Effects of cattle grazing, sheep grazing, cutting and sward height on a grass-white clover sward

SUMMARYThirteen defoliation treatments were applied to a grass-white clover sward for 2 years to study some effects on the sward of cattle grazing compared with sheep grazing compared with various cutting treatments and to study the effect of height of defoliation.Sheep actively sought out the clover in preference to grass whereas the cattle did not. The response of the clover to sheep grazing was a large reduction in the amount of stolon, shorter internodes, petioles and leaflets, and thinner stolon closer to the ground. Reducing the height of defoliation from 8 to 4 cm above ground level also reduced the dimensions of white clover. The clover, however, appeared to recover quickly and completely from the effects both of sheep grazing and of reducing the height of defoliation when these treatments were discontinued. In plots cut for hay the clover disappeared from the sward suddenly and completely in dry conditions following the 2nd-year hay cut. The effect of cattle grazing on white clover was similar to the effect of comparable cutting treatments. Cattle grazing, however, reduced the number of tillers of grass andincreased the proportion of bare ground, compared with cutting or sheep grazing. Grazing rather than cutting tended to encourage perennial ryegrass and to discourage Holcus. Cutting for hay encouraged Bromus mollis. Reducing the height of defoliation reduced leaf sheath and blade length and the rate of production of new blade per tiller in perennial ryegrass, but increased the numbers of tillers of grasses.

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Evaluation of the use of a small leaved clover as an alternative to fertiliser-N on tetraploid and diploid perennial ryegrass swards grazed to controlled sward heights by ewes and lambs

Proceedings of the British Society of Animal Production (1972) ◽

10.1017/s0308229600018158 ◽

1990 ◽

Vol 1990 ◽

pp. 33-33

Author(s):

J.E. Vipond ◽

G. Swift ◽

J. FitzSimons ◽

T.H. McClelland ◽

J.A. Milne ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Perennial Ryegrass ◽

White Clover ◽

Dry Matter ◽

Dry Matter Production ◽

Sheep Grazing ◽

Nitrogen Fertiliser ◽

Sward Height ◽

Matter Production ◽

Upland Pasture

Lamb performance at grass falls in July/August on upland farms. Allowing sward height to rise has been recognised as having an ameliorating effect [Keeling, 1987). The objective of this trial was to determine the influence of both sward quantity (sward height) and sward quality [sward type) on ewe and lamb performance from mid April to September. A further objective was the evaluation of clover as an alternative to nitrogen fertiliser.Three contrasting perennial ryegrass based swards were established in May 1987 for use in 1988 and 1989: a late heading diploid variety (D). CONTENDER and a late heading tetraploid variety [T) CONDESA sown alone or with S184 small leaved white clover [TO]. [D] swards represent the control being the normal upland pasture type. [T] companion ryegrass varieties have higher palatability and intake characteristics and, producing fewer tillers, are a compatible companion grass to white clover. Small leaved white clover was used owing to its higher persistency and dry matter production under continuous sheep grazing.

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Milksolids production from different combinations of perennial ryegrass and white clover cultivars: II Milksolids production and farm profitability

Proceedings of the New Zealand Grassland Association ◽

10.33584/jnzg.2001.63.2437 ◽

2001 ◽

pp. 97-102 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

S.L. Woodward ◽

K.A. Macdonald ◽

W.A. Carter ◽

J.P.J. Eerens ◽

J.R. Crush

Keyword(s):

Perennial Ryegrass ◽

White Clover ◽

Nutritive Value ◽

Block Design ◽

Previous Season ◽

Farm Profitability ◽

Dry Conditions ◽

The Difference ◽

Clover Content ◽

Friesian Cows

1999/2000 and 2000/2001 were the first two complete seasons of a replicated farm systems trial designed to measure the effects on whole farm profitability (Economic Farm Surplus (EFS) of mixtures of ryegrasses and white clovers released on to the market recently, or at least 15 years ago, and rotationally grazed by dairy cows. All the pastures were sown in late autumn 1998. There were four treatments with all combinations of 1980s (80R), and late 1990s (98R) ryegrasses, and 1960s (60C)and late 1990s (98C) white clovers, each replicated 3.0 times in a randomised block design giving twelve 4-ha, self-contained farmlets stocked with three Friesian cows/ha. Milksolids production was unaffected by either ryegrass or clover cultivar age, but there was a significant ryegrass x clover cultivar interaction reflected as higher milksolids production on the 80R/98C treatment than the 98R/98C treatment in 1999/2000. This was a result of a higher clover content in the 80R/98C pastures compared with other treatments. Although the difference in clover content was still present in 2000/2001, the wetter summerÂ-autumn meant the ryegrass maintained a higher nutritive value than in the previous season under dry conditions, so clover content did not affect milksolids production in 2000/2001. There were no main treatment effects on EFS in either season, but there was a significant ryegrass x clover interaction in 1999/2000 shown as a higher EFS on the 80R/98C treatment than on the 98R/98C treatment. Keywords: cultivars, dairying, Economic Farm Surplus, milksolids, perennial ryegrass, white clover

