Climate Effects on Tallgrass Prairie Responses to Continuous and Rotational Grazing

Cattle grazing is an important economic activity in the tallgrass prairie systems in the Great Plains of the United States. Tallgrass prairie may respond differently to grazing management (e.g., high and low grazing intensity) under variable climate conditions. This study investigated the responses of two replicated (rep a and rep b) tallgrass prairie systems to continuous (C) and rotational (R) grazing under different climate conditions over a decade (2008–2017). The enhanced vegetation index (EVI) and gross primary productivity (GPP) were compared between grazing systems (C vs. R), while EVI was compared among paddocks under rotational grazing to show the impacts of time since grazing. The average EVI in rep a was usually higher than that in rep b which could be explained by different land characteristics (e.g., soil types) associated with different landscape positions. Similar to EVI, GPP was usually higher in rep a than rep b. The average growing season EVI and GPP were higher in rotational grazing than continuous grazing in rep b but not in rep a. The average EVI of paddocks in rotational grazing systems only converged in the growing season-long drought year (2011). In other years, EVI values varied from year to year and no paddock consistently outperformed others. The variations in EVI among rotational grazing paddocks in both reps were relatively small, indicating that rotational grazing generated an even grazing pressure on vegetation at annual scale. Overall, climate and inherent pasture conditions were the major drivers of plant productivity. However, the stocking rate in continuous grazing systems were reduced over years because of deteriorating pasture conditions. Thus, the results indirectly indicate that rotational grazing improved grassland productivity and had higher stocking capacity than continuous grazing systems under variable climate conditions. Adaptive grazing management (adjustment in stocking rates and season of use to adapt to changing climatic conditions) instead of a fixed management system might be better for farmers to cooperate with changing climatic conditions.

Download Full-text

Whole-farm management of soil nutrients drives productive grazing systems: the Cicerone farmlet experiment confirms earlier research

Animal Production Science ◽

10.1071/an12147 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 53 (8) ◽

pp. 649 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

C. N. Guppy ◽

C. Edwards ◽

G. J. Blair ◽

J. M. Scott

Keyword(s):

Soil Fertility ◽

Climatic Conditions ◽

Grazing Management ◽

Rotational Grazing ◽

Multivariate Statistical ◽

South Wales ◽

Research Findings ◽

Grazing Systems ◽

High Level ◽

Rainfall Region

The Cicerone Project included a study of three 53-ha farmlets, each subjected to a different management system. The systems varied first in their input of fertilisers and sown pastures and second in their grazing management. Farmlet A undertook a high level of pasture renovation and had soil fertility targets of 60 mg/kg Colwell phosphorus (P) and 10 mg/kg KCl-40 sulfur (S), while farmlets B and C both had a low rate of pasture renovation and targets of 20 mg/kg P and 6.5 mg/kg S. In addition, both farmlets A and B adopted a flexible rotational grazing regime over the eight paddocks of each farmlet, whereas farmlet C, which had 37 paddocks, adopted intensive rotational grazing. This paper first reviews the literature relating to soil fertility research in the summer-dominant rainfall region of the Northern Tablelands of New South Wales, Australia. It then examines whether the soil fertility targets set for the farmlets were attained and how the consequences of fertiliser management measured in this trial related to earlier research findings. Fertiliser applications, comprising both capital and maintenance rates, were based on soil test results but at times were constrained by the availability of finance. Soil tests over 5 years indicated that only nitrogen (N), P and S varied with time within the farmlets while the other indices of soil fertility remained similar. Phosphorus and S levels increased in response to fertiliser applications whereas N levels responded to increases in legume composition, which was stimulated by the higher P and S levels. Multivariate statistical analyses demonstrated that farmlet productivity was driven by P and S fertility and thus the two farmlets with lower P and S fertility (farmlets B and C) had similar but lower levels of farmlet productivity compared with farmlet A. Significant increases in several measured pasture productivity parameters were observed in response to the higher P and S fertility on farmlet A, especially when climatic conditions were favourable. The results of the Cicerone farmlet experiment confirm the findings of earlier research on the Northern Tablelands, and elsewhere in the high rainfall zone, that has demonstrated that higher soil fertility levels and pasture renovation enhance the productivity of grazing enterprises more than grazing management, without imposing significant risks to the environment.

