The influence of winter nutrition, grazing system and stocking rate on the performance of spring-calving Hereford × Friesian cows and their calves 2. Grazing system and stocking rate

1982 ◽  
Vol 34 (2) ◽  
pp. 225-237 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. D. Baker ◽  
J. M. Barker ◽  
Y. L. P. Le Du
Keyword(s):  
Weight Gain ◽  
Milk Yield ◽  
Growth Rates ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Milk Composition ◽  
Stocking Rate ◽  
Calf Growth ◽  
Grazing System ◽  
Stocking Rates ◽  
Friesian Cows

ABSTRACTForty-eight Hereford × Friesian cows and their South Devon calves were paddock grazed at high or low stocking rates of 412 or 206 cows and calves per ha in experiment 1, and either paddock grazed or set stocked at high or low stocking rates of 4·12 or 2·74 cows and calves per ha in experiments 2 to 4.There was no significant effect of grazing system on milk yield, milk composition or calf growth but in experiment 2 paddock-grazed cows gained more weight than those set stocked. Cows at low stocking rates gained more weight than those at high stocking rates and, in general, gave more milk. Calf growth rates were also higher at low stocking rates in experiments 1, 3 and 4 but not in experiment 2. Milk composition was not significantly affected by stocking rate. There were substantial increases in calf live-weight gain per ha at the high stocking rate but, because of a lower gain by cows, the differences in total live-weight gains per ha for cows and calves were much smaller.

Rearing of dairy cattle 5. The effect of stocking rate on animal and herbage production in a grazing system for calves and heifers

1974 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 273-284 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. D. Leaver
Keyword(s):  
Weight Gain ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Young Female ◽  
Stocking Rate ◽  
Progressive Decline ◽  
Live Weight Gain ◽  
Grazing System ◽  
Total Utilization ◽  
Female Cattle ◽  
Stocking Rates

SUMMARYA rotational system of grazing, in which Friesian calves grazed the paddock immediately in front of a group consisting of pregnant and non-pregnant young female cattle (heifers), was examined at stocking rates initially of 3·0, 3·5 and 4·0 replacement units per ha (a replacement unit = one calf + one heifer). The stocking rates were reduced towards the end of the season by removing pregnant heifers. Measurements were made of live-weight gains and herbage production and utilization. Increasing the stocking rate from 3·0 to 4·0 units/ha depressed live-weight gain in calves by 18% on average and in heifers by 32%. The stocking rate of 3·5 replacement units/ha produced the greatest amount of live-weight gain per ha. There was a progressive decline in herbage production and consequently live-weight gain from early to late season. Herbage production was also depressed by the increased stocking rate. Although the average utilization of herbage at each grazing was low, ranging from 27 to 37% in calves and 35 to 48% in heifers, the total utilization of herbage over the whole season was high, ranging from 88 to 96%.

Rearing of dairy cattle 6. The effect of length of grazing rotation on animal and herbage production in a grazing system for calves and heifers

1975 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 157-164 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. D. Leaver
Keyword(s):  
Weight Gain ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Grazing Management ◽  
Stocking Rate ◽  
Average Growth ◽  
Live Weight Gain ◽  
Total Percentage ◽  
Grazing System ◽  
Stocking Rates

SUMMARYA rigid system of grazing management was examined for 2 years using rotations of fixed length. Rotations of 21 and 35 days were compared at low (3 calves+ 3 heifers/ha) and high (4 calves+ 4 heifers/ha) stocking rates. The calves and heifers grazed the paddocks on a leader/follower basis.Average growth rates for the 21- and 35-day rotations were respectively 0·75 and 0·78 for calves and 0·78 and 0·83 kg/day for heifers, but these differences were not significant. The 35-day rotation produced 6% more live-weight gain and 4% more herbage dry matter/ha than the 21-day rotation. The high stocking rate produced 14% more live-weight gain but 3% less herbage dry matter/ha than the low stocking rate. The total percentage utilization of herbage dry matter for the whole season was similar for 35- and 21-day rotations, averaging 90%. There were no significant interactions between length of rotation and stocking rate.