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The effect of sward height on responses of mini-swards of perennial ryegrass/white clover to slurry application

Grass and Forage Science ◽

10.1046/j.1365-2494.1997.00052.x ◽

1997 ◽

Vol 52 (1) ◽

pp. 42-51 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

P. S. Wightman ◽

M. F. Franklin ◽

D. Younie

Keyword(s):

Perennial Ryegrass ◽

White Clover ◽

Sward Height

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Effects of sward type and rest periods from sheep grazing on white clover presence in perennial ryegrass/white clover associations

Grass and Forage Science ◽

10.1111/j.1365-2494.1996.tb02052.x ◽

1996 ◽

Vol 51 (2) ◽

pp. 180-189 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

R. F. GOODING ◽

J. FRAME ◽

C. THOMAS

Keyword(s):

Perennial Ryegrass ◽

White Clover ◽

Sheep Grazing ◽

Rest Periods

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Lamb growth rates improve as goat to sheep ratio increases

Proceedings of the New Zealand Grassland Association ◽

10.33584/jnzg.1990.52.1968 ◽

1990 ◽

pp. 115-118

Author(s):

R.J. Townsend ◽

J.E. Radcliffe

Keyword(s):

Perennial Ryegrass ◽

White Clover ◽

Growth Rates ◽

Plant Material ◽

Grazing Management ◽

Sheep Grazing ◽

Lamb Growth

Lambs were rotationally grazed with ewes in a 'sheep only' system and with low, medium, and high proportions,of wether goats from October to March on dryland perennial ryegrass-white clover pastures in Canterbury. Lambs grazed with ewes and goats until they were weaned; then they grazed ahead of other stock. Treatment ratios of adult stock on a per head basis were 3 ewes:1 goat ('low goats'), 3 ewes:2 goats ('medium goats') and 3 ewes:3 goats ('high goats'). The ewe:lamb ratio was 1:1.35 on all treatments. Lamb growth rates (g/day) were 152 for 'sheep only', and 169, 185 and 203 for low, medium and high goat treatments respectively. As each treatment lamb reached a target draft weight, it was replaced by a lighter lamb for finishing. In comparison with the 'sheep only' treatment, an extra 1.6 lambs/ha were drafted off the 'medium goat' and an additional 2.6-lambs/ha off the 'high goat' treatment by the end of January. Increasing the proportion of goats:ewes increased the supply of white clover in pastures especially after lambs were weaned. Examination of faecal plant material showed 30% clover in the diet of lambs in a 'sheep only' system, increasing as the goat:sheep ratio increased to 60% clover in the 'high goat' treatment. Keywords white clover, perennial ryegrass, goats, sheep,grazing management, diet, lamb

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Persistence of ryegrass, tall fescue and cocksfoot following sequential annual sowings: pasture yield, composition and density in 3 establishment years under sheep grazing in Canterbury

Journal of New Zealand Grasslands ◽

10.33584/jnzg.2018.80.289 ◽

2018 ◽

pp. 169-176

Author(s):

Thomas M R Maxwell ◽

Grant R Edwards ◽

Gerald P Cosgrove

Keyword(s):

Perennial Ryegrass ◽

Tall Fescue ◽

Block Design ◽

Grass Species ◽

Botanical Composition ◽

Sheep Grazing ◽

Sward Height ◽

Long Term Effect ◽

Forage Value

A long-term pasture persistence trial, consisting of repeated annual sowings, commenced in Canterbury in 2015 and is planned to continue until 2024. Preliminary results of the first 3 years sowings are reported. Each annual sowing used the same randomised block design of eight perennial ryegrass cultivars, one tall fescue and one cocksfoot cultivar, replicated four times. Grasses were drilled into a cultivated seedbed in autumn, with white clover broadcast-sown, then rolled with a Cambridge roller. Except for one 3-week spell in spring and in autumn to accumulate herbage to measure DM yield, botanical composition, morphology and sward density, plots were continuously stocked with sheep to maintain a 3-8 cm sward height from late-August to late-May. Results from the first 12 months following each of the three annual sowings (2015, 2016 and 2017) indicate establishment year had a greater influence on DM yield, botanical composition, grass leaf and stem proportions, and basal cover than did grass species or cultivar. Accumulating data from successive annual sowings and continued monitoring of each will help identify the long-term effect and difference between establishment years, as well as grass persistence traits for inclusion in the Forage Value Index ranking of perennial ryegrass cultivars.

