scholarly journals Adaptive, Multipaddock Rotational Grazing Management: A Ranch-Scale Assessment of Effects on Vegetation and Livestock Performance in Semiarid Rangeland

2020 ◽  
Vol 73 (6) ◽  
pp. 796-810 ◽  
Author(s):  
David J. Augustine ◽  
Justin D. Derner ◽  
María E. Fernández-Giménez ◽  
Lauren M. Porensky ◽  
Hailey Wilmer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Grazing Management ◽  
Rotational Grazing ◽  
Scale Assessment ◽  
Semiarid Rangeland

Grazed pasture parameters. I. Pasture dry-matter production and availability in a stocking rate and grazing management experiment with dairy cows

1966 ◽  
Vol 67 (2) ◽  
pp. 199-210 ◽  
Author(s):  
A.G. Campbell
Keyword(s):  
Dairy Cow ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Grazing Management ◽  
Dry Matter Production ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Stocking Rate ◽  
Rotational Grazing ◽  
Pasture Production ◽  
Grazed Pasture ◽  
Matter Production

1. Net pasture dry matter production and available pasture dry matter were measured over 3 years in a small-scale replica of the study of the effects of dairy cow grazing management and stocking rate reported by McMeekan & Walshe (1963).2. The four treatments were(i) Controlled rotational grazing, light stocking rate (0.95 cows/acre).(ii) Controlled rotational grazing, heavy stocking rate (1.19 cows/acre).(iii) Uncontrolled, set stocked grazing, light stocking rate (0.95 cows/acre).(iv) Uncontrolled, set stocked grazing, heavy stocking rate (1.19 cows/acre).3. The pasture measurement technique employed measured net pasture production (gains through new growth minus losses from all sources). It is argued that this parameter, rather than absolute pasture production, governs the changes in the dry matter feed supply to the grazing animal.

scholarly journals Regenerative rotational grazing management of dairy sheep increases springtime grass production and topsoil carbon storage

2021 ◽  
Vol 125 ◽  
pp. 107484
Author(s):  
Xabier Díaz de Otálora ◽  
Lur Epelde ◽  
Josune Arranz ◽  
Carlos Garbisu ◽  
Roberto Ruiz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Storage ◽  
Grazing Management ◽  
Dairy Sheep ◽  
Rotational Grazing ◽  
Grass Production

scholarly journals WINTER-SPRING NUTRITION AND MANAGEMENT EFFECTS ON EWE AND LAMB PERFORMANCE

1984 ◽  
pp. 190-198
Author(s):  
D.C. Smeaton ◽  
P.V. Rattray
Keyword(s):  
Live Weight ◽  
Grazing Management ◽  
Lactation Period ◽  
Restricted Feeding ◽  
Rotational Grazing ◽  
Short Rotation ◽  
Pregnancy And Lactation ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Carry Over ◽  
Management Effects

Aspects of the above theme were investigated in 5 trials. Trial 1 compared the effects of high and low nutrition during pregnancy and lactation on ewe and iamb production. Ewe live weight was substantially affected by nutrition treatment during pregnancy but carry-over effects on live weight at weaning were small. Nutrition during lactation strongly affected both lamb and ewe weaning weights. Ewe and lamb losses were not affected by nutrition at any stage. The results implied that ewes can be quite severely restricted on pasture during pregnancy in order to save feed for the much more important lactation period. Trials 2 and 3 investigated the management of ewes fed at maintenance levels in mid-pregnancy. The treatments consisted of various grazing durations where the ewes were shifted from one pasture break to another after a specific grazing duration, as defined by their treatment. These treatments consisted of grazing durations ranging from 3 to 56 days. Liveweight differences occurred during the 56-dav trial period but at the end there was only 2.5kg difference between extreme treatments. This suggests that where ewes are on restricted feeding during pregnancy to conserve pasture reserves, grazing duration has little consistent impact on final ewe live weight and performance. However, for several reasons, a shorter duration (3-7 days) is preferred. Trials 4 and 5 compared several winter-spring management treatments. Ewes on a 35day (short) rotation during pregnancy versus those on a 70day (long) rotation had less pasture on their farmlet at lambing (930 V. 1030 kg/ha). As a consequence the short rotation ewes were 1.5 kg lighter at weaning. Their lambs ware 2.3 kg lighter. In another comparison, set-stocking ewes 4 weeks before lambing compared with at lambing disadvantaged the ewes and lambs by 2-3 kg at weaning. The ewes set-stocked 4 weeks before lambing had consumed most of their winter reserves by lambing. In Trial 5, rotational grazing after lambing until weaning versus set-stocking, disadvantaged the ewes and iambs by 4 and 3 kg respectively at weaning. This was probably because the rotation length of 21 days in the rotational group was too long. Management implications from these results are discussed. Keywords: winter, spring, nutrition, grazing management, ewes, lambs, pregnancy, lactation, grazing duration, rotational grazing, set stocking.

