SEASONAL TRENDS IN CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF DIFFERENT ARTIFICIAL PASTURES

Abstract

This research was conducted to determine the chemical composition of different artificial pastures from the years 2010 to 2012. For this purpose, two different artificial pastures were established, each covering 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%) + Poterium sanguisorba (10%); Pasture 2 (P2): Medicago sativa L. (15%) + Onobrychis sativa Lam. (15%) + Agropyron cristatum L. (35%) + Bromus inermis L. (35%). Forage samples were collected from grazing and non-grazing areas once every 15 days during the grazing seasons. The nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), crude ash and tetany ratio were determined on the forage samples. The results showed thatcontents of N, P, K, Mg, crude ash and tetany ratios decreased with advancing growth while Ca contents increased in grazing and non-grazing areas of two pastures. The highest values in terms of N, K and Mg contents were obtained from P2 compared to P1, while the highest crude ash ratio was determined from P1.The P, K, Ca, Mg, crude ash and tetany ratios in non-grazed areas were higher than grazed areas, while N content of grazed areas was higher than non-grazed areas.