Productivity of Bahiagrass Pastures in South‐western Japan: Synthesis of Data from Grazing Trials

Hirata, Masahiko; Ogawa, Yasuo; Koyama, N.; Shindo, K.; Sugimoto, Yasuhiro; Higashiyama, M.; Ogura, Shin-ichiro; Fukuyama, Kunio

doi:10.1111/j.1439-037x.2006.00182.x

Cited by 12 publications

(19 citation statements)

References 11 publications

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“…One sward area (0.39 ha) was dominated by centipedegrass (Eremochloa ophiuroides; sown in 1999) and the other (0.61 ha) by bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum; sown in 1988), with each species accounting for 80-100% of total vegetation cover in the respective sward. Bahiagrass is a warm-season (C 4 ) perennial widespread throughout the southern USA and Central and South America (Skerman and Riveros 1989) and also grown in the low-altitude regions of southwestern Japan for grazing and hay (Hirata et al 2006b). Centipedegrass is a warmseason perennial which has received increasing attention from farmers and researchers in recent years as a new promising forage species for grazing in central to southern part of Japan (Islam and Hirata 2005;Hirata et al 2007).…”

Section: Experimental Plotmentioning

confidence: 99%

Selection of feeding areas by cattle in a spatially heterogeneous environment: selection between two tropical grasses

Hirata

Sakou

Terayama

et al. 2007

J Ethol

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A herd of 28-33 Japanese Black cows (Bos taurus) were allowed to graze on an experimental plot comprising monoculture swards of centipedegrass (Eremochloa ophiuroides) and bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum) (0.39 and 0.61 ha, respectively) for 3-5 days each month (from 0850 to 1600 hours) between May (late spring) and October (mid-autumn). On a monthly basis, the animals showed an increasing trend to select centipedegrass in preference to bahiagrass as the relative crude protein (CP) concentration of the former increased relative to the latter. On a daily basis, the animals showed a decreased selectivity for centipedegrass with the progression of grazing days, as centipedegrass sward lost both quantity and quality faster than bahiagrass sward under higher degrees of defoliation. Animals maintained similar bite rates on the two swards by modifying feeding station behavior as soon as they switched between the swards, i.e., they increased the number of bites per feeding station and decreased the number of feeding stations selected per unit grazing time soon after switching to centipedegrass, with the reverse process occurring soon after the switch to bahiagrass. The results show CP concentration to be a partial forage factor influencing animals' choice between tropical grasses growing as patches. The results also demonstrate that animals have an ability to adapt their foraging behavior flexibly and rapidly to varying types of vegetation.

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Section: Experimental Plotmentioning

confidence: 99%

Selection of feeding areas by cattle in a spatially heterogeneous environment: selection between two tropical grasses

Hirata

Sakou

Terayama

et al. 2007

J Ethol

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“…It is also well adapted to the low-altitude regions of south-western Japan, and used for both grazing and hay [5]. This grass forms a highly persistent sward under a wide range of management [6][7][8][9][10][11].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Linking Management, Environment and Morphogenetic and Structural Components of a Sward for Simulating Tiller Density Dynamics in Bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum)

Hirata

2015

Agriculture

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Abstract:A model which describes tiller density dynamics in bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum Flügge) swards has been developed. The model incorporates interrelationships between various morphogenetic and structural components of the sward and uses the inverse of the self-thinning rule as the standard relationship between tiller density and tiller weight (a density-size equilibrium) toward which tiller density progressively changes over time under varying nitrogen (N) rates, air temperature and season. Water and nutrient limitations were not considered except partial consideration of N. The model was calibrated against data from swards subjected to different N rates and cutting intensities, and further validated against data from a grazed sward and swards under different cutting intensities. As the calibration and validation results were satisfactory, the model was used as a tool to investigate the responses of tiller density to various combinations of defoliation frequencies and intensities. Simulations identified defoliation regimes required for stabilizing tiller density at an arbitrary target level, i.e., sustainable use of the sward. For example, the model predicted that tiller density can be maintained at a medium level of about 4000 m −2 under conditions ranging from weekly cuttings to an 8 cm height to 8-weekly cuttings to 4 cm. More intense defoliation is needed for higher target tiller density and vice versa.

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“…Furthermore, it is the sheath length that drives the development stage of leaves on tillers . Such an empirical model, taking into account time of regrowth, sward height and plant N status is similar to those proposed by Hirata et al (2006).…”

Section: From Process-based To Empirical Modelsmentioning

confidence: 73%

Improvement of Time‐Driven Models of Lamina Cocksfoot Digestibility by a Process‐Based Model to Take Account of Plant N Nutrition and Defoliation

Duru

2008

J Agronomy Crop Science

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For management purposes, models of lamina digestibility (DW) that are thermal time driven (Tsum) fail to account for plant nitrogen status (0 < Ni < 1) and defoliation intensity (residual sheath height: Sr). The objective of this paper was to enrich them using a functional processed‐based model, which assumes that the decline in DW over time depends on the metabolic : structural tissue ratio and plant ageing. An experiment combining two N fertilizer rates and two defoliation regimes (differences in Sr) for two spring and two summer regrowth was done to analyse DW of laminae (youngest fully expanded) and tiller (whole green lamina) levels. For laminae, we show that both processes contribute to explain the decline in DW at a rate that depends on Ni but not on Sr. For tillers, consistent results were found justifying the use of a simple model: DW = f(+Ni; −Ni × Tsum; −Sr). Two different databases (from experiment and commercial farms) were used for validation: RMSD varied from 35 to 49 g kg−1. The process‐based model strengthened the empirical model and improved the comprehensiveness of how management practices change DW. We used both models to create applications for reasoning yield in function of herbage mass in complement than in function of time.

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Productivity of Bahiagrass Pastures in South‐western Japan: Synthesis of Data from Grazing Trials

Cited by 12 publications

References 11 publications

Selection of feeding areas by cattle in a spatially heterogeneous environment: selection between two tropical grasses

Selection of feeding areas by cattle in a spatially heterogeneous environment: selection between two tropical grasses

Linking Management, Environment and Morphogenetic and Structural Components of a Sward for Simulating Tiller Density Dynamics in Bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum)

Improvement of Time‐Driven Models of Lamina Cocksfoot Digestibility by a Process‐Based Model to Take Account of Plant N Nutrition and Defoliation

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