Download Full-text

Relationship between Relative Maturity and Grain Yield of Maize (Zea mays L.) Hybrids in Northwest New Mexico for the 2003–2019 Period

Agriculture ◽

10.3390/agriculture10070290 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (7) ◽

pp. 290

Author(s):

Koffi Djaman ◽

Curtis Owen ◽

Margaret M. West ◽

Samuel Allen ◽

Komlan Koudahe ◽

...

Keyword(s):

New Mexico ◽

Grain Yield ◽

Sprinkler Irrigation ◽

Growing Season ◽

Climatic Conditions ◽

Agricultural Science ◽

Production Optimization ◽

Science Center ◽

Early Season ◽

Climate Conditions

The highly variable weather under changing climate conditions affects the establishment and the cutoff of crop growing season and exposes crops to failure if producers choose non-adapted relative maturity that matches the characteristics of the crop growing season. This study aimed to determine the relationship between maize hybrid relative maturity and the grain yield and determine the relative maturity range that will sustain maize production in northwest New Mexico (NM). Different relative maturity maize hybrids were grown at the Agricultural Science Center at Farmington ((Latitude 36.69° North, Longitude 108.31° West, elevation 1720 m) from 2003 to 2019 under sprinkler irrigation. A total of 343 hybrids were grouped as early and full season hybrids according to their relative maturity that ranged from 93 to 119 and 64 hybrids with unknown relative maturity. The crops were grown under optimal management condition with no stress of any kind. The results showed non-significant increase in grain yield in early season hybrids and non-significant decrease in grain yield with relative maturity in full season hybrids. The relative maturity range of 100–110 obtained reasonable high grain yields and could be considered under the northwestern New Mexico climatic conditions. However, more research should target the evaluation of different planting date coupled with plant population density to determine the planting window for the early season and full season hybrids for the production optimization and sustainability.

Download Full-text

The inter-relationships of grazing method and stocking rate in the efficiency of pasture utilization by dairy cattle

The Journal of Agricultural Science ◽

10.1017/s0021859600005888 ◽

1963 ◽

Vol 61 (2) ◽

pp. 147-166 ◽

Cited By ~ 78

Author(s):

C. P. McMeekan ◽

M. J. Walshe

Keyword(s):

Dairy Cows ◽

Large Scale ◽

Age Distribution ◽

Grazing Management ◽

Vanishing Point ◽

Stocking Rate ◽

Rotational Grazing ◽

Continuous Grazing ◽

Grazing System ◽

Stocking Rates

1. A large-scale grazing management study comparing rotational grazing and continuous grazing with dairy cows at two stocking rates over four complete production seasons is described.2. The four treatments were: (i) controlled grazing, light stocking rate; (ii) controlled grazing, heavy stocking rate; (iii) uncontrolled grazing, light stocking rate; (iv) uncontrolled grazing, heavy stocking rate.Each treatment involved 40 cows for a first 2-year phase and 42 cows for the following 2 years. Each herd had a normal age distribution pattern and seven 2-year-old first lactation heifers (17% of total herd) were introduced each year to maintain this pattern.3. Stocking rate was the more important factor affecting the efficiency of pasture utilization as measured by per acre output of milk and butterfat. In general, high stocking was associated with higher outputs per acre despite lower yields per animal.4. Grazing method was of less importance. In general, controlled rotational grazing was superior to uncontrolled continuous grazing, both per animal and per acre, but the average influence even of these extremes of management was only half that of stocking rate.5. Significant interactions between stocking rate and grazing method existed. Under continuous grazing a point was reached where production per acre declined to the vanishing point with increased stocking rate due to excessive depression of per cow yield: this point was not reached under rotational grazing at the same high stocking levels.6. The results suggest that optimum stocking rate under rotational grazing occurs at a level some 5–10% higher than under continuous grazing. A depression of 10–12% in per cow yield, compared with more lenient grazing, corresponds with optimum stocking level irrespective of the grazing system. This estimate is suggested as a guide line in applying the principles involved.

