Effects of Cow Slurry on Herbage Production, Intake by Cattle and Grazing Behaviour

Pain, B. F.; Leaver, J. D.; Broom, D. M.

doi:10.1111/j.1365-2494.1974.tb01233.x

Cited by 18 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 4 publications

(2 reference statements)

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“…The rejection of the slurry plots 7 weeks after application was apparent from other behavioural measures in adding to grazing. As in previously reported work (Pain et al 1974), heifers were less likely to lie on slurry-dressed pasture. This might occur because the animals lie where they have just been grazing.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 51%

“…The optimum intake will also vary according to rainfall, sward composition, soil type and class of livestock. In experiments of Pain et al (1974) the grazing behaviour of heifers was modified in the presence of slurry, although intakes were not affected. No information is available on the effects of the modifications in behaviour on animal performance because of the short duration of the grazing periods in these experiments.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 87%

“…Pain et al (1974) showed that mid or late winter applications did not affect later intakes when no choice was offered and where similar quantities of herbage were available but, in the early part of the season, grazing pressures were low on all treatments. In experiments with dairy cows (Reid, Greenhalgh & Aitken, 1972) intakes were significantly reduced by spreading slurry at 19 t/ha 3 weeks before grazing, but grazing pressures were moderately high.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 94%

“…is normally associated with dung dropped by MATERIALS AND METHODS grazing animals, the extent of rejection depending on the stocking rate and availability of untainted Eight plots, each measuring 16 m x 16 m with pasture (Greenhalgh & Reid, 1969). Pain, Leaver & 5-m-wide pathways, were set out on a meadow Broom (1974) showed that, when given no choice, fescue (Festuca pratensis), timothy (Pleum pradairy young stock ate pasture which had been tense), perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne), white dressed with slurry at rates up to 100 t/ha only 6 clover (Trifolium repens) ley on a sandy loam soil weeks before it was grazed. No significant differ-(Hurst Series).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The effects of slurry on the acceptability of swards to grazing cattle

Broom

Pain²,

Leaver³

1975

J. Agric. Sci.

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Grass plots, designed to provide 4 days grazing for three heifers, were divided into four equal sub-plots which were dressed with cow slurry in March at rates between 0 and 100 t/ha. The heifers were put into the plots 7 and 13 weeks after slurry application and were able to choose in which of the sub-plots they spent their time and grazed.The main effect of slurry on the pasture at 7 weeks was to increase the height of the sward but to decrease herbage dry-matter production. Herbage dry-matter utilization over the 4 days ranged from 94 % on the no-slurry sub-plot to only 41 % when slurry had been applied at 100 t/ha. The heifers spent most time in and grazed more often in sub-plots with little or no slurry for the first 2 days, but as the grass was eaten down the frequency of grazing on areas with more slurry increased. This was reflected in the amount of grass removed by the heifers from each treatment on each day.At the beginning of the second grazing, grass height and herbage dry-matter production were both directly related to level of slurry application. The heifers did not distinguish between treatments up to 50 t/ha, but herbage utilization on the 100 t/ha sub-plot was reduced.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 51%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 87%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 94%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The effects of slurry on the acceptability of swards to grazing cattle

Broom

Pain²,

Leaver³

1975

J. Agric. Sci.

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“…parasitic helminths) and microparasites (e.g. Additionally, when forced to graze faecally contaminated forage, or pasture spread with slurry, herbivores will modify their behaviour to select the top uncontaminated part of the sward [4,[7][8][9]. However, herbivores are unable to detect the presence of parasites in the environment, but instead use faeces as a cue for parasites [2].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Inter- and intra-specific exposure to parasites and pathogens via the faecal–oral route: a consequence of behaviour in a patchy environment

et al. 2008

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Livestock herbivores are at risk of inter- and intra-specific exposure to parasites/pathogens via the faecal-oral route during grazing. Each contact between livestock and faeces in the environment is a potential parasite/pathogen transmission event. Cattle grazing contact with faeces varies in relation to the species depositing the faeces and the distribution of the faeces. We used a foraging model to simulate the grazing behaviour of beef cattle in two grazing systems to compare the relative inter-specific and intra-specific exposure risks to parasites/pathogens. Overall, there is a greater level of intra- vs. inter-specific risk via the faecal-oral route. However, under certain conditions, particularly for microparasite infections, e.g. paratuberculosis in rabbits and bovine tuberculosis in badgers, wildlife may pose a significant exposure risk to parasites/pathogens. These risks can be enhanced when cattle are first turned out onto pasture and in situations where intra-specific variations in wildlife behaviour result in more dispersed defecation patterns.

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Dung avoidance as a possible mechanism in competition between wild and domestic ungulates: two experiments with chamois Rupicapra rupicapra

Fankhauser¹,

Galeffi

Suter

2007

Eur J Wildl Res

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Wild ungulates often adjust spatial behaviour where they coexist with livestock. In European mountains, chamois Rupicapra rupicapra or R. pyrenaica commonly avoid alpine pastures used by domestic sheep. Mechanisms leading to competitive losing out of the wild species are not well understood, but mostly, resource competition is inferred and sometimes demonstrated. We hypothesised that chamois need to minimise the risk of intestinal parasite uptake and therefore would avoid pastures contaminated with sheep dung. We tested this in two experiments by contaminating feeding patches of wild and captive chamois with (parasitefree) sheep faeces. Wild chamois did not avoid grazing sites or plots on which sheep dung had been placed at a (low) density representing the commonly encountered situation in the Swiss Alps. Captive chamois strongly reduced browsing time on small trees given for food when the surroundings of the trees were sprayed with a watery faecal solution. We concluded that the odour signalled a potential high risk of parasite infection to the captive chamois, whereas the density of sheep dung on the grazing site of wild chamois was not high enough to be perceived as a risk. The need to minimise endoparasite uptake from faeces may therefore play a role in driving spatial behaviour of wild ungulates and could result in competitive imbalance between wild and domestic ungulates.

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Effects of Cow Slurry on Herbage Production, Intake by Cattle and Grazing Behaviour

Cited by 18 publications

References 4 publications

The effects of slurry on the acceptability of swards to grazing cattle

The effects of slurry on the acceptability of swards to grazing cattle

Inter- and intra-specific exposure to parasites and pathogens via the faecal–oral route: a consequence of behaviour in a patchy environment

Dung avoidance as a possible mechanism in competition between wild and domestic ungulates: two experiments with chamois Rupicapra rupicapra

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