Investigation of four species of pasture palatability at different times of day and in various phenological stages in Nodooshan rangelands - Yazd

Since plant species palatability is different in various phenological stages and also at different times of day, information of plant species palatability is essential for available forage production estimation in each pasture habitat. For this purpose, palatability of four shrub species including Artemisia sieberi, Salsola kernery, Aelienia subaphylla and Eurosia ceratoides were determined and compared at different times of day and in various phenological stages using direct observation via timing technique by stopwatch in Nodushan-Yazd rangelands. Firstly 3 heads of goats were selected in desired herd, then livestock were followed using timing technique with stopwatch, 3 times a day (morning (8:30), noon (12:30) and afternoon (4:30)) and each time for 30 minutes in each phenological stage (vegetative, flowering and seedling) and afterward the amount of time that each livestock spent eating each plant species was noted. Thus, variance analysis and mean comparison of data were performed. Results showed that there are significant differences between palatability of different species, at different times of day and also in various phenological stages (P<0.01). Species interaction in time and stage was also significant (P<0.05). E. ceratoides had the lowest Palatability in the seeding stage in the noon, and A. sieberi had the most Palatability in the flowering stage in the morning.