Response of skeleton weed (Chondrilla juncea) to applied superphosphate and grazing management

1975 ◽  
Vol 15 (72) ◽  
pp. 102 ◽  
Author(s):  
GD Kohn ◽  
EG Cuthbertson
Keyword(s):  
New South ◽  
Trifolium Subterraneum ◽  
Wagga Wagga ◽  
Stocking Rate ◽  
Lolium Rigidum ◽  
Fertilizer Rate ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Continuous Grazing ◽  
Grazing Systems ◽  
Stocking Rates

The influence of pasture topdressing with superphosphate and of stocking rate on the Chondrilla uncea population in a clover-ryegrass (Trifolium subterraneum-Lolium rigidum) pasture was measured in a grazing experiment at Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, over the period 1962 to 1966. Superphosphate application reduced final weed populations at all stocking rates. Continuous grazing maintained skeleton weed populations at a low level, but increasing the stocking rate from 5 to 15 sheep ha-1 had little influence on weed numbers. A management comparison at a high stocking rate-high fertilizer rate showed that rotational grazing increased the weed population compared with continuous grazing systems.

Beef production from lucerne and subterranean clover pastures. 1. The effects of pasture, stocking rate and supplementary feeding

1980 ◽  
Vol 20 (107) ◽  
pp. 678 ◽  
Author(s):  
EC Wolfe ◽  
RD FitzGerald ◽  
DG Hall ◽  
OR Southwood
Keyword(s):  
Muscle Development ◽  
New South ◽  
Subterranean Clover ◽  
Trifolium Subterraneum ◽  
Supplementary Feeding ◽  
Wagga Wagga ◽  
Stocking Rate ◽  
Eye Muscle ◽  
South Wales ◽  
June July

The production and management of weaner steers on two pasture types were studied over 3 years at Wagga Wagga in southern New South Wales. One pasture (LC) was sown with a mixture of lucerne (Medicago sativa) and subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum) and the other (C) was sown only with subterranean clover. On each pasture the management treatments were 1.3 and 2.0 steers ha-' in 1975, and 2.1 and 3.0 steers ha-1 in 1976 and 1977, with a grain supplement at the heavier stocking rate in all years. Each year, steers gained more liveweight in February-March or April-May on LC than on C, and this advantage was maintained or increased until slaughter in the following January. The faster growth of steers on lucerne-clover was always associated with an increased supply of green herbage. Annual liveweight gain on LC exceeded that on C by 20-30 kg/head in 1975 and 1977, and by up to 90 kg/head in 1976, when the rainfall pattern was unsuitable for clover growth. Carcases from steers on LC were heavier (all years), covered with a greater depth of fat (1 975 and 1976) and showed better eye muscle development (1 76 and 1977) than those on C. In 1975, neither stocking rate nor supplementary feeding affected liveweight or carcase development. In the following 2 years, increasing the stocking rate from 2 to 3 steers ha-1 reduced annual liveweight gains by 35-40 kg/head. Oat grain supplements (2-3 kg/head day-1 in February-March, June-July and December-January) improved weight gains and carcase quality on both pasture types in 1977, but only on C in 1976

Lucerne persistence and the productivity of ewes and lambs grazed at two stocking rates within different management systems

1975 ◽  
Vol 15 (77) ◽  
pp. 747 ◽  
Author(s):  
OR Southwood ◽  
GE Robards
Keyword(s):  
Plant Density ◽  
Agricultural Research ◽  
New South ◽  
Research Station ◽  
Stocking Rate ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Continuous Grazing ◽  
Rotational Systems ◽  
Stocking Rates ◽  
Lamb Growth

From 1967 to 1971 a grazing experiment was conducted at the Agricultural Research Station, Temora, New South Wales with Merino ewes and first cross spring lambs on lucerne pastures. Set stocking was compared with a number of rotational systems at twice replicated stocking rates of five and ten ewes ha-1. The rotational systems consisted of either five or seven paddocks each grazed to give a constant pasture recovery time of 36 days year round, or 36 days mid-summer to mid-winter and 24 days when lambs were present. Stocking rate was the only variable affecting ewe wool production and body weight. During the driest year the constant rotation was the best treatment, whereas in the wetter year ewes managed in a variable rotation grew most wool. The number of lambs born and their birth weight did not vary among treatments. Growth rate was slower at the higher stocking rate but the management treatments had no effect on lamb growth. Lucerne plant density decreased by half during the first three years of the experiment. Thereafter plant density was maintained in the rotationally grazed systems. Under continuous grazing at the high stocking rate no lucerne survived after four months but at the low stocking rate most remaining plants died after a spring drought in 1971.

