THE EFFECT OF DIFFERENT IMPROVEMENT METHODS ON PASTURE YIELD AND QUALITY OF HAY OBTAINED FROM THE ABANDONED RANGELAND

Rangelands are the most important feed sources for animal husbandry in Turkey. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of different improvement methods on pasture yield and quality obtained from the rangeland harvested at the grazing maturity stage. This study was conducted on a rangeland that cultivated 30 years ago and then abandoned in the Samsun region in Turkey between 2007 and 2008. Treatments were control, aeration, commercial fertilization; sheep manure application, over-seeding, aeration+fertilization, aeration+sheep manure, fertilization+over-seeding, and sheep manure+over-seeding. Harvest was realised when dominant grass+legume plants reached at grazing maturity. According to the results of two-year mean, the highest hay yield was obtained from the aeration+fertilizer treatment with 3720.5 kg ha-1 and from fertilization treatment with 3412.4 kg ha-1. In both years, the highest yields were generally obtained from each of the first cuts. Compared to control, all improvement methods generally increased the total yields in both years. In general, the first cut gave higher crude protein and RFV content and lower ADF and NDF content compared to the second or third cuts. According to quality standards of American Forage and Grassland Council, rangeland hay samples were generally classified in the first class. Rangeland improvement methods, especially aeration and its combinations, increased the hay yield and quality.