Comparison of Two Methods of Preference Value Determination of Plant Species for Goat in Semi-Steppe Rangelands in Fars Province

Subject Areas : Journal of Plant Ecophysiology

S.M.R  Habibian ¹ (دانش آموخته کارشناسی ارشد دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی واحد علوم و تحقیقات)
H.  Arzani ² (استاد گروه احیاء مناطق خشک و کوهستانی دانشگاه تهران)
S.H.  Habibian ³ (استادیار دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی واحد ارسنجان)

Received: 2014-05-28 Accepted : 2014-05-28 Published : 2013-08-01

Keywords:

Abstract :

Information of preference value of range plant is necessary in estimation of available forage yield in each site. In this study two methods of determination of the preference value, direct time observation (DTO) and bite count used and compared (BC) in the semi-steppe rangeland in Cheshme-Anjir of Fars, 25 km North West of Shiraz in 2009. In both methods 3 goats were selected for grazing at 9 and 11 morning and 4 afternoons in four grazing periods. Time of consumption and number of bites for species plants were recorded, respectively. Data analyzed by factorial experiment in CRD using SAS and SPSS software's. Comparisons between two methods carried out by ANOVA, Pearson correlation and Spearman's rho correlation. The results showed that there were significant differences (p<0.01) in both techniques between preference value of species plant for goat. This study indicated that there was a similarity and correlation between DTO with BC methods (r=0.94).