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SEASONAL CHANGES: DYNAMICS OF GRASSLAND
VEGETATION COMPOSITION
Toshqarayeva Durdona Usmon qizi, Ne’matova Dilshoda Shuhrat qizi,
Salimova Sarvinoz Shuhrat qizi.
Jizzakh State Pedagogical University
Annotation: This article examines the long-standing tradition of using
natural pastures in Uzbekistan, focusing on the ecological, economic, and
agricultural aspects of pasture management. The study explores the botanical and
chemical composition of pasture plants, their seasonal changes, and their impact on
livestock productivity. Special attention is given to Crotalaria juncea (sun hemp), a
fast-growing, nitrogen-fixing plant with potential benefits for pasture enrichment and
livestock feed. However, concerns over excessive consumption due to its alkaloid
content are highlighted. The research emphasizes the importance of sustainable
pasture use, scientific monitoring, and rational livestock feeding strategies to prevent
degradation and maintain biodiversity. The findings are based on multi-year field
studies in desert, foothill, and mountain pastures, analyzing factors such as
vegetation cycles, climate influence, and plant nutritional values. The study
underscores the need for an integrated approach to pasture management to enhance
livestock productivity while preserving natural ecosystems.
Keywords: Natural pastures, Uzbekistan, pasture management, livestock
feeding, Crotalaria juncea, sun hemp, nitrogen fixation, biodiversity, botanical
composition, ecological sustainability, pasture productivity, animal nutrition,
Karakul sheep, arid pastures, sustainable agriculture.
In Uzbekistan, a long-standing tradition of using natural pastures has been
formed, and this process is organized depending on the climatic characteristics of the
year, the vegetation period of plants growing on pastures, and the presence of large
areas of massifs. If we consider such an approach from the point of view of
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management, it is considered an economically efficient and expedient system. This
procedure is still widely used in karakul farming. However, various forms of
management and the distribution of territories between farms and individuals
somewhat limit the possibilities of using foothill and mountain pastures compared to
desert pastures. Starting from the second half of spring, with a slight increase in
external temperatures, in desert pastures, in addition to large and small horned animals
belonging to farms, personal livestock of the population living in this area can also
use pastures. According to the results of many years of research, the productivity of
natural pastures, the botanical and chemical composition of plants, and the biological
value of feed have been studied. In particular, it was found that the number of animals
grazed per 1 hectare in steppe pastures is 1.5–2 times higher than in foothill and
mountain pastures. However, an excess of the number of animals per 1 hectare of
pasture leads to a number of negative consequences: the full vegetation period of
plants is disrupted, their botanical and chemical composition changes, the mass of
feed obtained from the pasture decreases, productivity decreases, and the nutritional
value of feed sharply decreases. As a result, the need for animals for feed is not fully
satisfied, and the degradation of pastures accelerates.
In this regard, one example of a plant that grows in pastures is Crotalaria
juncea (sun hemp or Indian hemp). This plant is mainly found in tropical and
subtropical regions, but due to its adaptability, it can also grow in arid pasture
conditions. Crotalaria juncea is distinguished by its rapid growth, ability to
accumulate nitrogen in the soil, and potential for increasing pasture productivity. Its
chemical composition includes leaves and seeds rich in protein, which can be an
additional source of food for animals. However, due to the presence of alkaloids,
excessive consumption is also likely to have a negative impact on animal health.
Therefore, it is important to use such plants wisely in pastures.
There is a risk of a decrease in the live weight of Karakul sheep, a decrease in
productivity and quality as a result of improper use of existing pastures. To prevent
such situations and maintain the efficiency of current economic activities, it is
important to monitor natural pastures. This monitoring should cover the following
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areas: productivity levels, botanical and chemical composition of plants, nutritional
value of feed masses, feed intake and digestion processes, digestive processes in the
rumen, and physiological and biochemical changes in blood composition. These
factors are interrelated and require complex scientific research.
Although there are various directions of livestock breeding today, the system
of pasture use in Karakul farms in Nurabad district of Samarkand region is determined
by the year-round grazing of small and large cattle in areas allocated for farmers or
dehkan farms. Especially in late autumn, winter and early spring, the shortage of feed
masses in pastures is clearly felt. Therefore, it is necessary to conduct comprehensive
studies on the proper feeding of livestock, increasing their productivity and reducing
the risk of poor-quality food products.
Within the framework of such studies, the study of the botanical and chemical
composition of pasture plants by season is of great scientific and practical importance.
For this purpose, the use of plants such as Crotalaria juncea (sunflower) is important
to improve the nutritional status of pastures. Crotalaria juncea is one of the fast-
growing, nitrogen-fixing and soil-fertilizing plants, which can be a source of high-
quality fodder for livestock. In addition, this plant enriches the soil composition
through biological nitrogen fixation and has a positive effect on the growth of pasture
plants.
Given the increasingly deteriorating ecological conditions, creating an
effective feeding system in livestock farms, strengthening animal health and
producing high-quality food products is one of the urgent issues. Therefore, rational
use of pastures and scientific study of their composition are becoming necessary.
Currently, the constant use of one pasture throughout the year and the
excessive number of animals kept on it lead to the fact that pasture plants do not have
enough time to go through a full vegetation period. This affects the biodiversity of
pasture plants, their botanical and chemical composition, animal consumption, and
the digestibility of feed from year to year. Therefore, it becomes possible to develop
biologically based scientific recommendations based on the study of these issues. Our
research began with an analysis of the chemical and botanical composition of pasture
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plants, their productivity depending on the seasons and climatic conditions, as well as
their consumption by animals. The experiments were conducted for at least three
years, under different nutritional and climatic conditions, that is, from the second half
of February, when the vegetation of plants begins, to December-January, when the
winter season begins.
