Mob and rotational grazing influence pasture biomass, nutritive value, and species composition

Abstract Chemical seed-head suppression of endophyte infected tall fescue (Lolium arundinaceum) improves stocker cattle performance but may decrease forage yield. Spring nitrogen application increases tall fescue growth with a concomitant increase in ergot alkaloids, produced by the symbiotic endophyte Epichloë coenophiala. We hypothesized that greater amounts of nitrogen applied to tall fescue would increase forage yield and offset losses in forage production from chemical suppression of seed-heads with metsulfuron without effect on alkaloid concentration. Ninety-six steers (270 ± 20 kg) were randomly assigned to one of sixteen paddocks (1.8 ha) on April 18 and continuously grazed for 57 d. Paddocks were blocked by previous use (n = 4) and randomly assigned to one of four treatments; no metsulfuron, no nitrogen (NEGCON), metsulfuron with 0 (MET0), 67 (MET67), or 134 (MET134) kg/ha of ammonium nitrate, applied March 11. Steers grazing MET0 paddocks were removed 17 d early due to insufficient forage availability. Steer weight, forage yield, forage nutritive value and ergot alkaloids in forage samples were measured monthly. Seed-head frequency and species composition were determined in June. Metsulfuron application reduced (P < 0.01) tall fescue seed-heads by 80%. Metsulfuron decreased (P = 0.03) ergovaline but ergovaline increased (P < 0.01) at each monthly sampling across treatments. Nitrogen had no impact on ergovaline concentration (P = 0.50). Forage yield tended to be least (P = 0.07) for MET0, intermediate for NEGCON and MET67, and tended to be greatest for MET134 (P = 0.08). Steer ADG was not affected by treatment (P < 0.80). Metsulfuron decreased NDF (P=0.02) regardless of fertilization rate. Forage CP increased with fertilization (P < 0.01) and no differences were detected between NEGCON and MET0 (P = 0.45). Species composition was not impacted (P >0.07) by treatment. Metsulfuron decreased seed-head growth and ergovaline concentration in tall fescue. Additional nitrogen fertilizer ameliorated forage yield lost to metsulfuron application but did not impact steer gain.

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Nutritive Value of Pasture. VII. The Influence of the Intensity of Grazing on the Yield, Composition and Nutritive Value of Pasture Herbage (Part III).

The Journal of Agricultural Science ◽

10.1017/s0021859600008686 ◽

1931 ◽

Vol 21 (2) ◽

pp. 267-321 ◽

Cited By ~ 18

Author(s):

H. E. Woodman ◽

D. B. Norman ◽

M. H. French

Keyword(s):

Nutritive Value ◽

Special Significance ◽

Rotational Grazing ◽

Stages Of Growth

The object of this series of investigations is to secure detailed information concerning the composition, digestibility and nutritive value of pasture herbage in its different stages of growth. The results which were obtained in these respects by cutting the herbage of the experimental pasture plot at weekly, fortnightly and 3-weekly intervals have been described in previous communications. During the seasons of the present investigations (1929 and 1930), the trials have been carried a stage further by the adoption of a system of cutting at monthly intervals. The results, therefore, are invested with special significance, in that a period of four weeks has been tentatively adopted in this country as the interval which is allowed to lapse, in rotational grazing practice, between successive grazings of pasture enclosures.

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Nutritive value of Tanzania grass for dairy cows under rotational grazing

Revista Brasileira de Zootecnia ◽

10.1590/s1516-35982014000800003 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 43 (8) ◽

pp. 410-418 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Alberto Magno Fernandes ◽

Fermino Deresz ◽

Douglas Sampaio Henrique ◽

Fernando César Ferraz Lopes ◽

Leonardo Siqueira Glória

Keyword(s):

Dairy Cows ◽

Nutritive Value ◽

Rotational Grazing

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Proximal Sensing in Grasslands and Pastures

Agriculture ◽

10.3390/agriculture11080740 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (8) ◽

pp. 740

Author(s):

Shayan Ghajar ◽

Benjamin Tracy

Keyword(s):

