Effects on animal performance and sward composition of mixed and sequential grazing of permanent pasture by cattle and sheep

2007 ◽  
Vol 110 (3) ◽  
pp. 251-266 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.D. Fraser ◽  
D.A. Davies ◽  
J.E. Vale ◽  
W.M. Hirst ◽  
I.A. Wright
Keyword(s):  
Animal Performance ◽  
Permanent Pasture ◽  
Cattle And Sheep

Effects on animal performance of summer grazing of Molinia dominant semi-natural rough grazing by cattle and sheep

2005 ◽  
Vol 2005 ◽  
pp. 227-227
Author(s):  
M.D. Fraser ◽  
J.E. Vale ◽  
V.J. Theobald
Keyword(s):  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Total Output ◽  
Animal Performance ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
Permanent Pasture ◽  
Lack Of Information ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Cattle And Sheep

The Less Favoured Areas (LFAs), which occupy almost half of the agricultural land in the UK, can be divided into two categories: rough grazing (semi-natural) and grassland (improved permanent pasture and temporary grass). Although rough grazing accounts for two-thirds of the land, it contributes only 15% to total output. However, it is this category that requires more sympathetic grazing management if its environmental value is to be maintained or enhanced. While some information exists on the impact of grazing by cattle on semi-natural vegetation communities such as Molinia caerulea (Grant et al., 1996) there is a lack of information on the effects that grazing with cattle or sheep over the summer months might have on animal performance. The underlying hypothesis for this experiment was that grazing in summer would have beneficial effects on animal performance through changes in the short term in the structure of the vegetation, and in the long term through changes in both structure and species composition.

179 The Effect of Sward Type on the Performance of Co-grazed Cattle and Sheep

2021 ◽  
Vol 99 (Supplement_3) ◽  
pp. 96-97
Author(s):  
Gaspard Beaucarne ◽  
Cornelia Grace ◽  
Jane Shackleton ◽  
Jean Kennedy ◽  
Helen Sheridan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Perennial Ryegrass ◽  
Average Daily Gain ◽  
Carcass Weight ◽  
Permanent Pasture ◽  
Daily Gain ◽  
Cattle And Sheep

Abstract A farmlet study was established to evaluate the effect of four sward types on the performance of heifers and lambs co-grazing: a perennial ryegrass only sward (PRG) receiving 170 kg N/ha each year; a permanent pasture (PP) receiving 135 kg N/ha each year; a six species mix (2 grasses, 2 legumes, 2 herbs) at 70 kg N/ha each year (6SP); and a 12 species mix (3 grasses, 4 legumes and 5 herbs) at 70 kg N/ha each year (12SP). Each farmlet (9 ha) was rotationally grazed with 20 dairy cross heifers (13 months old) and 22 ewes plus lambs from April to November 2020. Heifers and lambs were finished for slaughter from herbage only diets. Heifers were weighed monthly and drafted for slaughter on three occasions when their estimated fat class on the EUROP grid scale reached 3-. Lambs were weighed fortnightly and drafted for slaughter at 42 kg [lambing to weaning (July 7th)], 44 kg (weaning to September) and 46 kg (after September 1st) to obtain a target carcass weight of 21 kg. Average daily gain (ADG) was higher for heifers grazing the 6SP sward (1.13 kg/day) than the PRG (0.99 kg/day) or PP swards (1.03 kg/day; P < 0.05). Kill out percentage (KO%) was higher for heifers grazing the 12SP sward (48.9%) compared to the PP sward (47.2%; P < 0.01). Lamb ADG was higher for lambs grazing the 6SP sward (0.38kg/day) compared to lambs grazing either the PP (0.32kg/day) or the PRG sward (0.29kg/day) (P < 0.01). Lamb KO% was higher for lambs grazing the 12SP sward (49.4%) compared to those grazing the PRG (45.7%) and the PP swards (44.5%; P < 0.01). Lambs grazing the 6SP sward had reduced days to slaughter (109) compared to lambs grazing the PP (137) and PRG (149) swards (P < 0.01). In conclusion, co-grazing multispecies swards improved overall heifer and lamb performance.

The effect of sward surface height on the response to mixed grazing by cattle and sheep

2006 ◽  
Vol 82 (2) ◽  
pp. 271-276 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. A. Wright ◽  
J. R. Jones ◽  
D. A. Davies ◽  
G. R. Davidson ◽  
J. E. Vale
Keyword(s):  
Weight Gain ◽  
Animal Species ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Total Output ◽  
Live Weight Gain ◽  
Permanent Pasture ◽  
Sward Height ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Species Combination ◽  
Cattle And Sheep

