The performance of subterranean, rose, and cupped clovers under set-stocking

1972 ◽  
Vol 12 (59) ◽  
pp. 608 ◽  
Author(s):  
RC Rossiter ◽  
GB Taylor ◽  
GW Anderson

Pasture swards of the annual clovers Trifolium subterraneum (CV. Geraldton), T. hirtum (CV. Kondinin), and T. cherleri (CV. Yamina), and a mixture of all three were sown on a gravelly soil at Bakers Hill, Western Australia, in 1964. All pastures were set-stocked at 5 sheep ha-l from April 1965-April 1968, and at 8 sheep ha-1 from April 1968-March 1970. From 1966 onwards the amount of pasture dry matter on offer in July and September was two to four times as great on the subterranean clover pasture as on rose or cupped clover pastures. Moreover, the subterranean clover pasture resisted invasion by volunteer annuals more strongly. The mixed clover pasture was dominated by subterranean clover by 1966, and remained so thereafter. For the first four seasons of grazing, wool production was consistently higher (on average, 14 per cent higher) on rose clover than on subterranean clover pasture, and slightly lower still on cupped clover. In the fifth season, when grazing pressure was higher than previously, the rose and cupped clovers 'crashed', and subterranean clover produced most wool. We argue that the higher wool production on rose clover during 1965-1969 was due to some factor additional to digestible organic matter intake.


2001 ◽  
Vol 41 (8) ◽  
pp. 1109 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. A. Waller ◽  
P. W. G. Sale ◽  
G. R. Saul ◽  
G. A. Kearney

A 4-year field experiment was carried out in south-western Victoria to determine whether tactical stocking might improve perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) persistence and prime lamb production, compared with the more common practice of continuous stocking. Tactical stocking consisted of variable-length summer, autumn and winter rotations and continuous stocking in spring. The 2 grazing strategies were compared on 2 contrasting pastures: an upgraded pasture, sown with newer cultivars of perennial ryegrass and subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum L.) with 26 kg phosphorus/ha.year, and a more typical naturalised perennial ryegrass pasture receiving 6 kg phosphorus/ha.year. Paddocks were grazed by Border Leicester x Merino ewes, which were mated to a terminal sire to lamb in September. The effects of the grazing systems and pasture treatments on ryegrass persistence and pasture botanical composition are presented in this paper. The perennial ryegrass component of the sward decreased from an average mass of 1000 kg dry matter/ha on the upgraded pasture and 400 kg dry matter/ha on the typical pasture in spring 1996 to 100 kg dry matter/ha and <50 kg/ha for the 2 pasture types, respectively, in spring 1998. This occurred irrespective of the grazing system imposed. The decline of ryegrass was attributed to several factors including the very dry 3-year period, summer rainfall events that caused ryegrass buds to break dormancy then die when dry conditions resumed, the gravelly soil type where the experiment was located, and the high grazing pressure used. A number of species became more prevalent in the pastures as the ryegrass disappeared. Silver grass (Vulpia spp.) increased 4–5-fold on all treatments. By the fourth year, barley grass (Hordeum leporinum) and Bromus spp. had increased significantly with tactical stocking compared with continuous stocking. Capeweed (Arctotheca calendula L.) and Erodium spp. increased on both the continuously stocked and upgraded pastures. The subterranean clover component was maintained across all treatments over the 4 years, indicating that tactical stocking did not adversely affect clover persistence. Since ryegrass declined irrespective of treatment, the tactical stocking system used in this study cannot be recommended for improving ryegrass persistence.



1968 ◽  
Vol 8 (30) ◽  
pp. 46
Author(s):  
IH Cameron ◽  
AA McGowan

Eight cultivars of subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum L.)-Yarloop, Burnley, Bacchus Marsh, Nangeela, Clare, Portugal, Chiltern Valley, and Mt. Barker-were compared in mowing experiments at the Rutherglen Research Station in north-eastern Victoria. All eight had similar total annual yields of dry matter, but all except Chiltern Valley outyielded Mt. Barker (the common district cultivar) in most winters. Yarloop, Burnley, and Bacchus Marsh grew best in winter. Of these, Burnley has most promise, being apparently more persistent than Bacchus Marsh, and having lower oestrogenic potency than Yarloop. There was no difference in greasy wool production from wethers run at five to the acre on Mt. Barker or Bacchus Marsh pastures, despite higher pasture production on the latter. Hay was cut in two seasons ; after feeding equal amounts to each group of sheep, there was a surplus of 20 cwt an acre in favour of the Bacchus Marsh pasture. Clover seed production, winter pasture growth, and sheep liveweights also favoured Bacchus Marsh.



