Grazing management of oversown tussock country

Allan, B.E.

doi:10.1080/00288233.1992.10417696

Cited by 4 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 6 publications

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“…At that stocking rate, the native tussock component accounted for about half of the total forage on offer, and a quarter of the net accumulation each year. The greater forage utilisation of the Poa colensoi at the higher stocking rates resulted in a significant increase in its summer and autumn digestibility (Allan 1985).…”

Section: Native Grasses With Pastoral Attributesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The effects of agricultural management on Poa colensoi has been studied in a long-term grazing trial (Allan 1985;Allan et al 1992). This study, based at Tara Hills High Country Research Station in North Otago, compared Merino wethers with three growing season grazing practices (continuous stocking, alternating and rotational grazing) at three stocking rates (low, medium, and high = 2, 3, and 4 SU/ha per year).…”

Section: Native Grasses With Pastoral Attributesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Native and low‐input grasses‐a New Zealand high country perspective

Scott

Keoghan

Allan

1996

New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research

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Native, naturalised, pasture, and new grass introductions are discussed in terms of concepts of moisture, temperature, fertility, and utilisation gradients; characteristics of the New Zealand high country environment; and their utility for introduction into low-input pastoral systems. The perennial, long-lived habit of native grass is mimicked in introduced grasses. Poa colensoi is the best native grass, but there is a need for wider evaluation of serai non-tussock species. There is a greater frequency of spreading habit and annuals in naturalised low-input species. The "try it and see" and genotype/environment analysis are advocated for screening new introductions.

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Section: Native Grasses With Pastoral Attributesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Native Grasses With Pastoral Attributesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Native and low‐input grasses‐a New Zealand high country perspective

Scott

Keoghan

Allan

1996

New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research

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“…In both cases subdivision is beneficial, but greatest increase in introduced herbage species was obtained at a higher stocking rate than that for maximum liveweightgain/ha. The success of the medium stocking rate/alternating grazing management by the end of the study may be the result of pasture improvement induced by a phase of high utilisation brought about by the initially poorer nature of the area originally allocated to this treatment (Allan 1985). Runholders must be careful not to see this improvement in a block following improved management as an indication that the block is under-stocked.…”

Section: Practical Considerationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…At medium and high stocking rates, a single subdivision fence allowing a simple alternating rotation during the herbage growing season resulted in considerable improvement in liveweight gain over that from continuous stocking. Although herbage production and quality was somewhat enhanced by these managements (Allan 1985), the generation of a feed bank ahead of stock, especially when going into the dry summer period, was the agronomic factor most responsible for the improved liveweight gain.…”

Section: Practical Considerationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Symptoms are reported as marked inappetence, a haggard appearance, and reduced growth rates or weight loss (Towers & Smith 1983). On this site, herbage sodium levels were acutely deficient for animal requirements (Allan 1985), and during the first year stock were not given salt. The implications of these findings have been discussed more fully elsewhere (Allan 1985).…”

Section: /82mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Grazing management of oversown tussock country 3. Effects on liveweight and wool growth of Merino wethers

Allan

1997

New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research

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The liveweight performance, wool production, and wool characteristics of Merino wethers under nine different grazing management regimes for oversown tussock pasture on a steep (30°), south-east facing hillside (760-930 m altitude, 500 mm annual rainfall) in New Zealand was measured for six consecutive years. Continuous stocking, alternating (two paddock), and rotational (six paddock) grazing were each compared at low, medium, and high stocking rates (1.9, 3.0, and 4.1 SU/ha/year, respectively). By the sixth year, alternating grazing at the medium stocking rate gave maximum liveweight gain/ha. An interaction was demonstrated, with advantage to alternating and rotational grazing over continuous stocking strengthening with increasing stocking rate. Liveweight gain for alternating and rotational grazing was similar at all stocking rates, showing an advantage in animal performance over that from continuous stocking can be achieved with a minimal amount of subdivision fencing. The advantage to alternating and rotational grazing over continuous stocking was most obvious during late spring/early summer, suggesting that in practical terms runholders need to consider such management for ewes in late lactation with lambs still at foot. Wool growth/ha increased linearly with increased stocking rate, with advantage to alternating and rotational grazing evident at high stocking rates. In contrast to the lowland experience with Romneys, the rate of Merino wool growth declined as the A96052 Received 4 July 1996; accepted 17 July 1997 grazing season progressed. Fibre diameter was 1.5 µm less at the high than at the low stocking rate. Practical application is discussed, with emphasis on achieving a realistic balance between objectives to maximise wool production and those to sustain pasture production and maintain desired animal liveweight.

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Assessing Options for Farming Systems Transitions in New Zealand's Mountainlands.

Foran¹,

Allan²

1995

Rangel. J.

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The transition of an agricultural ecosystem from a less to a more sustainable or desirable state is dependent as much on the routes and tactics used to effect the transition, as it is on the management ideas and the biological components used. Against the background of the failure of farmers to take up an integrated "all grass wintering system" in the mountain lands of the South Island of New Zealand, we compared a wide range of transitional opportunities and evaluated them in economic terms over a 20 year period. Farm structure at the start of the transition was a rather obvious but key criterion for success of the transition. Transition from a farm structure where supplementary feeding cost NZ$90,000 per year into the new system, allowed a position better than the "do nothing" option to be achieved in as little as 8 to 9 years. Transitions from smaller farm structures of $60,000 and $30,000 took from 12 to more than 20 years to achieve a cash position better than the "do nothing" option. Herein lies the quandary for all farming systems which might aim to make transitions and to "do it better". We explore the sensitivity of these general results to the effects of product price and interest rates, wool growth and lambing rates, whether transition should be gradual or fast, and the incumbent debt levels that can be serviced in addition to the new development. In conclusion we note some essential components of any study of transition of pastoral systems. It is important that dynamic tools are used in any transition study since the route taken in the transition can be more important than the end point. The economic advantage offered by new pastoral technology is important, particularly the time it takes to become fully implemented. Sensitivity analyses should be undertaken for key production and price assumptions. It is helpful to present these analyses as three-dimensional diagrams to allow biological and economic risk to be assessed against each other. While increased animal numbers bring better economic returns, both industry attitudes and the management of ecological risk may require the maintenance of present animal numbers. Increased profitability will then rely on individual animal performance, and higher quality livestock products.

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Grazing management of oversown tussock country

Cited by 4 publications

References 6 publications

Native and low‐input grasses‐a New Zealand high country perspective

Native and low‐input grasses‐a New Zealand high country perspective

Grazing management of oversown tussock country 3. Effects on liveweight and wool growth of Merino wethers

Assessing Options for Farming Systems Transitions in New Zealand's Mountainlands.

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