Study on the grassland-livestock balance based on static model in the alpine meadow on the eastern edge of the Qinghai Tibetan Plateau

In order to study the grassland-livestock balance in alpine meadow area on the eastern edge of Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, a nutrition model was constructed using Australian ruminant feeding standard as reference, stage one model as frame, typical family farm as study scale, and metabolisable energy (ME) and nitrogen requirement as nutrition unit. The nutrition model was used to stimulate the monthly variation of ME and nitrogen requirement of the Oula Tibetan sheep in this area and to study effects of winter warm sheds on weights of the sheep. The results showed that the Tibetan sheep could obtain enough energy for increase of weight under high stocking rate (>3.5 SE/ha) during warm seasons in the alpine meadow with high forage digestibility and ME content. The Tibetan sheep could not obtain enough energy for keeping of weight under low stocking rate (<3.5 SE/ha) during cold seasons in the alpine meadow with low forage digestibility and ME content. The energy requirement of the Oula Tibetan sheep increased greatly and grassland livestock was not kept in good balance due to the low air temperature during the cold seasons in the alpine meadow. Concentrate feeds should be considered as the priority supplements during cold season. Warm shed could help to reduce the ME expenditure and the ME metabolic status during cold seasons. The ME of the Oula sheep reduced 1.08, 1.23, 1.28 and 1.26 MJ/SE/d from January to April, respectively, after the Oula sheep being kept in warm shed. Concentrate supplement + warm shed would be a practical management during the cold seasons in this area.