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The Effect of Free-range Chicken on Vegetation and Soil of Mountainous

Author: ZhangTao
Tutor: LouYuJie
School: Jilin Agricultural University
Course: Animal Nutrition and Feed Science
Keywords: DaGu chicken Plant Soil Mountain Free-Range
CLC: S831
Type: Master's thesis
Year: 2011
Downloads: 17
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Abstract

Recently, with the increasing demand of meat products from free range chicken on mountains, more and more farmers raise chicken by free range on mountains. However, the effect of free range chicken on environment of mountains is still unknown. Clarifying the effect of free range chicken on environment of mountains is very important for making good use of mountainous resource to performing broiler production. In order to investigate the effect of free range chicken on vegetation and soil of mountains, one thousand and five hundreds Dagu chicken (four weeks old) were stocked on mountain for three months in May for determination of fresh weight, biomass, diversity index, crude fiber and crude protein of vegetation, total nitrogen content and total phosphorus content in soil apart from roost 10m,20m,40m,70m and 100m respectively in different months and these index after one year. The results were as follows:The distance from habitat for 10 m,20 m,40 m,70 m and 100 m, each chicken respectively owns 6.06 m~2, 6.14 m~2,9.74 m~2,24.42 m~2 and 43.06 m~2. Compared with September, the influence of vegetation to graze was more vulnerable than in May and July. In May, the fresh weight and biomass of vegetation was significantly below than the control group in 10 m place. In the place between 10m and 20m, the vegetation diversity index was significantly lower than the control group. In July, in the place of 10m and 20m, the fresh weight of the chickens and the vegetation diversity index was significantly lower than the control group. In September, the fresh weight of each group had no significant difference, in the place of 40 m, the biomass of vegetation was significantly higher than 10 m and 20 m, the vegetation diversity index in 100 m and the control group was significantly higher than 10 m.When chickens number was in high density, the vegetation crude fiber content of the place chickens active in was high, but crude protein content was low, when the area per bird occupied less than 24.42 m~2, Dagu chicken significantly affected on crude protein and fiber, when the area per bird occupied was more than 24.42 m~2, it had no significant influence on the crude protein and fiber. Total nitrogen content and total phosphorus content of soil decreased as the distance to roost increased. Total nitrogen content of soil increased from July and peaked in September, the highest content (6.077 g/kg) was found at 10 m apart to the roost in September. The highest total phosphorus content in soil peaked in July and then decreased; the highest content was 0.961 g/kg, which was found at 10 m apart to the roost. At 70 m and 100 m apart from roost, where every chicken accounts for more than 24.42 m~2, the total nitrogen and total phosphorus was no significant difference with control group. The above ground biomass and diversity index of vegetation, total nitrogen content and total phosphorus content in broiler feces were changed to vary degrees after one year grazed. Compare with the last year, diversity index of vegetation at the 10m was significant higher than the same term. There was no significant increase at the other places to the roost as well as the difference between 100 m group and the control group. The above ground biomass of vegetation at the 10 m and 20 m were significant higher than the same term, there was no significant increase at the other places to the roost. Compared the 40 m,70 m and 100 m groups to the control group there was no significant increase. Total nitrogen content in broiler feces decreased as distance to the roost increased. Total nitrogen content in broiler feces decreased at the 40 m and 70 m was significant lower than the same term. There was no significance decrease between Total nitrogen content and total phosphorus content in broiler feces at 100 m (the area of each broiler occupied was 43.21 m~2and the control group. The total phosphorus content in broiler feces decreased not remarkable than the same term last year.Above all, free-range chicken on mountain has some effect on adjustment ability of ecological system. With the proper housed density, free-range chicken has no adverse effect on vegetation, but it would destroy the ecological balance under large density. A year later, the indexes of vegetation and soil have renewed in some extent, but not completely.

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