EFFECT OF SHEEP GRAZING REGIME ON PERFORMANCE OF MATUA PRAIRIE GRASS
Persistency and productivity of irrigated 'Grasslands Matua' prairie grass pastures were measured under four sheep grazing regimes, frequent or infrequent (grazed 3 weekly or 6 weekly) coupled with lax or severe defoliation (grazed to 7.5 cm or 2.5 cm). Matua was also compared with 'Grasslands Nui' and Yates 'Ellett' perennial ryegrasses under frequent severe grazing. These are interim results from two experiments sown in successive years. There were few consistent differences among grazing treatments of Matua pastures. However, the Matua content of pastures tended to be less under frequent grazing. In the third year of Experiment 1, infrequent grazing to 2.5 cm resulted in significantly hlgher annual production than other Matua treatments. 'Eiiett' ryegrass tended to outyield 'Grasslands Nui' in the first year but subsequently there was little difference in yields. The dry matter production of 'Ellett ryegrass was not significantly different from the best Matua treatment in any year. More herbage was lost through trampling and decay in the infrequently grazed Matua pastures than in the frequently grazed Matua or ryegrass pastures. After three years, all Matua pastures contained more weeds and more volunteer grasses than did ryegrass pastures. Keywords: prairie grass, Matua, ryegrass, Nul, Ellett, grazing management, lax grazing, severe grazing, irrigation.