Nutritive value of forage species and shrubland utilization by goats

Nutritive νalue of forage species common in the mediteπanean shrublands was detrmined at various periods during the year. Intake by goats was also deteπnined in shrublands with different shrub-herbage vegetation  over and at three stocking rates. Crude protein content for all plants decreased as growing season progressed and plants matured. Crude protein content decreased for grasses by 62% from spring to autumn, while for legumes and woody species it decreased only by 47%. !η vitro organic matter digestibility for grasses and leguιηes decreased by 28%, while for woody species by 7%. Mineral content was reduced in all forage species as plant matured except for Ca in woody species. Legumes tended to maintain almost constant Ca and Ρ levels.  By reducing shrub cover from 66% dowη to 53% and increasing herbaceous cover the nutritiνe value of goat’s diet was improved. This resulted in an increased intake in the pasture with the greater proportion of herbaceous plants in comparison to the pastures with lower proportions for all grazing periods except June and May. Also, intake was higher in the moderately stocked shrublands (44.3g/kg Bw0.75) than in the heavy (37.3g/kgBW0.75) and very heavy stocked shrublands (35.4glkgBW0.75).