Download Full-text

Tedera proves its value as a summer and autumn feed for sheep in Mediterranean-like climates

Animal Production Science ◽

10.1071/an16432 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 58 (12) ◽

pp. 2269 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

D. Real ◽

C. M. Oldham ◽

A. van Burgel ◽

E. Dobbe ◽

J. Hardy

Keyword(s):

Western Australia ◽

Farming Systems ◽

Early Summer ◽

Grazing Management ◽

Sheep Grazing ◽

Rotational Grazing ◽

The Third ◽

Continuous Grazing ◽

Condition Score ◽

Sheep Production

Tedera (Bituminaria bituminosa C.H Stirt. vars. albomarginata and crassiuscula) is a traditional forage species for goats in the Canary Islands, Spain. It has agronomic characteristics ideally suited to Mediterranean-like climates that allows it to provide high quality green forage for grazing animals during summer and autumn. It can be used to extend the growing season into late spring and early summer and/or to reduce or eliminate the need for expensive hand feeding of grain and hay to sheep to fill the ‘feed gap’ during the dry season in southern Australian farming systems. Three sheep grazing experiments were carried out with the objective to evaluate sheep production during summer and autumn with tedera as the sole diet. A 3-ha site at Dandaragan, Western Australia was grazed during the summer and autumn of 2014–2015 and 2016 and a 2.4-ha site was grazed at Kojonup, Western Australia during the same period in 2016. At each site, two grazing treatments were evaluated, continuous grazing and rotational grazing with six plots (14 days of grazing and 70 days of recovery). The first hypothesis tested was that tedera plants would not survive continuous grazing during summer and autumn. The second hypothesis tested was that without hand feeding, 10 dry sheep equivalents/ha would be able to at least maintain weight and condition score during summer and autumn. The third hypothesis tested was that rotational grazing would improve the production of the sheep (liveweight and condition score) compared with continuous grazing. The first hypothesis was rejected, the population of tedera plants did not significantly decline due to being continuously grazed during summer and autumn. The second hypothesis was confirmed, at the three experimental sites, 10 dry sheep equivalents/ha were able to at least maintain weight and condition score without any hand feeding. The third hypothesis was partially rejected; continuous grazing had a better performance of the sheep than rotational grazing. However, the rotational grazing plots had more tedera on offer in the remaining grazing plots in the rotation with the potential for a longer grazing time. These three experiments clearly demonstrate that tedera can be used to reduce or eliminate expensive hand feeding during summer and autumn using the simplest and least expensive grazing management; continuous grazing.

Download Full-text

The response of grassland productivity, soil carbon content and soil respiration rates to different grazing regimes in a desert steppe in northern China

The Rangeland Journal ◽

10.1071/rj13038 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 36 (6) ◽

pp. 573 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

Xiangyang Hou ◽

Zhen Wang ◽

Schellenberg P. Michael ◽

Lei Ji ◽

Xiangjun Yun

Keyword(s):

Soil Respiration ◽

Soil Carbon ◽

Net Primary Productivity ◽

Growing Season ◽

Northern China ◽

Rotational Grazing ◽

Carbon And Nitrogen ◽

Continuous Grazing ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Nitrogen Contents

