Twenty-four Hereford x Friesian cows and their South Devon cross calves were allocated to three herbage allowances allotted daily for three periods of 8 weeks in a Latin square design. The daily allowances were 17, 34 and 51 g dry matter per kg cow plus calf live weight. Milk production was depressed by 0-4 and 17 kg d"' at the medium and low allowances. The corresponding falls in liveweight gain were for cows 016 and 0 75, and for calves 0 07 and 0-34 kg d"'. Residual sward height after grazing gave a better indication of the animals' reaction to sward conditions and the management imposed than actual herbage allowance. The quantity per unit area and the composition of material present were important factors influencing intake. Calves were unable to compete with their dams to maintain herbage intake at the lower allowances and therefore are likely to benefit from additional feeding or creep grazing when residual sward height falls below 6 cm for periods In excess of 1-2 weeks.
Groups of eight Hereford x Friesian cows and their South Devon cross calves were set stocked over a 24-week grazing season at 3-33 (low), 3-81 (medium) or 4-44 (high) cows ha ~' together with their calves. For the first 8 weeks only two-thirds of the total area was grazed. Increasing the stocking rate from low to medium reduced daily milk yield and cow and calf liveweight gains by 11, 014 and 0O9 kg d"' respectively, and from medium to high by 13,0 24 and 0 03 kgd"'. The main sward factor influencing faecal output and herbage intake was the quantity of organic matter on the pastures but the digestibility of the herbage selected also exerted a significant effect on the intake of cows. Major depressions in the herbage intake of cows occurred once the average sward height fell below 7 cm. Output of calf live weight was 628, 658 and 743 kg ha"' for the 3 stocking rates from low to high, and for cows 246. 179 and 30 kg ha"'. It was concluded that decisions on pasture management should be taken in relation to the cow rather than the calf on set-stocked swards. InlroductionMany stocking rate studies have been conducted with beef cows but they have not provided
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