Rotational grazing management of forage peanut

2020 ◽  
Vol 56 (4) ◽  
pp. 495-505
Author(s):  
Lucas da Rocha Carvalho ◽  
Lilian Elgalise Techio Pereira ◽  
Sila Carneiro Da Silva
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Period ◽  
Early Spring ◽  
Grazing Management ◽  
Dry Matter Accumulation ◽  
Adaptation Period ◽  
Forage Grasses ◽  
Rotational Grazing ◽  
Area Index ◽  
Grazing Tolerance ◽  
Tropical Forage

AbstractThe perennial forage peanut is a stoloniferous, perennial tropical legume with potential for use in pastures. Based on the hypothesis that under intermittent stocking herbage accumulation would follow a similar pattern to that described for tropical forage grasses, the objective of this study was to evaluate canopy characteristics and herbage accumulation of forage peanut subjected to strategies of rotational grazing management. Treatments corresponded to all possible combinations of two grazing frequencies (regrowth interrupted at 95% and maximum canopy light interception – LI95% and LIMax) and two grazing severities (post-grazing canopy heights (CHs) equivalent to 40 and 60% of the pre-grazing heights). Treatments were imposed to experimental units during an adaptation period (from November 2014 to January 2015) and the subsequent experimental period lasted from February 2015 to April 2016, comprising two consecutive pasture growing seasons with no interruption between them (summer I to summer II). The pre-grazing targets of LI95% and LIMax corresponded to CHs of 13 and 18 cm, respectively. Forage peanut showed high grazing tolerance as pre-grazing leaf area index (except during summer I and autumn/winter), total herbage, and leaflet dry matter accumulation varied only with seasons. Higher rates of herbage production were recorded during summer I and summer II, followed by those during late and early spring and autumn/winter. Since there was no difference in the pattern of herbage accumulation between LI95% and LIMax and stolons predominated at the bottom of the canopies, forage peanut may be rotationally grazed with greater flexibility than most tropical forage grasses. Recommended pre-grazing CHs are within 13 and 18 cm, and post-grazing heights between 40 and 60% of the pre-grazing height.

The inter-relationships of grazing method and stocking rate in the efficiency of pasture utilization by dairy cattle

1963 ◽  
Vol 61 (2) ◽  
pp. 147-166 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. P. McMeekan ◽  
M. J. Walshe
Keyword(s):  
Dairy Cows ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Age Distribution ◽  
Grazing Management ◽  
Vanishing Point ◽  
Stocking Rate ◽  
Rotational Grazing ◽  
Continuous Grazing ◽  
Grazing System ◽  
Stocking Rates

1. A large-scale grazing management study comparing rotational grazing and continuous grazing with dairy cows at two stocking rates over four complete production seasons is described.2. The four treatments were: (i) controlled grazing, light stocking rate; (ii) controlled grazing, heavy stocking rate; (iii) uncontrolled grazing, light stocking rate; (iv) uncontrolled grazing, heavy stocking rate.Each treatment involved 40 cows for a first 2-year phase and 42 cows for the following 2 years. Each herd had a normal age distribution pattern and seven 2-year-old first lactation heifers (17% of total herd) were introduced each year to maintain this pattern.3. Stocking rate was the more important factor affecting the efficiency of pasture utilization as measured by per acre output of milk and butterfat. In general, high stocking was associated with higher outputs per acre despite lower yields per animal.4. Grazing method was of less importance. In general, controlled rotational grazing was superior to uncontrolled continuous grazing, both per animal and per acre, but the average influence even of these extremes of management was only half that of stocking rate.5. Significant interactions between stocking rate and grazing method existed. Under continuous grazing a point was reached where production per acre declined to the vanishing point with increased stocking rate due to excessive depression of per cow yield: this point was not reached under rotational grazing at the same high stocking levels.6. The results suggest that optimum stocking rate under rotational grazing occurs at a level some 5–10% higher than under continuous grazing. A depression of 10–12% in per cow yield, compared with more lenient grazing, corresponds with optimum stocking level irrespective of the grazing system. This estimate is suggested as a guide line in applying the principles involved.

Tedera proves its value as a summer and autumn feed for sheep in Mediterranean-like climates

2018 ◽  
Vol 58 (12) ◽  
pp. 2269 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Real ◽  
C. M. Oldham ◽  
A. van Burgel ◽  
E. Dobbe ◽  
J. Hardy
Keyword(s):  
Western Australia ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Early Summer ◽  
Grazing Management ◽  
Sheep Grazing ◽  
Rotational Grazing ◽  
The Third ◽  
Continuous Grazing ◽  
Condition Score ◽  
Sheep Production

