Offered Papers Theme A: Efficient Production from Grassland
Description
Forage plants in desert environments have to withstand both shortages in resources and over grazing during most years. This variation in resource availability is associated with variation in the nutritive values of the plant species. Moreover, these differences are not only seasonal but also vary between plant parts. Variations in nutritive values in key species, therefore, need to be better understood in order to sustainably feed livestock (Abdurazak et al., 2000), because effective management requires adequate knowledge of the interaction between the animal, the pasture and the environment (Kassilly, 2002). Forage toxicity could, however, cause irreparable damage to production. In the Gulf region, and especially in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Acacia tortilis and Prosopis cineraria are considered important sources of feed for livestock. The aims of the present study were (1) to improve our understanding of variations in the nutritive values of Acacia tortilis and Prosopis cineraria grown in the UAE and (2) to quantify differences between parts of the two species.
Included in
Agricultural Science Commons, Agronomy and Crop Sciences Commons, Plant Biology Commons, Plant Pathology Commons, Soil Science Commons, Weed Science Commons
Variations in Nutritive Values of Two Different Desert Forage Plants Growing in the United Arab Emirate Environment
Forage plants in desert environments have to withstand both shortages in resources and over grazing during most years. This variation in resource availability is associated with variation in the nutritive values of the plant species. Moreover, these differences are not only seasonal but also vary between plant parts. Variations in nutritive values in key species, therefore, need to be better understood in order to sustainably feed livestock (Abdurazak et al., 2000), because effective management requires adequate knowledge of the interaction between the animal, the pasture and the environment (Kassilly, 2002). Forage toxicity could, however, cause irreparable damage to production. In the Gulf region, and especially in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Acacia tortilis and Prosopis cineraria are considered important sources of feed for livestock. The aims of the present study were (1) to improve our understanding of variations in the nutritive values of Acacia tortilis and Prosopis cineraria grown in the UAE and (2) to quantify differences between parts of the two species.
