Theme 2-1: Forage Production and Utilization--Oral Sessions

Description

Pressure on rangelands of Sudan has increased in the last few decades due to increase in human population and in animal numbers. The rangelands were also impacted by climate change, desertification, agricultural expansion, mining, and overgrazing. Decreased amounts of rainfall have impoverished the natural rangelands. Goats are capable of grazing on semi-desert regions characterized by low rainfall and scarce grazing plants. It is therefore necessary to know and enhance plant species preferred by goats to properly manage the rangelands. The present study was conducted at Kalemando, North Darfur State during the rainy season of year 2017 when most plants were flowering. The aim was to investigate plant preference by goats under free grazing conditions. A range site of one km2 was selected for the study. The Parker loop method was used to determine botanical composition of herbaceous plants while the point centre quarter method was used to determine density and relative density of trees and shrubs. The bite count technique was used to determine goat diet botanical composition. The herbaceous layer manifested 34 species of which 50.76% were forbs, while grasses constituted 49.24%. The dominant herbaceous plants were Dactyloctenium aegyptium (16.08%), Aristida spp (13.04%), Zaleya Pentandra (9.27%), Trigonella hamosa (8.70%), Echinocloa colona (6.38%) and Aerva javonica (5.36%). Tree and shrub of highest relative density were Acacia tortils (67.86%), Boscia sengalensis (14.29%), and Grewia tenax (3.57%). The diet selected by goats comprised trees/shrubs (42.17%), forbs (36.15%) and grasses (21.68%). Plants most preferred were Commelina kotschyi, Justicia kotschyi, Tribulus terrestris, Trigonella hamosa, Echinocloa colona, Permina resinosa, Grewia tenax. and Acacia mellifera. It is concluded that rehabilitation of rangelands can best be effected by resort to plant species preferred by goats.

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Diet Selection by Goats at Kalemando, North Darfur, Sudan

Pressure on rangelands of Sudan has increased in the last few decades due to increase in human population and in animal numbers. The rangelands were also impacted by climate change, desertification, agricultural expansion, mining, and overgrazing. Decreased amounts of rainfall have impoverished the natural rangelands. Goats are capable of grazing on semi-desert regions characterized by low rainfall and scarce grazing plants. It is therefore necessary to know and enhance plant species preferred by goats to properly manage the rangelands. The present study was conducted at Kalemando, North Darfur State during the rainy season of year 2017 when most plants were flowering. The aim was to investigate plant preference by goats under free grazing conditions. A range site of one km2 was selected for the study. The Parker loop method was used to determine botanical composition of herbaceous plants while the point centre quarter method was used to determine density and relative density of trees and shrubs. The bite count technique was used to determine goat diet botanical composition. The herbaceous layer manifested 34 species of which 50.76% were forbs, while grasses constituted 49.24%. The dominant herbaceous plants were Dactyloctenium aegyptium (16.08%), Aristida spp (13.04%), Zaleya Pentandra (9.27%), Trigonella hamosa (8.70%), Echinocloa colona (6.38%) and Aerva javonica (5.36%). Tree and shrub of highest relative density were Acacia tortils (67.86%), Boscia sengalensis (14.29%), and Grewia tenax (3.57%). The diet selected by goats comprised trees/shrubs (42.17%), forbs (36.15%) and grasses (21.68%). Plants most preferred were Commelina kotschyi, Justicia kotschyi, Tribulus terrestris, Trigonella hamosa, Echinocloa colona, Permina resinosa, Grewia tenax. and Acacia mellifera. It is concluded that rehabilitation of rangelands can best be effected by resort to plant species preferred by goats.