Soil respiration is a major process for organic carbon losses from arid ecosystems. A field experiment was conducted in 2010 and 2012 on the responses to continuous grazing, rotational grazing and no grazing on desert steppe vegetation in northern China. The growing season in 2010 was relatively dry and in 2012 was relatively wet. The results showed that mean soil respiration was the highest with no grazing in both growing seasons. Compared with no grazing, the soil respiration was decreased by 23.0% under continuous grazing and 14.1% under seasonal rotational grazing. Soil respiration increased linearly with increasing soil water gravimetric content, aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP), belowground net primary productivity (BNPP) and soil carbon and nitrogen contents across the 2 years, whereas a negative correlation was detected between soil respiration and soil temperature. A significant decrease in soil respiration was observed under both continuous grazing and in seasonal rotational grazing in the dry growing season, but no significant difference was detected in the wet growing season. In the wet year, only a non-significant difference in soil respiration was observed between different grazing types. Patterns of seasonal precipitation strongly affected the temporal changes of soil respiration as well as its response to different grazing types. The findings highlight the importance of differences in abiotic (soil temperature, soil water gravimetric content and soil carbon and nitrogen contents) and biotic (ANPP, BNPP and litter mass) factors in mediating the responses of soil respiration to the different grazing regimes.

Download Full-text

WHITE CLOVER OPTIONS FOR SHEEPFARMING IN SOUTHERN REGIONS OF NEW ZEALAND

Proceedings of the New Zealand Grassland Association ◽

10.33584/jnzg.1989.50.1877 ◽

1989 ◽

pp. 175-179

Author(s):

D.L. Ryan

Keyword(s):

New Zealand ◽

White Clover ◽

Trifolium Repens ◽

Climatic Conditions ◽

Grazing Management ◽

Sheep Grazing ◽

Rotational Grazing

Four white clover cultivars 'Grasslands tluia', 'Grasslands Tahora', 'Grasslands Kopu' and 'Grasslands Pit& were evaluated at Grasslands Division, Gore, for 4 years, under 2 grazing managements. Year round rotational grazing was compared with rotational grazing incorporating a 1 P-week period of set stocking during spring. Huia was the best cultivar under both grazing managements. Tahora yields were comparable with those of Huia in spring and summer, and ryegrass yields were best in Tahora wards. The larger leaved and less stoloniferous Kopu and Pitau were not suited to the climatic conditions or the mtensive sheep grazing practices of the region. Keywords: Trifolium repens, Huia, Tahora, Pitau. KOPU, grazing management, stolon morphology, persistence, sheepfarming

Download Full-text

Effects of Different Grazing Systems on Aboveground Biomass and Plant Species Dominance in Typical Chinese and Mongolian Steppes

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su10124753 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 10 (12) ◽

pp. 4753 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Yintai Na ◽

Jinxia Li ◽

Buho Hoshino ◽

Saixialt Bao ◽

Fuying Qin ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Plant Species ◽

Plant Communities ◽

Aboveground Biomass ◽

Vegetation Index ◽

Mean Deviation ◽

Species Dominance ◽

Continuous Grazing ◽

Grazing Systems ◽

Mongolian Grassland ◽

Remote Sensing Methods

This study investigated the effects of different grazing systems on plant communities, and examined the causes of Mongolian grassland desertification. The typical steppes near the Chinese-Mongolian border were studied using quadrat sampling and remote sensing methods. Aboveground biomass in the steppe areas differed significantly among the three grazing systems (p < 0.05): Biomass in the grazing-prohibited areas (455.9 g) was greater than that in the rotational-grazing areas (268.4 g) and the continuous grazing areas (122.2 g). Aboveground biomass was well correlated with the Soil Adjusted Vegetation Index (SAVI; y = 5600x2 + 260x + 110; R2 = 0.67; p < 0.05). The relative mean deviation between the aboveground biomass was calculated using this regression and the measured biomass was 29.1%. The Soil Adjusted Vegetation Index (SAVI) values for nomadic-grazing areas were greater than those for continuous-grazing areas in 1989, 2005, 2011, and 2016, and were significantly greater in 2011 and 2016. The SAVI values for the continuous-grazing areas were slightly, but not significantly greater, than those for the nomadic-grazing areas in 1993. Plant species that dominated in moderately degraded areas were most dominant in nomadic-grazing areas, followed by continuous-grazing areas and grazing-prohibited areas. Plant species that dominated in lightly and heavily degraded areas were most dominant in continuous-grazing areas, followed by nomadic-grazing areas and grazing-prohibited areas. Generally, continuous grazing caused more serious grassland degradation than did nomadic grazing, and nomadic-grazing areas tolerated more intense grazing than did continuous-grazing areas.