AbstractAn experiment was conducted to examine the effects of mixed grazing of sheep plus cattle under continuous stocking of permanent pasture at different sward heights. The experiment had a 2×3 factorial design, with two sward surface heights (4–5 and 8–10 cm) and three combinations of animal species viz., sheep only, cattle only and sheep plus cattle. There were two replicate plots of each treatment combination and the experiment was conducted over 2 years consecutively. The sheep were Beulah Speckled Face ewes and their single Suffolk-cross lambs while the cattle were yearling Charolais-cross steers. Six ‘core’ steers and six ‘core’ ewes and their lambs grazed plots, as appropriately, while additional, non-experimental steers and ewes and their lambs were used to maintain sward heights. Each year the steers and the ewes grazed the pastures from May to October, while lambs were weaned and removed each year from the experiment in July. There was no significant effect of mixed grazing on live-weight gain of steers, but ewes had significantly higher live-weight gains on the sheep plus cattle treatment than on the sheep-only treatment (82 v. 61 g/day;P<0·001). The live-weight gain of the lambs was higher on the mixed grazing treatment than on the sheep only treatment on the 8–10 cm sward height treatment (243 v. 212 g/day;P<0·05) but there was no significant difference on the 4–5 cm sward height treatment (260 v. 250 g/day;P>0·05). The total output of live-weight gain per ha from steers, ewes and lambs was not significantly affected by animal species combination. It is concluded that while output per ha is not enhanced by mixed grazing by sheep and cattle when sward height is controlled, the live-weight gain of ewes is increased and the live-weight gain of lambs can be increased on taller swards.

scholarly journals Integrating Narcissus-derived galanthamine production into traditional upland farming systems

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
M. D. Fraser ◽  
H. E. Vallin ◽  
J. R. T. Davies ◽  
G. E. Rowlands ◽  
X. Chang
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Function ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Early Spring ◽  
Animal Performance ◽  
System Study ◽  
Permanent Pasture ◽  
Progressive Degeneration ◽  
Narcissus Pseudonarcissus ◽  
Harvest Year ◽  
Plot Design

AbstractAlzheimer’s disease (AD) is a disorder associated with progressive degeneration of memory and cognitive function. Galantamine is a licenced treatment for AD but supplies of the plant alkaloid that it is produced from, galanthamine, are limited. This three-year system study tested the potential to combine Narcissus-derived galanthamine production with grassland-based ruminant production. Replicate plots of permanent pasture were prepared with and without bulbs of Narcissus pseudonarcissus sown as lines into the sward. Two different fertiliser regimes were imposed. The above-ground green biomass of N. pseudonarcissus was harvested in early spring and the galanthamine yield determined. In the second harvest year a split-plot design was implemented with lines of N. pseudonarcissus cut annually and biennially. All plots were subsequently grazed by ewes and lambs and animal performance recorded. Incorporation of N. pseudonarcissus into grazed permanent pasture had no detrimental effects on the health or performance of the sheep which subsequently grazed the pasture. There was no consistency to the effects of fertiliser rates on galanthamine yields. There was no difference in overall galanthamine yield if N. pseudonarcissus was cut biennially (1.64 vs. 1.75 kg galanthamine/ha for annual combined vs biennial cuts respectively; s.e.d = 0.117 kg galanthamine/ha; ns). This study verified the feasibility of a dual cropping approach to producing plant-derived galanthamine.

Effects of hazardous environments on animal performance

1992 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Carroll Brown ◽  
Dennis W. Blick ◽  
Michael R. Murphy
Keyword(s):  
Animal Performance ◽  
Hazardous Environments

THE USE OF PASTURE HEIGHT AS A PREDICTOR OF FEED LEVEL IN NORTH ISLAND HILL COUNTRY

1986 ◽  
pp. 249-253 ◽  
Author(s):  
R.W. Webby ◽  
W.J. Pengelly
Keyword(s):  
Late Spring ◽  
Animal Performance ◽  
Considerable Effort ◽  
Management Decisions ◽  
Hill Country ◽  
Visual Impact

Considerable effort is expended measuring pasture parameters that relate to animal perform mance. Traditionally farmers have used visual impact and experience as their method of pasture assessment to make management decisions. The simplest measurement collected by researchers, pasture height, is developed to the point where it can be used as a guide to predict pasture mass and animal performance. This paper presents relationships between height and mass for improved pastures in summer dry North Island hill country. A pasture 5cm tall will give hogget growth of 60 gjday in summer, 90 in autumn, 100 in winter and 200 in spring. Similarly 5cm will be 2250 kg DM/ha in summer, 1900 in autumn, 1520 in winter, 1640 in spring and 2200 in late spring. Keywords: Height, mass, predictor, grazing, quality, animal performance, feed levels, parameters, pasture.

Animal Performance on Limpograss‐Aeschynomene and Nitrogen‐Fertilized Limpograss Pastures

1988 ◽  
Vol 80 (6) ◽  
pp. 957-962 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. A. Rusland ◽  
L. E. Sollenberger ◽  
K. A. Albrecht ◽  
C. S. Jones ◽  
L. V. Crowder
Keyword(s):  
Animal Performance
Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document