The Effect of Different Amounts of Organic Farm Manure Applicatıons on Pasture Yield and Yield Indicators in the Steppe Rangelands of Tektek Mountains in Şanlıurfa Province

Abstract

This study was conducted in the steppe rangelands of Tek Tek Mountains in Şanlıurfa province, using a randomized block design with three replications to determine the effects of eight different organic farm manure doses (0, 500, 1000, 1500, 2000, 2500, 3000, 3500 kg da^-1) on rangeland yield, botanical composition, and grazing capacity. The parameters examined in the study included dry matter yield, crude protein yield, the percentage of grasses, legumes, and other plant families based on weight, as well as grazing capacity. According to the results, the investigated features were found to range within the following values: dry matter yield was between 170-460 kg da^-1, crude protein yield ranged from 13.56 to 81.93 kg da^-1, with the proportion of grasses in the botanical composition being 50.39%, legumes 34.23%, and other plant families ranging from 19.06% to 37.18%. The grazing capacity of the rangeland was calculated as 73.93 animal units. In conclusion, it was observed that the majority of the rangeland vegetation was composed of forage crops, leading to an increase in the proportions of grasses and legumes, while the proportion of other plant families decreased. The combined application of 1 ton da^-1 of farm manure with 6 kg da^-1 of phosphorus emerged as a prominent treatment.