In climatically unfavorable years, pastures in the desert are mainly covered
with ephemeral-ephemeroid and salt-loving grasses, while foothill pastures are
enriched with more wormwood and semi-shrubs. Under such conditions, the height
of the grass-grasses does not exceed 8–10 cm. In moderately unfavorable years,
steppe pastures are replenished with grass-grasses other than ephemeral and
ephemeroid, improving pasture conditions and increasing productivity. In mountain
and foothill pastures, the amount of ephemeral and ephemeroid species increases, and
the share of wormwood and semi-shrubs is greater than in unfavorable years,
exceeding 8–16 cm in height. In climatically favorable years, ephemeral-ephemeroid
species prevail in pastures, wormwood, shrubs, semi-shrubs and other plants develop
well. This ensures that grass-grasses are preserved in sufficient quantities until the
winter.
In the spring and early summer months, sheep in desert pastures feed mainly
on ephemeral-ephemeroids and spike plants, but in the summer and autumn they
switch to eating leaves of shrubs and semi-shrubs and other plants. By the end of
autumn, they begin to eat salt grasses, because at this time many plants complete their
growing season and begin to dry out.
At the same time, among pasture plants, special attention should be paid to
species such as Crotalaria juncea (Indian hemp). This plant is useful for desert
pastures due to its adaptability, rapid growth, and enrichment of the soil with nitrogen.
Its leaves and seeds are rich in protein and can serve as an additional source of feed
for animals. However, due to the alkaloids it contains, excessive consumption may
harm the health of animals. Therefore, it is necessary to maintain a balance when
using such plants in pastures.
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When taking samples of grasses from areas of natural pastures where animals
are constantly grazed and analyzing their botanical composition, it was found that the
vegetative development of different plant groups does not occur uniformly depending
on the seasons and natural climatic conditions. Significant changes were observed in
the ratio of plant groups in mountain and foothill pastures during the vegetation
period. The importance of complex flowering plants in the nutritional balance of these
pastures was high, accounting for 56.6% in spring, 31% in autumn, and 23.2% in
winter.
The group of legumes is the main source of food in the spring, especially in
May. However, their share in the total pasture vegetation decreases significantly over
the following months. The main reason for this is that legumes begin their vegetation
early and quickly end their development period under the influence of warm
temperatures and strong winds.
In the autumn and winter seasons, legumes make up the main share in the diet
of Karakul sheep, accounting for 61% in autumn and 74% in winter. Complex
flowering plants reach 30.7% and 23.2%, respectively. While the spring diet is
dominated by complex flowering and apical plants (56.0% and 36.7%, respectively),
in the summer diet, solanaceous plants (49%), various grasses (20%) and apical plants
(13%) serve as the main source of food. In the autumn, the food composition of sheep
consists of associations of shrubs, semi-shrubs and saltbush plants, which mainly
include plants such as wormwood, keyreuk, fisheye and dogwood.
The sharply continental climate of Uzbekistan has a significant impact on the
vegetation process of pasture plants. In years with favorable climatic conditions, with
sufficient solar radiation and humidity, the grasslands of mountain and foothill
pastures enter the vegetation process even from February.
To increase the nutritional value of pastures and increase the productivity of
livestock, it is important to study their composition on a scientific basis. In this regard,
the use of forage crops such as Crotalaria juncea (sunflower alfalfa) can serve to
increase pasture productivity. This plant increases soil fertility through nitrogen
fixation and serves as a source of high-quality feed for livestock. Crotalaria juncea,
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which has a fast growth rate, plays an important role in enriching the nutritional
composition of pasture plants, especially in the spring and summer months. Therefore,
the introduction of such valuable forage crops in order to effectively use pastures and
enrich their nutritional composition is one of the urgent scientific and practical issues.
Climatic conditions, in particular, frosty winters and prolonged cold spring
temperatures, make it impossible to create the necessary conditions for the
development of many species of pasture plants and delay the beginning of their
growing season. Increased summer temperatures and strong sunlight contribute to an
increase in the content of nutrients, especially proteins, in plants. However, it should
be noted that the composition of the green grass samples taken in March showed
indicators very close to those of the winter samples. In April and May, the content of
nutrients in the grasses increased significantly, and in June, as many plants completed
their growing season, this indicator increased even more. The dry matter of the plants
contained 15.8% protein, 3.01% fat, 32.0% fiber and 48.73% nitrogen-free extractives
(NFE).
In the summer, as ephemerals and ephemeroids finish their vegetation, sheep
switch to eating leaves, soft stems of shrubs and semi-shrubs, and other plant species.
At the same time, the number of livestock on pastures exceeds the norm, excessive
temperature rise, and strong hot winds change the botanical composition of the
summer pasture vegetation cover, which also leads to changes in their chemical
composition. In short, the lack of rational and effective use of natural pastures leads
to a loss of biodiversity, a sharp change in the botanical and chemical composition of
plants, and land degradation. Therefore, improving the condition of pastures and
regulating the process of animal feeding are among the urgent tasks of today. Among
pasture plants, one can also note such species as Crotalaria juncea (Indian hemp). This
plant is adapted to arid conditions, grows quickly, and enriches the soil with nitrogen.
It contains protein-rich leaves and is useful as a supplementary feed source for
livestock. However, due to its alkaloids, excessive consumption can have negative
effects on animal health. Therefore, it is important to ensure a balanced consumption
of such plants when using pastures.
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