Effects of sward surface height on the performance of continuously stocked spring‐calving beef cows and their calves

WRIGHTand, I. A.; Whyte, T. K.

doi:10.1111/j.1365-2494.1989.tb02163.x

Cited by 34 publications

(28 citation statements)

References 9 publications

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“…Average grass heights of 6.6 cm observed in the plots with nitrogen fertiliser were in line with the data by Wright and Whyte [57] and Hodgson [25]. Grass production, measured in small plots protected N between MN and HN.…”

Section: Vegetal Aspectssupporting

confidence: 89%

Less intensified grazing management with growing fattening bulls

et al. 2006

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-Animal performance, composition and quality of meat from Belgian Blue bulls either fattened indoors (FI) or finished indoors after a previous grazing period were studied during six years. During the grazing period, three intensification managements were tested on a permanent pasture conducted as set stocking. The intensification levels were either high (HN: 140 kg N·ha −1 with 6 bulls·ha −1 ) or moderate with a 33% reduction of nitrogen fertilisation but with the same stocking rate (MN: 93 kg N·ha −1 , 6 bulls·ha −1 ) or low with no nitrogen fertiliser but with a reduced stocking rate (ON, 4 bulls·ha −1 ). The levels of intensification did not affect sward characteristics and chemical composition of the grass. The apparent nitrogen efficiency per ha was larger in the ON plot than in the HN and MN plots (26 vs. 14%). The average daily gain of bulls during the grazing season was similar in the three groups at 1.0 kg·d −1 . The bulls from the FI group were characterised by average daily gains significantly higher than the bulls which were previously grazed and then finished indoors (1.5 vs. 1.2 kg·d −1 ; P < 0.01). The slaughter weight, the carcass composition, the dressing percentage and most of the meat quality parameters were similar between the treatment groups. The inclusion of a grazing period in the fattening system produced a meat which was darker (lower L*, P < 0.01), more red (higher a*, P < 0.05) and had a higher content of linolenic acid (C18:3 n-3) than that of the animals fattened indoors.fattening / bulls / grazing / nitrogen fertiliser / stocking rate Résumé -Désintensification de la conduite de prairies pâturées par de jeunes taurillons. Les performances zootechniques, la composition et la qualité de la viande de taurillons Blanc Bleu belge engraissés uniquement en stabulation (FI) ou finis en stabulation après une période de pâturage ont été étudiées pendant six années. Pendant la période de pâturage, trois niveaux d'intensification ont été testés dans une prairie permanente. Le système de pâturage continu a été employé. Les niveaux d'intensification ont été soit élevé (HN : 140 kg N·ha −1 ; 6 taureaux·ha −1 ), soit modéré avec une réduction de 33 % de la fertilisation azotée mais avec le même chargement (MN : 93 kg N·ha gain quotidien moyen des taureaux pendant la période de pâturage a été identique dans les trois lots (1 kg·j −1 ). Les taurillons du groupe FI ont présenté des gains quotidiens moyens significativement plus élevés que ceux des taurillons ayant séjourné en prairie et finis en stabulation (1,5 vs. 1,2 kg·j −1 ; P < 0,01). Le poids d'abattage, la composition de carcasse ainsi que le rendement à l'abattage et les paramètres de qualité de viande ont été semblables entre les traitements. L'inclusion d'une période de pâturage a produit une viande plus foncée et rouge par rapport au lot FI. Les teneurs en C18:3 ont été plus élevées (P < 0,05) pour les taurillons du lot HN par rapport à celles du lot FI. engraissement / taurillons / pâturage / fumure azotée / chargement

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Section: Vegetal Aspectssupporting

confidence: 89%

Less intensified grazing management with growing fattening bulls

et al. 2006

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“…Previous studies performed on perennial ryegrass-white clover pastures have shown that cattle intake is significantly reduced under continuous grazing when the mean sward height decreases below 6.0 cm (Baker et al, 1981;Forbes and Hodgson, 1985) and the effect of sward height on suckler cow live weight changes has been clearly observed (Wright and Whyte, 1989;Osoro et al, 2000c). Therefore it is easy to interpret the live weight changes achieved by cows under different available sward heights in the improved area during the grazing season.…”

