EVALUATION OF THE QUALITY OF TWO DIFFERENT ARTIFICIAL PASTURES AND THEIR EFFECTS ON THE PERFORMANCE OF GRAZING BEEF ANIMALS

Abstract

ABSTRACT This research was conducted to determine the feeding quality of different artificial pastures and their effects on animal performance from the years 2010 to 2012. For this purpose, two different artificial pastures were established, each one covered 1.5 ha area during the first year of the research. The mixtures of the pastures used were as follows: Pasture 1 (P1): Medicago sativa L. (20%) + Bromus inermis L. (40%) + Agropyron cristatum L. (30%) + Poteriumsanguisorba (10%); Pasture 2 (P2): Medicago sativa L. (15%) + Onobrychis sativa Lam. (15%) + Agropyron cristatum L. (35%) + Bromus inermis L. (35%). The grazing was conducted in the second and the third years of the research. Twenty Holstein male calves with 6 months old were assigned to the experimental areas randomly, each pasture containing 10 animals. Forage samples were collected from grazing and non-grazing areas once every 15 days during the grazing seasons. Concurrently with forage sampling, liveweight gains of animals were also obtained. The dry matter (DM) yield, crude protein (CP), acid detergent fibre (ADF), neutral detergent fibre (NDF) contents, in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD) were determined on the forage samples collected from grazing and non-grazing areas. The results showed that as grazing season advanced forage quality was declined in both pastures. The CP content and IVDMD were decreased with advancing growth stages in grazing and non-grazing areas of two pastures. The ADF and NDF contents were increased with advancing growth stages. There were no significant differences in the animal performances grazed on both pastures in terms of final weights, total weight gains and daily live weight gains. Keywords: Animal performance; dry matter yield; forage quality; grazing; liveweight gain.