Species Composition ◽

Diffusion Of Innovation ◽

Nutritive Value ◽

Innovation Theory ◽

Sample Collection ◽

Nitrogen Status ◽

Traditional Methods ◽

Proximal Sensing ◽

Diffusion Of Innovation Theory ◽

The Status

Reliable measures of biomass, species composition, nitrogen status, and nutritive value provide important indicators of the status of pastures and rangelands, allowing managers to make informed decisions. Traditional methods of sample collection necessitate significant investments in time and labor. Proximal sensing technologies have the potential to collect more data with a smaller investment in time and labor. However, methods and protocols for conducting pasture assessments with proximal sensors are still in development, equipment and software vary considerably, and the accuracy and utility of these assessments differ between methods and sites. This review summarizes the methods currently being developed to assess pastures and rangelands worldwide and discusses these emerging technologies in the context of diffusion of innovation theory.

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Sheep production, plant growth and nutritive value of a saltbush-based pasture system subject to rotational grazing or set stocking

Small Ruminant Research ◽

10.1016/j.smallrumres.2009.11.022 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 91 (1) ◽

pp. 103-109 ◽

Cited By ~ 23

Author(s):

H.C. Norman ◽

M.G. Wilmot ◽

D.T. Thomas ◽

E.G. Barrett-Lennard ◽

D.G. Masters

Keyword(s):

Plant Growth ◽

Nutritive Value ◽

Production Plant ◽

Rotational Grazing ◽

Sheep Production

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Rotational grazing management achieves similar plant diversity outcomes to areas managed for conservation in a semi-arid rangeland

The Rangeland Journal ◽

10.1071/rj18090 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 41 (2) ◽

pp. 135 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Sarah E. McDonald ◽

Nick Reid ◽

Rhiannon Smith ◽

Cathleen M. Waters ◽

John Hunter ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Species Composition ◽

Protected Areas ◽

Plant Species ◽

Livestock Grazing ◽

Grazing Management ◽

Plant Species Composition ◽

Rotational Grazing ◽

Semi Arid ◽

Understorey Plant ◽

Arid Rangeland

Despite the increasing extent of protected areas throughout the world, biodiversity decline continues. Grazing management that promotes both biodiversity and production outcomes has the potential to improve broad-scale conservation and complement the protected area network. In this study we explored the potential to integrate commercial livestock grazing and conservation in a semi-arid rangeland in south-eastern Australia. Understorey floristic composition and diversity were compared at different spatial scales across three grazing management treatments: (1) continuous commercial grazing management where paddocks were grazed for the majority of the year (≥8 months per annum); (2) rotational commercial grazing management where livestock are frequently rotated and paddocks rested for >4 months per annum; and (3) protected areas managed for conservation with domestic livestock excluded and grazed only by native and feral herbivores. The season of sampling, rainfall, soil characteristics and the spatial location of sites were the dominant drivers of variability in understorey plant species composition; the effect of grazing treatment on understorey plant species composition was relatively minor. However, areas managed for conservation and under rotational forms of commercial grazing management generally had greater floristic richness and diversity than continuously grazed areas, the results varying with season (spring/autumn) and soil type (clay/sandy-loam), particularly at fine scale (1-m2 quadrats). These findings indicate that rotational grazing management on commercial properties has the potential to improve biodiversity conservation outside the reserve system compared to conventional grazing management.

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Nutritive value of pasture: XII. The influence of cutting at monthly intervals over nine seasons on the quality and productivity of a heavy-land pasture

The Journal of Agricultural Science ◽

10.1017/s002185960005098x ◽

1938 ◽

Vol 28 (4) ◽

pp. 581-591 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

H. E. Woodman ◽

R. E. Evans

Keyword(s):

Nutritive Value ◽

Grassland Management ◽

Rotational Grazing ◽

Secure Information

When this investigation was begun in 1929, the conception of intensive grassland management, involving rotational grazing and the liberal use of manures, including artificial nitrogenous fertilizers, was just coming into prominence in this country. It had become necessary to secure information about the improvement of yield and composition of herbage that could be brought about by such a system of management, since somewhat extravagant claims were being made for the magnitude of the effect of sulphate of ammonia and other soluble nitrogenous manures on the yield and composition of pastures.

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