Determination of suitable forage mixture to use for artificial pasture establishment in the Yozgat province

This research was carried out between 2011 and 2012 at farmer?s land in Cekerek town of Yozgat province. The aim was to determine the most suitable forage mixtures that can be used in artificial pasture establishment in the province conditions. Research was established as a randomized complete block design with three replications. In this experiment, alfalfa, sainfoin, burnet, smooth brome and crested wheatgrass were sown as a simple, triple and quadruple mixtures. As a result, significant differences were determined among treatments in terms of dry matter yield, crude protein ratio, crude protein yield, relative feed value, nutrient contents and K/Ca+Mg ratio. In the study, dry matter yield, crude protein ratio and crude protein yield varied between, 259.4 - 770.3 kg/da, 15.8% - 19.0 and 42.4 - 147.4 kg/da respectively. Among to mixture sowings the highest dry matter and crude protein yield were gained from application numbered (6) (alfalfa+smooth brome+crested wheatgrass respectively 751.6% and 136.8). In the study, from three harvest were defined as average ADF, NDF, NYD contents varied between respectively, 26.3% - 29.7, 43.7% - 59.7 and 102.4 - 146.0. In the experiment, while the mixtures had adequate level of mineral contents, the mixtures containing alfalfa`s K/Ca+Mg ratio was below 2.2. The result of research was concluded as consideration of both grass yield and quality of the grass obtained. Alfalfa is the most suitable forage mixture with smooth brome and crested wheatgrass to be used for artificial pasture establishment in Yozgat province with dry conditions.