1964 ◽  
Vol 4 (15) ◽  
pp. 392 ◽  
Author(s):  
GW Arnold ◽  
WR McManus ◽  
IG Bush

A four year experiment is described in which Merino wethers were continuously grazed on Phalaris- subterranean clover pasture containing some annual grasses, at three rates for a year and at four rates in subsequent years. For the first year of the experiment a pasture of annual grasses and subterranean clover was also studied at three stocking rates. From the time that the eco-systems that were established reached an equilibrium there was rarely less than 2500 lb of herbage dry-matter an acre available on the lowest stocking rate and rarely more than 1000 lb an acre on the highest stocking rate. There was a significant difference in wool cut per head only in the first year ; over the last three years of the experiment it was slightly lower on the highest and lowest stocking rates than on the intermediate stocking rate. Wool production per acre was proportional to stocking rate. Large seasonal fluctuations were recorded in estimated digestible organic matter intake, liveweight, and wool production. Peaks of intake, liveweight gain, and wool production occurred in autumn and spring but at different dates at different stocking rates. At all but the highest stocking rate, wool production per unit time was lower in summer than in winter. Estimated herbage intake increased with decreasing availability of pasture. Digestibility of the diet, availability of pasture, and body condition of the sheep appeared to affect intake. Despite a higher estimated herbage intake on the higher stocking rate treatments, wool production was no higher.



1956 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 98 ◽  
Author(s):  
JN Black

Changes in the pre-emergence distribution of dry matter in subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum L.) variety Bacchus Marsh were followed at 21°C, using three sizes of seed and three depths of sowing, ½, 1¼, and 2 in. Decreasing seed size and increasing depth of sowing both reduce the weight of the cotyledons a t emergence. Seed of the three sizes were sown a t three depths in pot culture a t staggered intervals so that emergence was simultaneous. Dry weight in the early vegetative stage was proportional to seed size, and total leaf area and leaf numbers showed similar trends. Plants of each seed size grew at the same relative rate. No effect of depth of sowing could be detected, and this was shown to be due to the cotyledon area a t emergence being constant for any given seed size, regardless of varying depth of sowing and hence of cotyledon weight. It was concluded that seed size in a plant having epigeal germination and without endosperm is of importance: firstly, in limiting the maximum hypocotyl elongation and hence depth of sowing, and secondly, in determining cotyledon area. Cotyledon area in turn influences seedling growth, which is not affected by cotyledon weight. Once emergence has taken place, cotyledonary reserves are of no further significance in the growth of the plants.



1991 ◽  
Vol 31 (6) ◽  
pp. 777
Author(s):  
MDA Bolland

The effect of superphosphate applications (0, 25, 50, 75, 100 and 125 kg P/ha to the soil surface) on the dry matter (DM) herbage production of dense swards of subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum cv. Junee) and yellow serradella (Ornithopus compressus cv. Tauro) was measured in a field experiment on deep, sandy soil in south-western Australia. The swards were defoliated with a reel mower at weekly intervals from 88 to 158 days after sowing, to a height of 2 cm for the first 9 cuts, 4 cm for the tenth cut and 5 cm for the eleventh cut. Yellow serradella was more productive than subterranean clover. Consequently, for the relationship between yield and the level of phosphorus (P) applied, yellow serradella supported larger maximum yields and required less P than subterranean clover, to produce the same DM herbage yield. Maximum yields of yellow serradella were 12-40% larger. To produce 70% of the maximum yield for yellow serradella at each harvest, yellow serradella required about 50% less P than subterranean clover. However, when yields were expressed as a percentage of the maximum yield measured for each species at each harvest, the relationship between yield and the level of P applied was similar for both species, and they had similar P requirements.



1998 ◽  
Vol 49 (1) ◽  
pp. 53 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Tang ◽  
L. Barton ◽  
C. Raphael

The capacity of subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum L. cv. Clare), medic (Medicago murex Willd. cv. Zodiac), serradella (Ornithopus sativus Brot. line SP1/13), biserrula (Biserrula pelecinus L. line Mor99), and woolly clover (Trifolium tomentosum L.) to acidify soil under N2 fixation was compared in a pot experiment using a poorly buffered sandy soil. The amount of acid produced per kg shoot dry matter (specific acid production) varied betweefin species and with growth stages, ranging from 44 to 128 cmol/kg shoot. Subterranean clover and serradella acidied soil to a greater extent than woolly clover and medic, whereas biserrula acidified soil least. Irrespective of pasture species and growth stage, specific acid production correlated well with concentrations of excess cations and calcium in shoots. Furthermore, total excess cation, ash alkalinity, and calcium in shoots were all good indicators of total acid production across all of the species.