The influence of winter nutrition, grazing system and stocking rate on the performance of spring-calving Hereford × Friesian cows and their calves 1. Winter nutrition

1982 ◽  
Vol 34 (2) ◽  
pp. 213-224 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. D. Baker ◽  
Y. L. P. Le Du ◽  
J. M. Barker
Keyword(s):  
Milk Production ◽  
Reproductive Performance ◽  
Metabolizable Energy ◽  
Average Weight ◽  
Stocking Rate ◽  
Calf Growth ◽  
Grazing System ◽  
Significant Depression ◽  
Made In ◽  
Friesian Cows

ABSTRACTIn three experiments the effects of giving Hereford × Friesian cows 61 to 64 MJ/day of metabolizable energy in the last 8 weeks of pregnancy, followed by either 49 to 56 (L) or 85 to 100 (H) MJ/day for the first 8 weeks of lactation, were determined. A further comparison was made in experiment 3, in which energy intakes were restricted to 46 and 64 MJ/day (M) in the two periods respectively. The L and M groups had a similar average weight loss of approximately 55 kg over winter whereas the H groups maintained their weight. The L and M treatments had a negligible effect on milk production at 3 weeks post calving but they caused a significant depression at 6 weeks in experiments 2 and 3. Milk energy and protein concentrations were reduced in all three experiments. Calf growth was similar on both treatments in experiment 1 but was 9 to 13% lower in experiments 2 and 3 for the L and M groups compared with the H group. Reproductive performance was not significantly affected. There was a substantial increase in milk production for all groups on turnout to grazing. This was greater for the L and M groups so that their summer milk production was almost equal to that of the H group. Cows from L and M groups gained more weight at pasture. By the end of the trials cows and calves from all treatments had similar weights except in experiment 3, when cows from the L and M treatments were still lighter than those from the H treatment.

The effect of systems of grassland management and winter feeding on the productivity of an 18-month grass-cereal beef system

1978 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 99-107
Author(s):  
J. B. Moran ◽  
W. Holmes
Keyword(s):  
Weight Gain ◽  
Grassland Management ◽  
Metabolizable Energy ◽  
Stocking Rate ◽  
Field System ◽  
Grass Silage ◽  
Grazing System ◽  
Grazing Systems ◽  
Ad Libitum ◽  
Stocking Rates

ABSTRACTExperiments in two successive years with 24 cattle compared a six-paddock grazing system with a simpler two-field system. In each system the whole area was cut for conservation once during the season. The two systems were stocked each at 3·9 or 6·5 cattle/ha. In the following winters the cattle were offered grass silage (1974) or dried lucerne pellets (1975) ad libitum with two levels of barley.Daily gains on pasture were depressed by the higher stocking rate but there was no difference between grazing systems. The yield of conserved grass was least on the high stocking rate two-field system. The estimated output of utilized metabolizable energy per hectare was highest on the high stocking rate paddock grazing system but the output from the low stocking rate two-field system was almost as high. It was concluded that the latter system was valuable in many practical situations. Cattle that had been grazed at low stocking rates finished earlier in winter. There was some evidence of winter compensation in cattle weight gain on diets with dried lucerne pellets but not on grass silage diets.

Animal production from naturalized and sown pastures at three stocking rates under coconuts in the Solomon Islands

1981 ◽  
Vol 97 (3) ◽  
pp. 669-676 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. E. Watson ◽  
P. C. Whiteman
Keyword(s):  
Weight Gain ◽  
Solomon Islands ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Stocking Rate ◽  
Brachiaria Decumbens ◽  
Live Weight Gain ◽  
Natural Pasture ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Stocking Rates ◽  
Brachiaria Mutica

SUMMARYA grazing study, comparing a naturalized and a sown pasture at three stocking rates, was conducted under a uniform stand of 65-year-old coconuts on a fertile soil in the Russell Islands. In a plot trial on this site there was no significant response to application of up to 400 kg N/ha/year over 2 years to Brachiaria decumbens. Average daily transmission of photosynthetically active radiation through the coconut canopy was 60% of full sunlight. The sown pasture consisted initially of para (Brachiaria mutica), signal (B. decumbens) and koronivia (B. humidicola) with the legumes Centrosema pubescens, Pueraria phaseoloides and Stylosanthes guianensis. The main species in the naturalized pasture were Axonopus compressus, Mimosa pudica, C. pubescens and Colopogonium mucunoides. Pastures were set stocked in two replicates over 3 years at 1·5, 2·5 and 3·5 animals/ha. There was no significant difference in live-weight gain between pastures in any year. Live-weight gain per head declined linearly with increasing stocking rate. Highest live-weight gain was 437 kg/ha/year in the 1st year at 3·5 animals/ha. The planted grasses declined from 60% at the start of grazing to 6% 8 months later. A. compressus increased from 2 to 24% over 3 years in the sown pasture, and from 12 to 34% of yield in the natural pasture. M. pudica increased from 27 to 44% in the sown, and remained approximately constant at 37% in the natural pasture. G. pubescens increased at 2·5 animals/ha, but was replaced by P. phaseoloides at 1·5 animals/ha and by A. compressus and M. pudica at 3·5 animals/ha. There were no significant effects of pasture treatments or stocking rate on copra yields. Where there is a cover of naturalized grasses and legumes under coconuts, cultivation and planting of exotic species cannot be recommended. Major improvement will come from thorough weed control and maintaining stocking rates between 1·5 and 2·5 animals/ha.

