Fodder yield and nutritive vaitıe of Turkish highlands shrubs

Abstract

Introduction Information on productivity and nutritive value of Mediterranean highland shrubs. especially those preferred by goats on üıe Tudrish Anti-Taunıs Mountain (Amanos Mountains) region is linrited (Papachristou, 2000; Ammar and Gonzalez, 2005; Larbi et aL, 2007). Such data are needed to develop rangeland improvement plans and to prioritize shnıb research. TMs study airoed at quantifying edible foddo- yields and nutritional values of rangeland shrubs in the Anti-Taurus Mountains region in Tmkey. Materials and methods Data were collected during 2002-2003 at Caridir village (1235 m asi) in Yayladagi County of Antakya on the Anti-Taurus Mountains. Annual rainfall average 75 mm. humidity 75%, vvith minimum and maximum temperatures of 6°C and 33°C respectively över a 30-year period. Three replicates measuing 5 m x 10 m were randomly selected at two rangeland sites and marked. biomass of shrub species in each replicate was measured using the reference unit method on: 6 ApriL, 8 July, and 13 October 2002, and 15 Januaıy 2003.The sample branch leaves and tvvigs less than 10 mm in diameter (edible fodder, EF) vvere vveighed fresh and oven-dried at 70°C for 48 h to determine dıy matter (DM) content. Crude protein (CP, N x 6.25), neutral (NDF) and acid (ADF) detergent fîbre. and in vitro organic matter digestibility (IVOMD) concentrations in the EF were determined. Results Yield of EF (Fig. 1), and concentrations of CP, ADF and IVOMD in the EF varied (P <0.05) among the shrubs, but NDF (Table 1) did not differ (P>0.05). Positive and significant correlations vvere recorded betvveen concentrations of CP and IVOMD (r = 0.46). In contrasL negative and significant correlation were recorded betvveen concentrations of CP and ADF (r = - 0.72), ADF and IVOMD (r = - 0.65). Conclusions Significant variations in EF yield and nutritive value among the shrubs agree vvith other reports (Papachristou, 2000; Ammar and Gonzalez, 2005; Larbi et al., 2007). Ouercus coccifera and S. officinalis and shovved greater potential for development of agroforestry technologies to increase the productivity of Anti-Taunıs Mountains rangelands based on digestible organic matta1 yield.