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Effect of sward height and its clover vertical distribution on the performance of cashmere goats grazing perennial ryegrass/white clover swards during the autumn

Proceedings of the British Society of Animal Science ◽

10.1017/s1752756200596136 ◽

1997 ◽

Vol 1997 ◽

pp. 172-172

Author(s):

M. del Pozo ◽

K. Osoro

Keyword(s):

New Zealand ◽

Vertical Distribution ◽

Perennial Ryegrass ◽

White Clover ◽

Northern Spain ◽

Sward Height ◽

Cashmere Goats ◽

The Vertical Distribution ◽

Clover Pasture

Previous trials performed in temperate sown swards from New Zealand (Clark et al, 1982), from UK (del Pozo and Wright, 1995) and from Spain (Osoro and Martinez, 1995) showed improvements of sward clover contents on grass/clover pastures grazed by goats during the early part of the grazing season. However, this phenomenon might not occur to the same extent during autumn due to clover's poorer competitiviness with ryegrass. Additionally, Merchant and Riach (1994) showed that cashmere goats required pastures with mean sward heights to be above 6 cm to achieve aceptable levels of performance but were not able to considerate the implications of the sward legume content on their liveweight changes. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of three contrasting sward height regimes and their associated relative changes in the vertical distribution of the sward clover proportion on the performance of cashmere goats grazing during the autumn season a lowland perennial ryegrass/white clover pasture located in Northern Spain.

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Resistance of New Zealand dairy pastures to ingress of summer-active annual grass weeds

Crop and Pasture Science ◽

10.1071/cp12315 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 63 (10) ◽

pp. 1026 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

K. N. Tozer ◽

E. Minneé ◽

C. A. Cameron

Keyword(s):

Perennial Ryegrass ◽

White Clover ◽

Tall Fescue ◽

Festuca Arundinacea ◽

Control Measures ◽

First Year ◽

Similar Distribution ◽

Annual Grass ◽

Bare Ground ◽

Second Year

Yellow bristle grass (Setaria pumila) and summer grass (Digitaria sanguinalis) are summer-active annual grass weeds which infest temperate dairy pastures. A study was undertaken over 2 years to compare hand-sown yellow bristle and summer grass establishment, survival, and seed production in pastures grazed by dairy cows and based on (i) tetraploid perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne), (ii) tetraploid perennial ryegrass and white clover (Trifolium repens), and (iii) tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea) and white clover, to determine which pasture type offered the greatest resistance to these grass weeds. Ingress of grass weeds was similar in all three pasture types. Total dry matter production was similar for all pasture types for the first year and lower in tall fescue + clover than perennial ryegrass pasture in the second year. All pasture types had a similar distribution of microsite types (bare ground ± canopy, basal cover ± canopy) in both years. The annual grass weeds were most prevalent in bare ground + canopy microsites, which were also the most frequent of the four microsite types. In the first year, <5% of microsites were occupied within 2 months of sowing, whereas in the second year, microsite occupation remained >13% for all assessments. In the first year, panicle production of yellow bristle and summer grass was similar (averaging 4.1 panicles plant–1); in the second year, panicle production was greater for summer grass (0.80 v. 0.16 panicles plant–1, respectively). Where present, these annual grass weeds are likely to spread in dryland dairy pastures sown with either perennial ryegrass or tall fescue. Variability in their panicle production between years shows how their impact on pasture performance and consequent need for control measures will also vary from year to year.

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Performance of red deer grazing pure white clover or perennial ryegrass swards

Proceedings of the British Society of Animal Science ◽

10.1017/s1752756200007766 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 2002 ◽

pp. 120-120

Author(s):

D. W. Deakin ◽

D. G. Chapple ◽

M. H. Davies

Keyword(s):

Perennial Ryegrass ◽

Cervus Elaphus ◽

White Clover ◽

Red Deer ◽

Grazing Season ◽

Sward Height ◽

Excellent Growth ◽

Early Late ◽

Deer Grazing

Farmed red deer (Cervus elaphus) are highly seasonal animals, showing a marked winter inappetance followed by excellent growth from turnout in spring. The quality of grazed herbage has been demonstrated to have a significant impact upon growth during the grazing season. For example, performance is improved by the provision of a sward surface height of 8 - 10 cm compared with a sward height of 5 - 6 cm (Davies et al, 1998). The objective of this study was to assess whether deer performance could be further enhanced by providing white clover (Trifolium repens) swards (C) either in early, late or throughout the grazing season compared with perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) swards (G).

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