Grazing studies on the Guadalcanal Plains, Solomon Islands. 2. Effects of pasture mixtures and stocking rate on animal production and pasture components

1981 ◽  
Vol 97 (2) ◽  
pp. 353-364 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. E. Watson ◽  
P. C. Whiteman
Keyword(s):  
Weight Gain ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Solomon Islands ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Animal Production ◽  
Green Leaf ◽  
Stocking Rate ◽  
Live Weight Gain ◽  
Dry Matter Digestibility ◽  
Stocking Rates

SummaryAnimal production was compared on three pastures, Brachiaria mutica (para), B. decumbens (signal) and Panicum maximum cv. Hamil (hamil) each sown with a common legume mixture of Centrosemapubescens (centro), Macroptilium atropurpureum cv. Siratro, and Stylosanthes guianensis cv. Endeavour (stylo), at four stocking rates, 1·8, 21·87, 31·86, and 41·85 animals/ha, over 4 years on the GuadalcanalPlains, Solomon Islands.Mean live-weight gain per head over the four stocking rates and 4 years on para pastures was 01·847, on signal pastures 01·838, and on hamil pastures 01·828 kg/head/day. Mean production per hectare at the optimum stocking rates were: para at 3.6 animals/ha, 607 kg; signal at 31·86 animals/ha, 442 kg; hamil at 21·87 animals/ha, 362 kg/ha/year.The high stocking rates of 31·86 and 41·85 animals/ha caused the hamil pastures to decline to the stage where they were destocked in the 4th year of grazing.Superior production on para pastures was not simply related to green dry matter (GDM) on offer. In the 1st year of grazing, GDM was highest in hamil pastures, but in the 2nd year highest in para, and in the 3rd year mean yields were similar in all pastures, but were very low at the 31·86 and 41·85 animals/ha stocking rate in the hamil pastures.Para pastures maintained highest legume contents. The quadratic relationship between live-weight gain/head and legume content was significant over all pastures and stocking rates. Live-weight gain (LWG) per head increased up to 15% legume content, after which there was little change. Yield of green leaf, percentage green leaf, and sward bulk density did not appear to be related to LWG/head. Para pastures had lower values for all these components than the other pastures.Chemical factors contributed to the higher animal production from para pastures. Para leaf maintained consistently higher in vitro dry-matter digestibility values. Na content of para averaged 01·812%, whereas other species were 01·801 to 01·802%, and below the critical level (01·805%) for animal intake. N and S in leaf material, and Cu in total tops were also consistently higher in para grass.Results of this grazing trial suggest that selection of grass species on the basis of quality including dry-matter digestibility and mineral content, on ability to persist with increasing stocking rate, on compatibility with legumes, and on growth habit are more important than selection for dry-matter yield.

Effect of stocking rate on Rhodes grass-stylo pasture in the northern guinea savanna zone of Nigeria 2. pasture and sheep. Performance

2021 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 55-63
Author(s):  
O. S. Onifade ◽  
I. F. Adu ◽  
J. O. Akinola
Keyword(s):  
Weight Gain ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Curvilinear Relationship ◽  
Stocking Rate ◽  
Rhodes Grass ◽  
Green Material ◽  
Live Weight Gain ◽  
Grazing Period ◽  
Stocking Rates ◽  
Stem Leaf

Mixed pastures of Rhodes grass (Chloris gavana cv. Callide) and Stylo (Stylosanthes guianensis cv. Cook) were evaluated at five stocking rate, 12, 18, 24, 30 and 36 rams/ha over five grazing periods at Shika, Nigeria. The pastures were continuously grazed for 154 to 210 days beginning from late ruiny into dry season (August 10 April). Dry matter yields of stem, leaf, stem + leaf of C. gayana, green material and total herbage declined (P<0.01) as stocking rate and grazing days increased. However, the differences in yields of green material and leaf of C. Igayana at P4 and 30 rams/ha were not significant over the grazing periods. Daily live weight gain (g/headd) was negatively and linearly related to stocking rate. Mean live weight gains at the lowest and highest stocking rates were + 52 and -1 g/head/d in the second grazing season and 62 and 24 g/head/d in the fifth grazing period. Mean live weight production/ha and optimum stocking rates (OSR) in the first, second, third, fourth and fifth grazing periods were: 61.2kg, 17.8 sheep/ha; 155.5kg; 20.4 sheep/ha; 186.2kg, 24.9 sheep/ha; 129.4kg, 21.2 sheep/ha and 200.2kg, 26.0 sheep/ha, respectively. A curvilinear relationship was obtained between live weight gain ha and stocking rate. This study indicated that sheep at the highest and lowest stocking rates will need supplementary feeds after 100 and 128 days, respectively, if grazing commenced just before the end of the rain.