2001 ◽  
Vol 41 (2) ◽  
pp. 169 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. J. Ru ◽  
J. A. Fortune

The nutritive value of 26 cultivars of dry, mature subterranean clover was evaluated at Shenton Park, Perth, Western Australia. The cultivars were divided into 3 maturity groups according to flowering time and each cultivar was sown in blocks comprising 4 replicates. The plots were grazed by sheep at 2-week intervals during the growing season. Dry mature plant material and soil were sampled in summer to examine the effect of grazing and cultivar on seed yield and nutritive value of feed residues. Cultivars heavily grazed in spring had a low herbage mass. There was no difference in seed yield and seed weight between heavily and lightly grazed cultivars. Dry matter digestibility and mineral content of dry residues was inconsistent for the 2 grazing treatments. The dry matter digestibility of dry, mature subterranean clover ranged from 40 to 56%, with a wide range of crude fibre, nitrogen and mineral content for the 26 cultivars. While most minerals in the dry residues were above the requirement for sheep, 7 cultivars had a zinc content less than the maintenance requirement for sheep. There was an imbalance for all cultivars in calcium: phosphorus with a range of 4–10: 1. Concurrent estimates on the yield and composition of seed indicated that seed can be resource of minerals for grazing animals in summer. Most cultivars had a seed yield over 100 g/m2 with that of 9 cultivars being over 130 g/m2. Seed was rich in nitrogen, sodium, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, zinc and copper, and poor in sodium, calcium and manganese. However, there were no cultivars with an appropriate ratio of calcium and phosphorus. The imbalance in nitrogen and sulfur was a result of high nitrogen content with the ratio ranging from 19: 1 to 29: 1.



1973 ◽  
Vol 13 (64) ◽  
pp. 556
Author(s):  
DW Barrett ◽  
GW Arnold ◽  
NA Campbell

Pastures containing subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum) and either Vulpia spp. or Bromus rigidus as the other major species were sprayed at 0, 0.07, 0.14 and 0.21 kg a.i. ha-1 of paraquat ion between June and early October in Western Australia. Spraying removed the grasses and produced pastures containing up to 95 per cent clover. Mid-winter applications were more effective in increasing clover content than those made in spring. These changes in botanical composition were evident in the year following spraying, but were less marked. Yields of dry matter were reduced by paraquat, especially 'in the period immediately following spraying. These losses tended to decline as the growing season progressed, but at the close they were still evident on the Bromus rigidus pasture sprayed in July. Yields at the end of the subsequent season were similar on all treatments. Paraquat applied in mid-August at 0.14 kg a.i. ha-1 to both pastures produced the greatest change in botanical composition with the minimum loss of yield. The concentrations of nitrogen, phosphorus, calcium and magnesium were higher in mature herbage on paraquat treatments. Total yields of nutrients were similar between treatments because of reduced dry matter yield.



1972 ◽  
Vol 12 (57) ◽  
pp. 392 ◽  
Author(s):  
AA McGowan ◽  
IH Cameron

The effect of time of application of superphosphate on the dry matter produced from a subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum)annual grass pasture was studied. Treatments involved an annual topdressing of superphosphate, at 125 kg ha-1, in a particular month of the year, for each of the twelve months ; there was also an unfertilized control. In winter, dry matter yield was increased by 350-1190 kg ha-1 when superphosphate was applied at any time of the year. Winter yields were higher after application in January to May (mean 1570 kg ha-1) than in October to December (mean 1190 kg ha-1) or in June-July (mean 1230 kg ha-1). In spring, the greatest increases in dry matter yield were from topdressing in August or September (1600 and 1210 kg ha-1 respectively). Spring yields following application in other months were smaller but usually significantly greater than the yield of unfertilized pasture. The response to autumn application of superphosphate was much greater in winter than in spring. This was not due to a lower phosphorus requirement by the pasture in spring than in winter.



1972 ◽  
Vol 12 (56) ◽  
pp. 240 ◽  
Author(s):  
KFM Reed ◽  
RW Snaydon ◽  
A Axelsen

Young sheep were rotationally grazed, at two stocking rates, on pasture sown to combinations of two legume species (lucerne or subterranean clover) and two grass species (a mixture of annual and biennial ryegrass or phalaris) at Canberra. Liveweight gains were 45 per cent greater, and wool production was 10 per cent greater, on the lucerne dominant pasture (87 per cent lucerne) than on the grass dominant subterranean clover pasture (8 per cent subterranean clover). The differences were maximum during summer, but also occurred during spring. Mortality and supplementary feed requirement on grass dominant pasture was double that on lucerne pasture. Liveweight gains were 13 per cent greater on pasture sown to ryegrass than on pasture sown to phalaris. Sheep mortality was eight times greater on the phalaris than on the ryegrass pasture, and survival feed requirements at least double. The superior animal production from lucerne pasture was due mainly to the ability of lucerne to grow during periods of low rainfall and to maintain a high production of legume in the pasture.



Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document