Goat and Sheep Grazing in Shrub-Infested Semi-arid Woodlands of New South Wales.

1986 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 140 ◽  
Author(s):  
BH Downing
Keyword(s):  
Animal Species ◽  
New South ◽  
Economic Implications ◽  
Dietary Preferences ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Continuous Grazing ◽  
Local Observation ◽  
Grazing Systems ◽  
Western Division

Examination of data on dietary preferences of sheep, goats and cattle suggests that different grazing systems are desirable for each of the three major woodland types (belah-rosewood, mulga, poplar box) examined. Competition for herbs, frequently palatable to all animal species, indicates that goats and sheep are unsuitable for joint use either in heavily wooded country or where annual herbaceous production is less than 200 kg-ha. Supplementary feeding, fire and judicious stocking are proposed as a strategy for inducing goats to eat a proportion of unpalatable shrubs. The literature provides little helpful information on how rangelands in the Western Division should be managed. No reports are given on comparisons of grazing systems, such as rotational grazing, rotational resting, and continuous grazing. No guidance is given on grazing after burning of the rangeland. Recommendations are generally against the use of goats for control of woody plants, whereas local observation shows this to be an apparently effective practice. The recommendations are mostly based on experimental procedures which, although suitable for detecting animal dietary preferences in the short term, are less appropriate for investigation of the effects of grazing on range condition in the long term. Some suggestions are made towards a different approach for: investigating the effects of grazing by sheep and goats on rangeland condition, and the economic implications of this in terms of animal production.

An economic analysis of a 10 year rate of stocking trial with fine-wool

1978 ◽  
Vol 18 (92) ◽  
pp. 370 ◽  
Author(s):  
JM George ◽  
RA Pearse
Keyword(s):  
New South ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Stocking Rate ◽  
Labour Costs ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Wool Yield ◽  
Stocking Rates ◽  
Price Relationships ◽  
Clover Pasture

Merino ewes were grazed for 10 years at stocking rates of 8, 12 and 16 ha-1, lambing in winter, spring or summer on a phalaris/white clover pasture on the Northern Tablelands of New South Wales. Wool production, wool yield and count, and lambing and weaning rates were established for the wide range of climatic conditions experienced. A spring lambing is indicated under the within-year price relationships experienced. Under a wide range of wool and lamb prices the optimum stocking rate varied from 12 to 16 ewes ha-1 depending on labour costs.

Palatability to sheep of the Eragrostis curvula complex. 3. A comparison of naturalised and selected taxa

1988 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 53 ◽  
Author(s):  
WH Johnston
Keyword(s):  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Wagga Wagga ◽  
Eragrostis Curvula ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Stocking Rates ◽  
Relative Palatability

The palatability of 20 accessions of E. curvula collected from naturalised populations in New South Wales was compared on 7 occasions with 2 selected accessions previously found to be highly palatable. The experiment was conducted at Wagga Wagga, N.S.W., between January 198 1 and July 1983. The relative palatability of most accessions was substantially similar from rating to rating, despite differences in the extent to which the trial was grazed. Palatability was related to the agronomic group to which the accessions belonged. For the naturalised taxa, Curvula was ranked equal to Tall Chloromelas. but both were more palatable than Short Chloromelas. The naturalised accessions were all less palatable than the selected accessions. It was concluded that the selected accessions were sufficiently palatable to be well utilised in pastures by stock grazing at commercial stocking rates.

Evaluation of medics under continuous grazing with sheep in central-western New South Wales

1985 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 311 ◽  
Author(s):  
H Brownlee ◽  
GD Denney
Keyword(s):  
Medicago Truncatula ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
The Other ◽  
Stocking Rate ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Continuous Grazing ◽  
Summer Rain

Between May 1974 and March 1978, dry Merino ewes continuously grazed l-ha plots, sown to Medicago truncatula cvv. Akbar, Borung, Cyfield, Cyprus, Hannaford and Jemalong, and M. tornata cv. Tornafield, at a stocking rate of 4 Ewes/ha. Hannaford and Cyfield grew most vigorously; Borung least. Pod accumulation declined during the experiment, but plant counts showed a satisfactory density of all medics at the end of the experiment. Sheep on cultivars Hannaford, Cyprus, Cyfield and Tornafield required no hand-feeding during the experiment; those grazing the other cultivars required hand-feeding in autumn-winter 1975. There were no significant differences between treatments in fleece-free liveweights or annual clean fleece yields. In 1977 the medic content of the diet was less than 50% in all treatments. Pod ingestion over summer increased steadily to nearly 70% of the diet as the more palatable pasture components became scarce. However, the proportion dropped rapidly when summer rain provided sheep with a green 'pick'. The spiny pods of Akbar were retained in the fleece; the spineless pods of other cultivars were never retained. Total vegetable matter contamination was less for Cyfield than for Akbar, suggesting that development of medics with less spiny pods is a justifiable objective.

