Livestock Production and Economic Implications from Augmenting Degraded Rangeland with \u3ci\u3eAtriplex halimus\u3c/i\u3e and \u3ci\u3eSalsola vermiculata\u3c/i\u3e in Northwest Syria
Three stocking rates (low: one sheep 2.25 ha-1, medium: one sheep 1.5 ha-1 year-1 and high: one sheep 0.75 ha-1 year-1) were studied for 7 seasons (1990/91-1996/97) on native range and on pasture over sown with fodder shrubs at Maragha, northwest Syria. There were 8 Awassi sheep in each stocking rate treatment, and the treatments were replicated 3 times in fenced paddocks. Milk yield, lamb production, live weight and supplementary feeding of the sheep were monitored. The results showed significantly higher forage availability on the range over-sown with fodder shrubs by 82% and 41% in the medium and high rainfall seasons, respectively and by 142% and 379% in the average and low rainfall seasons, compared with the native pasture. The total energy used in the supplementary feed was greater under the native pasture than that in the shrub-sown pasture in 5 out of 7 seasons, while crude protein consumption was greater in the native pasture than on the shrub-sown pasture in all 7 seasons. Milk production and lamb body mass were higher on shrub-sown pasture than those in native pasture in 4 and 6 out the 7 seasons, respectively. Benefits obtained from reduced feed costs, extra milk and lamb sales were higher on shrub-sown pasture than those in the native pasture in 5 out of the 7 seasons. Total benefits measured over the entire study period were highest under the high stocking rate, reaching about 77 US $ ha-1. We concluded that shrub plantation in west Asia could safely be utilized at stocking rate of one sheep 0.75 ha-1 year-1 for the benefits of the pasture and users
