Abstract 587

Das,-RB; Paroda,-RS

Cent. Arid Zone Res. Inst., Jodhpur 342 003, Rajasthan, India.

Annals-of-Arid-Zone. 1980, 19: 4, 407-412; 6 ref.

The technique of ht./wt. relationship was used to determine the degree of utilization of different grasses; 20% of the wt. was utilized when 45, 58, 54, 61 and 53% of the plant ht. of Lasiurus scindicus, Cenchrus ciliaris, Panicum antidotale, Dichanthium annulatum and C. setigerus, resp., from the top was clipped or grazed; 40% of the wt. was utilized when 63, 73, 71, 75 and 85% of the ht. was clipped. The 3-yr av. increase in body wt. of steers, wethers and goats was 111.2, 59.6 and 96.4%, resp., for a comparable degree of utilization by them of range forage (59.9.-63.9%). The range fodder production and sheep production/unit of land were increased with deferred rotational grazing compared with continuous grazing. The values for stocking rate, DM production, number of lambs and wool production/unit of land were higher in a sown pasture of C. setigerus/C. ciliaris/L. scindicus than in that of C. setigerus/C. ciliaris.