Impact of phosphorus application and sheep grazing on the botanical composition of sown pasture and naturalised, native grass pasture

2004 ◽  
Vol 55 (12) ◽  
pp. 1213 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. O. Hill ◽  
R. J. Simpson ◽  
A. D. Moore ◽  
P. Graham ◽  
D. F. Chapman
Keyword(s):  
Trifolium Subterraneum ◽  
Perennial Grasses ◽  
Botanical Composition ◽  
Stocking Rate ◽  
Annual Species ◽  
Basal Cover ◽  
Grazing Systems ◽  
P Application ◽  
Phosphorus Application ◽  
Stocking Rates

Botanical composition (basal cover) was measured in 4 replicated pasture treatments based on Phalaris aquatica and Trifolium subterraneum at Hall, ACT (unfertilised with low and high stocking rate; fertilised with low and high stocking rate) and in 2 unreplicated pasture treatments based on native perennial grasses (Austrodanthonia spp. and Microlaena stipoides) and T. subterraneum at Bookham, NSW (unfertilised and low stocking rate; fertilised and high stocking rate). Current economic pressures are encouraging graziers to increase their use of phosphorus (P) fertiliser and to adopt higher stocking rates. The objective of the research was to determine the changes in botanical composition that may result from these changes in grazing systems management. At Hall, annual species differed in their responses to P fertility. Notably, basal cover of Bromus spp. increased significantly with P application, whereas Vulpia spp. decreased significantly. Basal cover of T. subterraneum also increased significantly with P application when stocking rate was high, but was reduced by P application if stocking rate was low. Basal cover of perennial grasses (P. aquatica and Holcus lanatus) was significantly higher at low stocking rate when P was applied. The botanical composition of high stocking rate treatments was relatively stable over time, which contrasted with less stable composition at low stocking rate. At Bookham, fertilised pasture in unreplicated paddocks appeared to have a higher basal cover of productive annual species (i.e. Bromus spp. and T. subterraneum), but native perennial grasses appeared to have lower basal cover in comparison with the unfertilised area. These results indicated that in some cases, the influence of P fertiliser and high stocking rates on botanical composition was favourable (i.e. increased basal cover of P. aquatica and T. subterraneum) and in others it could be detrimental (i.e. lower basal cover of native perennial grasses).

Evaluation of natural annual pastures at Trangie in central western New South Wales. 1. Sheep production

1973 ◽  
Vol 13 (62) ◽  
pp. 238
Author(s):  
RJ Campbell ◽  
DG Saville ◽  
GE Robards
Keyword(s):  
New South ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Grazing Pressure ◽  
Stocking Rate ◽  
Wool Production ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Sheep Production ◽  
Stocking Rates ◽  
Sheep Wool

Natural annual pasture at Trangie, New South Wales, was set stocked from August, 1967 to December 1970 at rates of 2.5, 3.7, and 4.9 merino wethers per ha to determine an optimum stocking rate for the pasture type. All stocking rates were supported without the necessity to hand feed any sheep. Wool production per head was reduced significantly by increased stocking rate in 1968, but not in 1969 and 1970. The suppression of barley grass at the higher stocking rates appeared to benefit animal production in 1969. Substitution of portion of the natural annual pasture with areas of lucerne or natural perennial pasture was also investigated and found to be ineffective in increasing wool production per head above that of wethers at similar rates of stocking on natural annual pasture alone. Possible reasons for the apparent failure of the grazing supplements, particularly lucerne, are discussed in terms of grazing pressure and management strategies.

