Effects of grazing and shading on the nutritive value of herbaceous vegetation in agroforestry systems

The effects of grazing and shading of various spacing treatments (10mx10m, 7mx7m, 4mx4m, 2mx2.5m), on the nutritive value of herbaceous vegetation, in a wild cherry (Prunus avium L.) agroforestry system, was studied. The experiment was conducted in Laggadia, Pella close to the borders of the FYROM. The experimental area was grazed in early summer by a flock of 200 native-race goats, from 1993 to 1997. Grazing prolonged the green period of the plants, preserved the lignin content percentages in low values but it didn’t affect the CP, NDF and ADF content. Shading, especially in the narrow tree spacing 2mx2.5m, increased CP content and decreased NDF content. The CP content of the herbaceous vegetation was significantly higher next to tree trunks compared to the mean distance between the tree plots. The NDF, ADF and ADL content wasn’t affected.