Foraging preferences of free-ranging sheep and goats on the native vegetation of rangelands of Pubbi hills in Pakistan

• Published in: International journal of agriculture and biology Vol. 12; no. 6; pp. 944 - 946
• Main Authors: Rafiq, M.K. (Pakistan Agricultural Research Council, Islamabad (Pakistan). Directorate of Range Management and Forestry), Afzal, J. (National Agricultural Research Centre, Islamabad (Pakistan). Rangeland Research Inst.), Jasra, A.W. (Pakistan Agricultural Research Council, Islamabad (Pakistan). Directorate of Range Management and Forestry), Ahmad, I. (Pakistan Agricultural Research Council, Islamabad (Pakistan). Directorate of Range Management and Forestry), Khan, T.N. (National Agricultural Research Centre, Islamabad (Pakistan). Horticultural Research Inst.), Farooq, M.U
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01.11.2010
• Subjects: FEEDING PREFERENCES; FORAGING; GOATS; HIGHLANDS; PAKISTAN; RANGELANDS; SHEEP; VEGETATION
• ISSN: 1560-8530; 1814-9596

Foraging preferences of free ranging sheep and goats were studied on the native vegetation of Rangelands of Pubbi hills. Bite count through direct observation of the grazing animals was used to investigate the diet consumed by the free raging sheep and goats. Sheep mainly grazed (57% of the diet composition) on the seeded pods of Phulai (Acacia modesta). The second largest component of sheep diet was Cymbopogon jwarancusa (18%), which constituted the largest component (39%) of the goat diet. Grazing potential of the area can be improved by planting/reseeding native palatable trees, shrubs and grasses such as Sakkar (Ehretia laevis), Peeli Buti (Abutilon indicum), Gangir (Grewia populafolia) and Buffel grass (Cenchrus ciliaris) etc.