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Study Of Feed Balance In Qilian Mountain Pastoral Areas And Precision Management Of Sheep

Posted on:2013-01-30Degree:DoctorType:Dissertation
Country:ChinaCandidate:B YangFull Text:PDF
GTID:1113330362467141Subject:Special economic animal breeding
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Feed balance is the prerequisite of the sustainability of grassland animal husbandry. The techniques of monitoring and evaluation of feed balance is the base of achieving sustainability on this matter. The technique applied in evaluation of feed balance reflects different output of the feed balance situation. At present, the average stocking rates overload by36%in grassland in northen China, consequently, The grassland has been degraded seriously, the productivity of grazing animal husbandry is down significantly as the result wich affects the economic efficiency, and farmer income in the pastoral area in China.Therefore, this paper aims to discus the techniques used in the study to evaluate and to monitory the feed balance. The metabolic energy(ME) requirement of sheep has been used as a benchmark for feed balance analysis, in addition, grassland monitory were practiced in a year around. The feed balance status of the typical farm were evaluated and studied in Qilian pastoral area of the northwest of China, in addition, supplementation strategy was worked out in according with the feed balance status of the pilot farms in this study. At the same time, precision management model and techniques were developed. Study and analysis of the feasibility of different approache at household level aming to reduce stocking rate, to improve efficiency and to achieve feed balance so as to find grassland rehabilitation approach suits to the area. The main research results are showed as follows:1. The paper is to discus the techniques used in the study to evaluate and to monitory the feed balance, of which the metabolic energy(ME) of sheep requirement and of grassland supervision in a year around were used as the benchmark to understand the feed balance status of the typical farm in Sunan County of Gansu province. The results showed ME provision from grassland was higher than animal maintenance requirement in warm season from June to October, consequently, the body weight of sheep increased significantly. The MEprovision was in deficit in cold season from November to May, as the results, the body weight losses was significant during this period of time. The stocking rate was the highest in summer pasture among3pasture types which were summer pasture, winter pasture and spring and autumn pasture.2. In addition, supplementation strategy was worked out in according with the feed balance status of the typical farms of the pilot farm in this study. The results also showed the ME requirement of sheep fed in warm shed in winter was lower than those in conventional yard which should be an alternative in relieving ME deficit in winter and benefit in feed balance too. Experiment was designed to test the ewes were fed in warm shed in winter, the results showed the wool yield of experimental sheep was0.73kg/head higher than those of controls, the body weight loss decreased14.9%, and pure income increased126.25Yuan/head respectively. The study also demonstrated that the lambing time had large effect on feed balance. Under the range of the production practice, the delaying lambing time can improve feed balance. The research measured lambs growth performance and the body condition of ewe which lambed in April and May. Result showed the birth weight of the lamb born in May and June were significantly higher than those born in April although the body weight of the lamb born in May was4-5kg lower than April lambs because of short growing time. However, the pen feed practice may be applied to achieve heavier body weight at the selling time of September. Ewe pregnancy in the late feeding,can improve birth weight of the lamb born significant.3. In this paper, the production performance of Gansu fine-wool sheep was determined by selecting three typical farmers in Sunan County, Gansu province.The precision management model, meanwhile the economic data was used to analyze the management level of farmers. Via eliminating the sheep with poor production,the stocking rates were decreased by13%for low management level and26%for high level, respectively. In the contrast, the stocking rate for those farmers not using this model increased by18%. The results showed that the average wool yield and total wool production volume for farmers with low and high management level were increased, but for those typical farmers with middle management level, the average wool yield decreased by0.55kg although with better total wool production. The income for farmers with low and high management level were increased by11.39%and4.2%, respectively, and the ewe weight was also improved. For those farmers with middle management level, the ewe weight decreased and the reserve ewe weight did not have a significant increase. In the meantime, farmers'income decreased by7.4%.Through implementation of precision management techniques over last3years in the typical farms used as pilot households, The breeding stock of the adult sheep reduced by16%from150in2009down to126in2011. To further improve breeding and management level at the farm level, the breeding stock of the sheep was reduced further by31%. Economic income increased by10.3%The body weight of adult ewes before mating in2011is higher than in2009, the average weight increase by3.17Kg, The wool yield increased by0.47Kg and the lamb's birth weight increased by0.46Kg. as the results, the herder's actual revenue has doubled in3years time.
Keywords/Search Tags:Feed balance, Metabolic energy, typical herdsman, Precision management, Qilianpastoral areas, Sunan, Model
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