Intake and diet composition of sheep grazing typical steppe grassland estimated using the alkane technique

摘要

The voluntary intake and dietary composition of sheep grazing typical steppe grassland using the alkane technique were carried out at a semi-degraded typical steppe rangeland. The results showed Leymus chinensis was t-her major component of the sheeps' diets, while Suaeda glauca and Artemisia scoparia were the most favoured diet based on the relative preference index calculation. The average estimated DM intake was 1103. 51+ 54. 451 g/d. Balanced with the nutritional requirements of sheep, supplementary forage should be offered for young sheep at an average of 270 g DM/'d per sheep in summer.