Forage yields and nutritive values of oat and triticale pastures for grazing sheep in early spring.

Background: Small-grain winter cereals can be utilized as early spring pastures in temperate climates to relieve grazing pressure and potentially mitigate feed shortages. This study was conducted to determine the effects of triticale and oat cereal pastures grazed by sheep during early spring on forage yields, nutritive values, and nutritional requirements of sheep. Methods: The research was carried out over three consecutive years, from 2015 to 2017, at the Sheep Research Institute in Bandirma-Balikesir, located in the Marmara region of Türkiye. The treatments were arranged in a completely randomized block design, with the two forage species, triticale and oat, randomized within each of three blocks. The animal material for the study consisted of 24 Karacabey Merino sheep, each 2 years old, with an average live weight of 57.6 ± 0.5 kg, all in the late lactation stage. In each replication, four sheep were included, resulting in a total of 12 sheep grazing in each of the triticale and oat pastures. The sheep grazed exclusively on the cereal pastures without any additional feed, and had unrestricted access to water throughout the entire period of the experiment. The dry matter yields (DMY), dry matter intakes (DMI), nutritive values, and mineral contents of the cereal species were determined. Results: The DMY showed significant differences over the years (P < 0.05). No differences in DMY were observed between pastures, with oats yielding 11.99 t ha-1 and triticale yielding 11.08 t ha-1. During the grazing period, the change in DMY was significant in all years (P < 0.05). The average DMI of the sheep was 2,003.5 g d-1 for triticale and 2,156.6 g d-1 for oat, respectively, and DMI exhibited no significant differences across pastures. Although there was no difference in DMI between 2015 and 2016, the lowest consumption occurred in 2017 (P < 0.05). Additionally, while DMI showed different trends each year based on the periods, it generally decreased by the end of the grazing period. While both pastures provided similar nutritive values, significant differences were observed in the crude protein (CP), acid detergent fiber (ADF), in vitro true DM digestibility (DDM), and metabolisable energy (ME) values across the years. Over the years, as the grazing period progressed, CP levels decreased while neutral detergent fiber (NDF), ADF, and acid detergent lignin (ADL) increased, resulting in reduced DDM and ME values. The phosphorus (P) content in triticale was higher than in oats, but there were no differences in the content of other minerals between them. Between the years, significant differences were observed in the levels of phosphorus (P) and iron (Fe), while changes in other elements were insignificant. The variation in mineral content during the grazing process differed over the three years. Study results indicated that the nutritional values of triticale and oat pastures are similar, and both can effectively be used to provide sufficient feed to meet the early spring forage requirements for sheep.

Carcass Characteristics and Meat Quality of Karacabey Merino lambs Reared under Triticale and Oat Pastures Compared with Stall-Fed Lambs.

Fifty-eight Karacabey Merino lambs were used to study the effects of feeding system (triticale pasture, oat pasture, or stall-fed), birth type (single or multiple), gender (male or female), and birth year (2016 or 2017) on various carcass and meat quality characteristics. Stall lambs had higher conformation (CS) and fatness (FS) scores, and higher meat L* and h* values than the two pasture groups, possibly due to higher fat content, while oat pasture lambs had the most tender meat. Single-born lambs had higher CS, FS, and Longissimus thoracis muscle section area, while females had higher subcutaneous and non-carcass fat deposits than their counterparts. Both single-born lambs and 2016-born lambs had higher meat a* and C* values than their counterparts. In conclusion, a pasture-based feeding system is more suitable for Karacabey Merino lambs than a stall feeding system, if lean meat and/or meat products are preferred. However, it should not be ignored that stall-fed lambs showed a better fattening performance in terms of conformation and fatness, during the same period.

Annual changes in biomass amount and feeding potential of shrubby rangelands in maquis formation.

Background: This study evaluated the extent to which the endemic herbaceous and woody species of shrubby rangelands met the roughage needs of grazing animals throughout the year. Methods: The biomass, botanical composition, and quality of hay were investigated in the shrubby rangelands in Pasaköy of the Ayvacik districts in Çanakkale over the course of a year. Plant samples were taken from the herbaceous species monthly and from the grazing parts of the shrubs in May and November. Results: The total amount of biomass (hay + shrub) in the rangeland was found to be 30.448 kg/ha. Shrubs made up 18.78% of the rangeland, while the annual species comprised 54.96%, and perennial herbs covered 26.26% of the total biomass. Crude protein (CP) ratios of herbaceous species decreased continuously from March (13.58%) to September (6.73%), and then increased. A similar change was also seen in pure ash (PA) ratios. The CP ratios in the shrub species were high in spring and decreased in autumn and there was an irregular variation in PA rates. Oak had the highest PA ratio during the spring, while thuja had the highest ratio in autumn, and Juniperus oxycedrus during the winter months. In herbaceous species, cell wall components (NDF, ADF, and ADL) reached their highest levels in summer and decreased in spring and winter. However, in shrubs, these components varied according to the species and were generally lowest in spring and then increased in autumn and winter. Here, it was determined that year-round grazing is a suitable grazing system in the shrubby rangelands of the Mediterranean zone, and animals are able to find fresh forage in the rangelands due to the presence of shrubs. However, since the contribution of shrubs to the total forage production is low, additional roughage should be provided, except in the spring when the production and quality of hay increase. These practices may contribute to better livestock management.