

Recieved Date: 2010-10-08, Accepted Date: 2011-01-10

Abstract:

The most common shrub species in the Mediterranean vegetation is kermes oak (Quercus coccifera). This evergreen shrub and herbaceous vegetation underneath it is grazed by goats and other animals year round. In this research, the botanical composition of shruby grazeland located in the Mediterranean vegetation along with the forage yield (in October, 2006 and May, 2007) and nutritional value (between December, 2006 and November, 2007) of both the herbaceous species and kermes oak was studied. DM, CP, NDF, ADF, ADL, ash, DMD, ME, P and Ca contents of the shrub and herbaceous species were determined. Grazeland was covered by shrubs in 47.26%. Kermes oak was widely dominant (28.90%). In the herbaceous vegetation, grasses were most commonly found (57.36%), followed by forbs (32.94%) and legumes (9.70%). On the average, while kermes oak contained more DM, NDF, ADF and ADL, the herbaceous species had higher contents of CP, ash, DMD, ME, P and Ca. When plants started to grow in the springtime, DM, NDF, ADF and ADL decreased and CP, DMD, ME, P and Ca increased in both kermes oak and herbaceous species. Ash content changed in kermes oak throughout the year and no change was observed in the herbaceous species. Kermes oak specially had more CP and less DM compared to the herbaceous species during the summer. When the forage yield and nutritional value of the grazeland was considered, in the grazing goats there was a deficiency of HP during July-September and ME in the months other than April and May, and no deficiency of P and Ca. Consecutively, in the grazing lands representing Mediterranean vegetation, goats should be fed with supplementary energy feed throughout the year except for spring months, and with CP during summer months in order to obtain satisfactory productivity.

Keywords:

Kermes oak, forage quality, Mediterranean basin, shrublands, forage yield, Turkey

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Journal: Journal of Food, Agriculture and Environment
Year: 2011
Volume: 9
Issue: 1
Category: Environment
Pages: 510-515

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