Crude Protein Content does not Determine the Preference Value of Plant Species for the Raini Goat (Capra aegagrus hircus L.) in Dry Rangelands

In order to estimate the relationship between forage quality and preference value of plant species for Raini goats (Capra aegagrus hircus), a field study was carried out on Raini goats’ grazing behavior in some desert habitats. Crude protein (as the most important factor affecting forage quality) of all plant species was measured at two phenological stages (spring and summer, 2010) in the dry rangeland of Talkhabad, Iran. In addition, the preference value of plant species by free-ranging goats was estimated by visual estimation during the two seasons. One-way ANOVA and paired t-test revealed that forage quality and preference value by goats differed among plant species and between seasons. There was no significant relationship between forage quality and preference value (linear regression and Pearson correlation). Only a few plant species had both high quality and high preference (e.g., Taverniera cuneifolia). An interesting outcome was the importance of minor low-quality feeds such as Ziziphus spina-christ fruit in the goats’ diet. Raini goats were also highly selective feeders, changing their diet from grazing to browsing and vice versa, which highlights the importance of diversified botanical structures and the preservation of shrubs and trees in their desert habitats.