QUALITY CHARACTERISTICS OF DIFFERENT FORAGE MIXTURES AFFECTED BY POULTRY GRAZING AND HARVESTING TIMES

The effects of the pasture created with the different forage mixtures on forage quality and forage value were studied within the scope of this research. Three different forage mixtures (M1: 40% smooth brome (Bromus inermis Leys.) + 20% alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) + 40% bird’s foot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus); M2: 40% meadow fescue (Festuca pratensis) + 20% alfalfa + 40% bird’s foot trefoil; M3: 40% orchard grass (Dactylis glomerata L.) + 20% alfalfa + 40% bird’s foot trefoil were prepared as 3 replications on 2000 m2 land. The synthetic pasture was cut 7 times and grazed for 3-month periods in both experiment years by 6 turkey poultry in an area of 100 m2 each. The best quality pasture was obtained at the first harvesting in both experiment years. The lowest ADF (22.78%, 22.09%), NDF (36.61%, 32.26%), ADL (6.39%, 5.49%) were determined during 2014 and 2015 during first harvesting time, in the same order. The highest forage values during 2014 and 2015; TDN (71.94%, 72.83%), DMI (3.28%, 3.90%), DDM (71.15%, 71.69%), RFV (180.64%, 216.77%), CP (19.35%, 15.96%) were obtained in the first harvesting time, in the same order. First harvesting time was the best suitable time for high forage quality and forage values under the Central Anatolian conditions. It was understood that forage quality and forage values decreased with on-going harvesting times. Mixture with meadow fescue (M2) showed the best features of forage quality and forage values