The Effect of Nitrogen, Stocking Rate and Grazing Method on the Output of Pasture Grazed by Beef Cattle

Abstract

An experiment was conducted in 1971 and 1972 to study the effects of two levels of fertilizer N (50 and 504 kg/ha) on the productivity of pastures grazed hy young heef cattle. Two stocking rates were imposed at the lower N level and three at the higher. In addition to rotational grazing, setstocking and an integrated grazing-conservation system were included. The responses/kg N were approximately 1 kg liveweight gain, 19-24 Meal ME and 8-9 kg DM. Maximum yields of 1200-1300 kg liveweight gain/ha and 25,000-27,000 Meal M£/ha were recorded. Productivity of setstocked pasture was similar to rotational grazing at the high N level, hut lower at low N. The integrated system yielded comparahle results to high-N rotational grazing. Performances and herhage intakes per animal reflected the stocking rates imposed.

A Further Investigation of the Effect of Nitrogen and Stocking Rate on the Productivity of Pasture for Beef Cattle

“…The levels of liveweight gain and utilized ME per ha attained at the higher levels of N are similar to those reported by Horton and Holmes (4). They support the indication of that work that high levels of N can be efficiently utilized on pasture for beef cattle, particularly in the early part of the growing season.…”

Effects of different levels of fertilizer application to veld on growth of steers and chemical composition of the herbage

“…It is clear that there is an optimum stocking rate for maximum production per unit area. The interrelations of stocking rate, ADLG and liveweight gain per hectare agree with other data presented in earlier reports (Conway, 1963;Horton and Holmes, 1974;Holmes, 1980). (Table 2) The higher (P < 0·01) level of CP, as the rate of N fertilization was increased, was associated with a higher content of NPN.…”

Short-term response of rangeland botanical composition and productivity to fertilization (N and P) in a semi-arid climate of South Africa

“…Worldwide not many fertilization experiments on rangelands have been performed in arid zones (Horton & Holmes, 1974;Booysen, 1980;Donaldson et al, 1984;Guevara et al, 2000). The responses of rangeland to nitrogenous and phosphatic fertilizers in a variety of experiments have been very similar, but with a tendency towards greater responses in regions of high rainfall and leached soils than in the lower rainfall areas with more fertile soils (Tainton et al, 2000).…”