Grazing studies of a Hyparrhenia hirta (Coolatai grass) pasture in northern New South Wales

2005 ◽  
Vol 45 (12) ◽  
pp. 1603 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. M. Lodge ◽  
L. H. McCormick ◽  
S. Harden
Keyword(s):  
New South ◽  
Basal Area ◽  
Ground Cover ◽  
Experimental Period ◽  
Stocking Rate ◽  
Soil Microbial ◽  
Basal Cover ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Heavy Grazing ◽  
Stocking Rates

Hyparrhenia hirta (L.) Stapf (Coolatai grass) has invaded large areas of grazed native grasslands on the North-West Slopes of New South Wales (NSW) and is widespread along roadsides and travelling stock routes. It is commonly regarded as an invasive, weedy species with low forage value when it is tall and rank, but may be more palatable when kept short, green and leafy. A study (1990–2001) of a naturalised stand of Coolatai grass in the Manilla district of northern NSW examined its herbage mass (kg DM/ha), persistence (basal cover %), and grazing value under 2 contrasting grazing treatments: pastures that had either large amounts of dry, unpalatable herbage [light grazing at 5 dry sheep equivalents (DSE)/ha] or were short, green and leafy (strategic heavy grazing at a stocking rate of 37 DSE/ha). Effects of pre-grazing treatments (slashing, burning, and no defoliation) were also examined and data (litter mass, plant basal area, ground cover, and soil and litter microbial carbon and nitrogen) collected to assess the long term sustainability of these grazing systems. Sheep grazed the light grazing treatment for about 34% of the experimental period, with the strategic heavy grazing treatment being grazed for about 7% of the time. Over the experimental period this equated to 6752 DSE grazing days/ha for the light grazing treatment compared with 10 120 DSE for the heavy grazing treatment. Herbage mass in the heavy grazing treatment declined to <1000 kg DM/ha within 6 months of the start of grazing and remained below this level until December 1998 when stocking rates were switched (i.e. plots previously grazed at low stocking rate were subjected to the heavier rate and vice versa). In contrast, mean herbage mass in the light grazing treatment was generally >3000 kg DM/ha from November 1990–98, but a high proportion of this was dead standing material that carried over from season to season. Mean Coolatai grass basal cover was 9.5% in November 1990, increasing over time to about 25% in both grazing treatments by December 2000. Coolatai grass herbage accumulation was highly seasonal, ranging from as high as 70 kg DM/ha.day in summer to 0 in winter. In both grazing treatments, forage quality was low for both green and dead material, with mean crude protein being 6.0 (green) and 3.4% (dead). Digestible dry matter values ranged from 41 to 62% (green) and 32 to 51% (dead) and mean metabolisable energy values were 7 (green) and 5.3 MJ/kg DM (dead). After 8 years, the heavy grazing treatment had lower (P<0.05) litter mass, ground cover, plant basal area and soil microbial C and N levels than the light grazing treatment, but switching of the stocking rates restored most indicators, except the soil microbial values.

Perennial Grass Response to Seasonal Rests in Naturalised Pastures of Central New South Wales.

1996 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 309 ◽  
Author(s):  
PM Dowling ◽  
DR Kemp ◽  
DL Michalk ◽  
TA Klein ◽  
GD Millar
Keyword(s):  
New South ◽  
Perennial Grass ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Perennial Grasses ◽  
Stocking Rate ◽  
Herbicide Application ◽  
Active Growth ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Continuous Grazing ◽  
Annual Grasses

The influence of grazing management, herbicide and fertiliser on botanical change in two perennial grass based pastures was assessed over six years at two sites in central New South Wales. Ten treatments at both sites compared continuous grazing, three seasonal rests from grazing (autumn, winter, summer), and herbicide application for seedling grass control, each at two levels of fertiliser addition (nil, recommended). These treatments were designed to screen options for management rather than devise complete systems. In a degraded perennial pasture dominated by annual grasses, the proportion of perennial grasses and forbs increased with summer rests, especially at the recommended fertiliser level. Legumes increased with herbicide application, and annual grasses remained high in the continuously grazed control and other treatments. There were no significant effects on composition from autumn or winter rests. On the summer rest treatment at the recommended fertiliser level, perennial grasses (mostly cocksfoot) increased from 11% to 30% compared with the control where perennial grass declined below 5%. The increase was due to both recruitment and increase in size of existing plants, as a consequence of resting the perennial grasses when actively growing, flowering and setting seed, in favourable seasons. In contrast, on the better quality perennial pasture dominated by phalaris, there were limited management effects and perennial grasses increased on all treatments over time. The absence of a response at this site was attributed to a lenient stocking rate, dominant perennial grasses and limited rainfall during periods when active growth might be expected. Summer rests in this case also led to a small increase in forbs. The data suggest that perennial grasses can be encouraged with a conservative stocking policy that maintains the available feed-on-offer above 1 t DM/ha through seasons of active growth.

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