Lucerne grazing management 2. Effect of grazing duration on defoliation pattern by ewes

White, J. G. H.; Cosgrove, G. P.

doi:10.1080/00288233.1990.10428466

Cited by 6 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 14 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Stock selectively graze the highest quality top leaves and stem first, followed by the less palatable lower stem which may be left as the residual or grazed by dry stock (White & Cosgrove 1990). Priority stock should be rotationally grazed for 7-10 days on a lucerne stand to remove this high quality forage and minimise the invasion of volunteer weeds from shorter grazing times (O'Connor & Vartha 1968).…”

Section: Summer (December-february)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Crop growth and development affect seasonal priorities for lucerne management

Moot¹,

Brown²,

Teixeira³

et al. 2003

NZGA R&P Series

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Successful lucerne stand management requires balancing animal and plant requirements to produce crops of high quality and yield at times of high animal demand. Understanding the impact of environmental signals on crop growth and development can aid management decisions throughout the season. In spring, crops remobilise reserves from the roots to shoots and expand nodes accumulated through the winter, producing rapid stem extension and canopy closure as temperatures increase. The timing of spring defoliation should be based on crop yield and animal requirements rather than any specific developmental stage. Through spring and summer, crops should be rotationally grazed, with highest lamb live-weights achieved from 6-8 weeks grazing solely on lucerne. Summer crop production is dependent on rainfall and the plant available water content. During summer, grazing at the appearance of open flowers or basal buds is recommended as a compromise between maximum yield and quality. In autumn, the priority of assimilates allocation in the crop changes from above to below ground growth. To enhance the recharge of root reserves, an extended period of flowering is recommended in February or March. The time of flowering is dependent on the accumulation of thermal time and increases as photoperiod shortens. In periods of prolonged drought, lucerne herbage should be hard grazed and then spelled until the end of late autumn regrowth. A final hard grazing in June or early July, to remove overwintering aphids, should be followed by spraying 7-14 days later. Crops continue to develop nodes through the winter, and stands should be spelled until spring to ensure nodes are not removed by grazing, as this delays regrowth and reduces dry matter production. Key words: Flowering, grazing, herbicide, Medicago sativa, nodes, photoperiod, phyllochron, root reserves

show abstract

Section: Summer (December-february)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Crop growth and development affect seasonal priorities for lucerne management

Moot¹,

Brown²,

Teixeira³

et al. 2003

NZGA R&P Series

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…A further issue with annual and perennial forage crops is that the total herbage quality of forages usually decreases as herbage accumulates (Buxton 1996;Clapham et al 2001). This trade-off between quality and quantity of feed is partially offset by grazing stock that preferentially select the more palatable fractions and leave the less palatable components (usually stems) in the paddock (Li et al 1994;White & Cosgrove 1990). It is not certain how delaying defoliation influences the potential stock production from these perennial forages in a grazed situation.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Quality and quantity of chicory, lucerne and red clover production under irrigation

Brown¹,

Moot²

2004

ProNZG

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The quality and quantity of production from irrigated lucerne, chicory and red clover swards were compared over six years (30 November 1996 30 June 2002) on a Wakanui silt loam at Lincoln University. Mean annual yields from lucerne swards (21 t DM/ha) were 3.9 t/ha greater than chicory and red clover over five perennial regrowth seasons. Sown species gave 100% of dry matter (DM) production in the first regrowth season, but by the fifth season sown species gave 65, 55 and 0% of DM production for chicory, lucerne and red clover respectively. Utilised herbage had a similar metabolisable energy (ME) content for all three species (10.9 11.6 MJ/ kg/DM). The crude protein (CP) content of utilised herbage was also similar for lucerne and red clover (0.25-0.29 g/g DM), but chicory had a lower CP content (0.18 g/g DM). This combined with utilisation data to show lucerne swards provided 30% greater annual CP and ME intake for grazing stock than either chicory or red clover. This demonstrated the greater potential of lucerne to improve livestock production from high value land. Changes in lucerne herbage quality were also analysed within regrowth cycles to examine the influence of the time of grazing on CP and ME intake. The fraction of palatable lucerne herbage decreased linearly from 100% at 700 kg/ha standing DM to 57% at 4300 kg/ha standing DM. The CP and ME contents of the palatable fraction of lucerne herbage were always higher than the post grazing residual. This highlights the selective grazing of the stock, which consumed 80% of total CP and 70% of total ME for a crop of 4300 kg/ha standing DM. This grazing preference shows that delaying defoliation will not reduce potential stock production, unless stock are forced to consume the low quality stem in standing herbage. Keywords: Cichorium intybus, crude protein, herbage utilisation, Medicago sativa, metabolisable energy, pasture persistence, Trifolium pratense

show abstract

“…In some studies, under longer duration/lower density grazing, grazing efficiency increases as animals are grouped together and move more rapidly from pasture to pasture (Hinnat and Kothmann, 1986;Malecheck and Dwyer 1983). In other studies, under very short duration/high density grazing, forage intake and grazing efficiency increased as the duration increased and density reduced (Sheath 1983;White and Cosgrove 1990). If one accepts both sets of observations, then our lo-day treatment may represent a lower limit below which grazing efficiency declines duration is further shortened and density is increased.…”

Section: Management Implicationsmentioning

confidence: 65%

Sheep Grazing Efficiency and Selectivity on Oregon Hill Pasture

Ali¹,

Sharrow²

1994

Journal of Range Management

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Grazing trials were conducted during early and late spring of 1988 and 1989 to evaluate the impact of sheep grazing duration and stocking density on grazing efficiency and forage selectivity in tall fescue (Festuca urundinaceu Schreb.)-subclover (Triifolium subterranum L.) hill pastures near Corvallis, Ore. Grazing treatments were 2,6, and 10 days duration with corresponding stocking densities 380,130,78, and 1,390,460, and 280 ewes/ha during early and late spring trials each year, respectively. Grazing efficiency was generally greater (BO.05) for the low density/longer duration (lo-day) than for higher density/shorter duration &-day) treatments. Greater grazing efficiency as duration increased largely reflected higher rates of intake rather than lower levels of non-consumptive forage destruction. Stocking density within a constant grazing duration (2 days) had little effect on grazing efficiency. Within the 10 day grazing treatment, grazing efficiency was highest during the last 4 days and lowest during the first 2 days (PcO.05). Although short duration/high density grazing is considered to be non-selective, sheep were equally or more selective under very short duration/very high density compared to longer duration/lower density treatments in this study. These results suggest that the very short duration with very high stocking density was not an attractive management option since grazing efftciency was low and sheep were more selective

show abstract

Lucerne grazing management 2. Effect of grazing duration on defoliation pattern by ewes

Cited by 6 publications

References 14 publications

Crop growth and development affect seasonal priorities for lucerne management

Crop growth and development affect seasonal priorities for lucerne management

Quality and quantity of chicory, lucerne and red clover production under irrigation

Sheep Grazing Efficiency and Selectivity on Oregon Hill Pasture

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About