Preferential value of Allium Species grazed by Shal using timing method In the Summer Rangeland of Noor Rud

Attention to the quality and quantity of forage plants, palatability and species preference, are among the information needed to properly manage pasture grazing. One of the prominent plants in the Nour Rud rangelands are Allium spp plants that have an acceptable distribution in the area. For the sake of the study, the preferred value of different species of Allium’s for Shal sheep with an average weight of 45 kg in Nurrud summer pastures in Mazandaran province during June, July and August of 2019. At the end of each month of grazing period. Their grazing behavior were filmed at morning, noon, and evening for 30 minutes. The heads of sample sheep were marked to be recognized at the time of recording. After transferring the film to computer, the grazing time of each species was measured and put in an Excel sheet. The results showed that there was a significant difference at 1% level for months as well as different times. The highest grazing duration was allocated to August (11.64 s) and for grazing time to the morning (11.12 s). The lowest grazing time for months belongs to June (2.76 s) and for the grazing time to the noon (2.91 s). The overall results of this study suggests that late grazing of the Allium is recommendable because of the lack of more palatable species and reduction of essential oils and spicy odor of these plants which make it more plausible to the grazing animals.