Seasonal changes in biomass yield, nutrient intake and its utilization by sheep maintained on public range land

Seasonal changes in biomass yield of pasture and nutrient utilization patte rn of sheep maintained round the year on village community grazing land (CG L). The biomass yield of the CGL was similar in the 3 seasons (1.54qDM/ha). Animal preferred Cenchrus catherticus and Eleucine indica during rainy sea son whereas during winter the preference for C. catherticus increased while that of Elucine indica decreased. The Cp of random pasture vegetation was 10.5% in monsoon which declined to 8.4 and 4.0% in winter and summer, respe ctively, with concomitant increase in cell wall constituents during the per iod. The CP of mouth grab samples was, however, 11.5% in monsoon and 10.0 a nd 7.8% respectively, in winter and summer. The DMI of sheep decreased from monsoon(2.1% BW) to winter(1.8%BW) and summer(1.6%BW), while corresponding DCP intake showed significantly reduction reduction in summer (15 g/head/d ay) compared to winter (31.7 g/head/day) and monsoon (45.1 g/head/day). Pro gressive increase on maturity and lignification of plant species was reflec ted in gradual decline of digestibility of DM, CP, NDF, ADF, hemicellulose and cellulose from monsoon to winter and summer. It is concluded that DMI a nd nutrient utilization progressively decreased from monsoon to winter and summer. The DCP intake was adequate in monsoon and winter while it was gros sly inadequate in summer.