Feed intake of grazing cattle. V. A further study of the influence of pasture restriction combined with supplementary feeding on production per animal and per acre

1967 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 313-324 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. Holmes ◽  
M. K. Curran
Keyword(s):  
Weight Gain ◽  
Milk Yield ◽  
Feed Intake ◽  
Previous Experiment ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Stocking Rate ◽  
Live Weight Gain ◽  
Grazing Season ◽  
Grazing Cattle ◽  
Electric Fence

This paper reports the second of two experiments which examined the possibility of improving pasture utilisation by restricting grazing and giving cows a supplement of concentrates. Two treatments (A and B) were continuously imposed, each on a group of 10 adult Ayrshire cows, for about 4 months. Cows received either pasture alone allocated daily by electric fence (B), or half this area of pasture plus 3 Ib. cubed concentrates per 10 lb. milk (A).Herbage intakes were estimated by grass cutting techniques and also by faecal index methods, and animal performance was recorded. Over the whole experiment the two treatments gave similar levels of production per animal. Significant differences in milk yield and live-weight gain were detected only in periods 1 and 4, respectively, when the intended restriction was not completely achieved. While production per acre of grass was doubled by treatment a about 4,000 lb. grain was considered necessary to replace one acre of grazing.The results are discussed in relation to the previous experiment. They suggest that the method of replacing half the normal grazing with barley or other concentrated feeds could be usefully employed to alleviate pasture shortage in parts of the grazing season and might therefore facilitate the maintenance of a high stocking rate.

Milk yields of cows fed maize and molasses supplements to tropical pastures at two stocking rates

1978 ◽  
Vol 18 (90) ◽  
pp. 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
RT Cowan ◽  
TM Davison
Keyword(s):  
Milk Yield ◽  
Block Design ◽  
Panicum Maximum ◽  
Stocking Rate ◽  
Tropical Pastures ◽  
Randomized Block Design ◽  
Stocking Rates ◽  
Supplement Intake ◽  
Friesian Cows

Twenty-four Friesian cows grazing green panic (Panicum maximum var. trichoglume)-glycine (Glycine wightii cv. Tinaroo) pastures at 2 or 4 cows ha-1 were fed no supplement, 2.4 kg maize or 3.0 kg molasses cow-1 day-1. The experiment was a randomized block design and of six months duration. Milk yield and composition were similar for cows fed maize and molasses and these supplements increased average milk yield from 10.3 to 11.8 kg cow-1 day-1 (P < 0.05). Increased stocking rate reduced milk yield from 12.7 to 9.8 kg cow-1 (P < 0.01). Interactions of stocking rate with type of supplement were not significant (P > 0.05). The level of supplement intake and yield of pasture on offer accounted for 52 per cent of the variation in average milk yields (P < 0.01). Of the variation in milk yields between paddocks only 5 per cent was unaccounted for by this relationship.

The Effects of Perennial Grasses, Stocking Rate and Rainfall on Sheep Production in a Semi-Arid Woodland of Eastern Australia.

1999 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 199 ◽  
Author(s):  
D Freudenberger ◽  
A Wilson ◽  
R Palmer
Keyword(s):  
Weight Gain ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Perennial Grasses ◽  
Green Leaf ◽  
Stocking Rate ◽  
Live Weight Gain ◽  
Wool Growth ◽  
Sheep Production ◽  
Stocking Rates ◽  
Semi Arid

A grazing study was conducted in a semi-arid mulga (Acacia aneura) woodland to determine the relative importance of variables controlling sheep production in this environment. The study was based on six sheep stocking rates (0.3-0.8 sheeplha) with the exclusion of other large herbivores including kangaroos and feral goats. The availability of forage and its components, together with the wool growth and live weight of the sheep were measured every three months for seven years from October 1986. Annual rainfall accounted for 60% of the annual variation in live weight gain per head and 79% of the variation in wool growth per head. Stocking rate accounted for an additional 10% of the variation. Rainfall accounted for this large proportion of variation by its strong influence on the yield of green leaf which accounted for 78% of the variation in live weight gain and 66% of the variation in wool growth. Green leaf was a determinant of sheep production because of its superior crude protein content and digestibility compared to dry leaf and stem. The species comprising this green leaf had an influence on sheep production only during drier years when the presence of palatable perennial grasses became important to sheep production. The frequency and yield of perennial grasses were greatly diminished at high stocking rates. This change in forage composition caused a decline in sheep productivity as detected by a loss of linearity in the relationship between stocking rate and live weight gainlhead. We conclude that adjusting stocking rates is required in this environment for maintenance of long-term sheep productivity and landscape function. The loss of palatable perennial C, grasses over much of the region has reduced livestock productivity and increased the variability in forage availability. Stock numbers should be adjusted at critical times to avoid losing perennial grasses that are important for sheep production in drier years. New grazing strategies are required to restore these grasses to the region.

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