Section: Animal Performancementioning

confidence: 92%

“…Likewise, goats are able to include high percentages of gorse in the diet (Clark et al, 1982;Radcliffe, 1986) with significantly higher intake than sheep (Howe et al, 1988). However, the ability of cattle to exhibit diet selection is much lower (Illius and Gordon, 1993) and they have been shown to eat grass components with a higher fiber content than sheep, such as stem-flowers, and require a higher sward height (Wright and Whyte, 1989) than sheep (Osoro et al, 2002). Dumont and Gordon (2003) indicate that sheep and cattle initially select swards that allow them to meet both diet quality and quantity requirements, before using behavioural adjustments such as increasing daily grazing time to maintain diet quality for as long as possible.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 93%

Comparison of grazing behaviour, dietary overlap and performance in non-lactating domestic ruminants grazing on marginal heathland areas

et al. 2007

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During the years 2000-2001, 7 non-lactating beef cows, 40 ewes and 40 does were managed in mixed grazing on a natural heathland vegetation plot (22 ha) with 20% improved pasture (perennial ryegrass) on a hill (1000 m a.s.l.) experimental farm located in the NW of Spain. Samples of faeces and vegetation components were collected monthly to estimate diet selection, using the alkane markers, and diet overlapping level. Animals were weighed monthly to quantify live weight changes and performance of the three livestock species during different periods (spring, summer, autumn, winter) of the grazing season.The percentage of shrubs in the diet was significantly higher in the small ruminants (ranging between 36% and 85%) than in cows (less than 25%) in any period. Gorse (Ulex gallii) and heather (Erica spp., Calluna) percentages were always significantly higher in does than in ewes, except in autumn for heather. Herbaceous component (namely grasses) was higher in cattle (75-99%) than in small ruminants (15-64%). The lowest mean dietary overlap was found between cattle and goats (50.4%), with large differences during the grazing season, ranging between 20% and 70%.The three animal species increased their live weight in the first grazing period (spring), when the mean sward height on the improved area was higher than 6.0 cm. However, when the sward height was lower than 3.5 cm (summer-winter), cows lost weight (−437 g/day) while ewes and goats were still able to increase their weight (29 and 5 g/day, respectively).Therefore, it seems that small ruminants, mainly sheep, are more suitable than cattle from the vegetation utilization and animal performance points of view, as cows were unable to maintain live weight when the preferred grass availability decreases. Goats were the species that included the highest proportion of heathland vegetation components in the diet, especially gorse, although their performance was significantly lower than in sheep. In consequence, small ruminant production systems could be more sustainable than cattle. The results indicate that mixed grazing of sheep and goats could be appropriate in these vegetation communities, allowing the development of sustainable systems, in which animal performance and the efficiency of resource use are maximized.

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“…1997;Milsom et al . 2000) and to measure aspects of herbivory, agriculture and grassland productivity (Wright & Whyte 1989;Maxwell et al . 1994;Carrère, Louault & Soussana 1997).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

An evaluation of three quick methods commonly used to assess sward height in ecology

Stewart

Bourn

Thomas

2001

Journal of Applied Ecology

208

145

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Summary 1.Many ecological studies and applications involve measuring the height of grassland swards. An evaluation was made of the practicality, accuracy and comparability of using the sward stick, drop disc and direct methods of measurement. Each method proved to be appropriate for measuring swards that contain a wide range of heights, each was quick to perform, and recorder effects were negligible. Yet each had strengths and weaknesses. 2. The sward stick gave the most variable results: it was considered the best method for recording the architecture of the sward surface, and hence invertebrate niches, but was poor for measuring short turf. The drop disc was the worst method for recording microheterogeneity in sward architecture and was completely unsuitable for measuring variation in short turf. But in medium-tall swards, it was considered to be the best method for measuring productivity, vertebrate herbivory and for large-scale monitoring of land managed for conservation and under agri-environment schemes. The direct method gave the most consistent and accurate results compared with an independent parameter, soil temperature. It was the only method suitable for measuring variation in short turf. 3. A serious problem exists when research results, recommendations and assays involve measurements made by more than one method. The sward stick consistently gave higher absolute values than either of the other methods and, apart from in short turf (for which it is unsuitable), the drop disc gave values that were 73% and up to 40% lower, respectively, than those obtained using the sward stick and direct methods. This can lead to major misapplications of ecological results and recommendations in conservation and agri-environmental projects.

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Effects of sward surface height on the performance of continuously stocked spring‐calving beef cows and their calves

Cited by 34 publications

References 9 publications

Less intensified grazing management with growing fattening bulls

Less intensified grazing management with growing fattening bulls

Comparison of grazing behaviour, dietary overlap and performance in non-lactating domestic ruminants grazing on marginal heathland areas

An evaluation of three quick methods commonly used to assess sward height in ecology

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