Methods for Growing Complete Feed for Livestock on the Forage Lands of West Kazakhstan in the Framework of Sustainable Management

Abstract

Sustainable management of forage lands is critical for livestock productivity in the arid and semi-arid regions of West Kazakhstan, where pasture degradation and declining forage quality pose increasing challenges to agricultural sustainability. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of different grazing methods on the vegetation condition, productivity, and nutritional quality of pastures in West Kazakhstan. Pasture vegetation was assessed using parameters including projective cover, species composition, grass height, forage yield, digestible protein yield, and metabolizable energy output. Three grazing systems were compared: rotational grazing, continuous grazing, and ungrazed control plots. Results demonstrated that biometric indicators, productivity, and forage quality were significantly influenced by the grazing method applied. Rotational grazing produced the most favorable pasture parameters, with forage yields of 0.60–0.75 t/ha of fodder units, digestible protein yields of 0.11–0.15 t/ha, and metabolizable energy outputs of 1.54–2.03 GJ/ha. A statistically significant dependence of pasture yield on grass height and projective vegetation cover was confirmed (p < 0.001). These findings demonstrate that rotational grazing represents the most effective strategy for maintaining forage quality and pasture productivity under the conditions of West Kazakhstan, and provide a practical framework for sustainable forage land management applicable to regions with similar semi-arid pastoral systems.