Tedera (Bituminaria bituminosa C.H Stirt. vars. albomarginata and crassiuscula) is a traditional forage species for goats in the Canary Islands, Spain. It has agronomic characteristics ideally suited to Mediterranean-like climates that allows it to provide high quality green forage for grazing animals during summer and autumn. It can be used to extend the growing season into late spring and early summer and/or to reduce or eliminate the need for expensive hand feeding of grain and hay to sheep to fill the ‘feed gap’ during the dry season in southern Australian farming systems. Three sheep grazing experiments were carried out with the objective to evaluate sheep production during summer and autumn with tedera as the sole diet. A 3-ha site at Dandaragan, Western Australia was grazed during the summer and autumn of 2014–2015 and 2016 and a 2.4-ha site was grazed at Kojonup, Western Australia during the same period in 2016. At each site, two grazing treatments were evaluated, continuous grazing and rotational grazing with six plots (14 days of grazing and 70 days of recovery). The first hypothesis tested was that tedera plants would not survive continuous grazing during summer and autumn. The second hypothesis tested was that without hand feeding, 10 dry sheep equivalents/ha would be able to at least maintain weight and condition score during summer and autumn. The third hypothesis tested was that rotational grazing would improve the production of the sheep (liveweight and condition score) compared with continuous grazing. The first hypothesis was rejected, the population of tedera plants did not significantly decline due to being continuously grazed during summer and autumn. The second hypothesis was confirmed, at the three experimental sites, 10 dry sheep equivalents/ha were able to at least maintain weight and condition score without any hand feeding. The third hypothesis was partially rejected; continuous grazing had a better performance of the sheep than rotational grazing. However, the rotational grazing plots had more tedera on offer in the remaining grazing plots in the rotation with the potential for a longer grazing time. These three experiments clearly demonstrate that tedera can be used to reduce or eliminate expensive hand feeding during summer and autumn using the simplest and least expensive grazing management; continuous grazing.

Better management of intensive rotational grazing systems maintains pastures and improves animal performance

2017 ◽  
Vol 68 (12) ◽  
pp. 1131 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. Badgery ◽  
G. Millar ◽  
K. Broadfoot ◽  
J. Martin ◽  
D. Pottie ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Diet Quality ◽  
Grazing Management ◽  
Weight Changes ◽  
Bare Ground ◽  
Rotational Grazing ◽  
Pasture Production ◽  
Faecal Analysis ◽  
Dactylis Glomerata L ◽  
Utilisation Data ◽  
Stocking Rates

Grazing management has been identified as a means of increasing livestock production and improving the composition of perennial pastures. The benefits of intensive rotational grazing have been the subject of much debate, but few studies have evaluated contrasting management of intensive rotational systems. A grazing management experiment was established on a pasture with cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata L., varieties Porto and Kara) as the dominant species, to investigate different stocking rates, paddock numbers and rotation speeds, and a flexible treatment that adjusted grazing time, rest periods and stock numbers for optimal pasture utilisation. Data were collected on pasture composition and diet quality assessed by using faecal analysis, animal weight changes and pasture characteristics. Animal production per hectare was greatest for fast rotations (56 days’ rest) at high stocking rates (HStR, 13.6 dry sheep equivalents (DSE) ha–1), but continuous grazing (CG) was equally productive. Although flexible grazing based on the 3–4-leaf stage was proposed as the best balance between pasture production and quality, this treatment had lower stocking rates (9.2 DSE ha–1) and was not as productive. No treatment negatively affected pasture composition over the 4-year period. Area of bare ground was highest for the HStR CG treatment; however, the 30-paddock rotations were able to limit bare ground at the same stocking rate. The results indicated that intensive rotational grazing could be effectively managed by using green herbage allowance. In spring, green herbage allowance needed to be 1–1.5 kg green dry matter (DM) DSE–1 day–1, which increased to 5 kg green DM DSE–1 day–1 as the quality of green DM decreased, to allow selective grazing to enhance diet quality.

scholarly journals New-generative agriculture – based on science, informed by research and honed by New Zealand farmers

2021 ◽  
Vol 82 ◽  
pp. 221-229
Author(s):  
Jacqueline Rowarth ◽  
Michael Manning ◽  
Ants Roberts ◽  
Warren King
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Environmental Impact ◽  
Soil Carbon ◽  
Food Production ◽  
Grazing Management ◽  
Agricultural Systems ◽  
Rotational Grazing ◽  
N Losses ◽  
Alternative Systems ◽  
Regenerative Agriculture

Highlights Regenerative agriculture is being promoted as a way to produce food sustainably while building soil carbon under high residual rotational grazing and minimising environmental impact. Research indicates that the environmental impact of conventional agricultural systems is generally lower than for alternative systems per unit of food production and sometimes per hectare. Soil carbon is higher under well-managed intensive grazing than under extensively managed systems. Adopting non-optimal grazing management decreases pasture quality and increases GHG and N losses. New Zealand has developed optimal rotational grazing and has soils with high organic-matter contents. Rather than adopting a concept developed overseas which has a fluid definition, New Zealand could promote New-generative agriculture… encapsulating what is already being done.

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