Download Full-text

Effects of long-term cattle market conditions on continuous season-long and rotational grazing system revenues

The Rangeland Journal ◽

10.1071/rj20067 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 42 (3) ◽

pp. 227

Author(s):

J. L. Windh ◽

J. P. Ritten ◽

J. D. Derner ◽

S. Paisley ◽

B. Lee

Keyword(s):

Rotational Grazing ◽

Market Conditions ◽

Net Returns ◽

Continuous Grazing ◽

Grazing System ◽

Grazing Systems ◽

Time Of Year ◽

One Year ◽

Cattle Market

In this study we evaluated the combination of long-term market conditions and the price slide in the cattle market on revenues associated with continuous and rotational grazing systems. A price slide is a market phenomenon in which lighter cattle sell at a higher price per unit of liveweight compared with their heavier counterparts. We used actual herd average starting and ending weights in this market analysis, and analysed the outcome using five years’ data from a continuous and rotational comparative grazing study. Despite consistently lower weight gains with rotational grazing, differences in gross revenues per steer between grazing treatments ranged from US$43.46 to minus $5.72 across the study years. We observed annual differences in the net returns across years between the two grazing systems; net returns were greater for steers in the continuous grazing treatment in three of the five years, one year with net returns that did not differ between systems, and one year in which net returns were lower with continuous grazing. These variable results showcase the complexity in having both differences in end of grazing season weight classes between the grazing systems and the differential effects of price slide among weight classes. Therefore, we argue that it may be a better management strategy for land managers to determine the optimal ending weights and the time of year to market livestock to meet the goals of an operation, rather than trying to determine which grazing system is ‘best’.

Download Full-text

Wheat Yield Estimation with NDVI Values Using a Proximal Sensing Tool

Remote Sensing ◽

10.3390/rs12172749 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (17) ◽

pp. 2749

Author(s):

Marta Aranguren ◽

Ander Castellón ◽

Ana Aizpurua

Keyword(s):

Vegetation Index ◽

Normalized Difference Vegetation Index ◽

Crop Yields ◽

Wheat Yield ◽

Growing Season ◽

N Fertilization ◽

Wheat Crop ◽

Growth Stages ◽

Climate Conditions ◽

N Status

Nitrogen (N) splitting is critical to achieving high crop yields without having negative effects on the environment. Monitoring crop N status throughout the wheat growing season is key to finding the balance between crop N requirements and fertilizer needs. Three soft winter wheat fertilization trials under rainfed conditions in Mediterranean climate conditions were monitored with a RapidScan CS-45 (Holland Scientific, Lincoln, NE, USA) instrument to determine the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) values at the GS30, GS32, GS37, and GS65 growth stages. The threshold NDVI values in the Cezanne variety were 0.7–0.75 at the GS32, GS37, and GS65 growing stages. However, for the GS30 growing stage, a threshold value could not be established precisely. At this stage, N deficiency may not affect wheat yield, as long as the N status increases at GS32 stage and it is maintained thereafter. Following the NDVI dynamic throughout the growing season could help to predict the yields at harvest time. Therefore, the ΣNDVI from GS30 to GS65 explains about 80% of wheat yield variability. Therefore, a given yield could be achieved with different dynamics in wheat NDVI values throughout the growing cycle. The determined ranges of the NDVI values might be used for developing new fertilization strategies that are able to adjust N fertilization to wheat crop needs.

Download Full-text

The Transformation of Agro-Climatic Resources of the Altai Region under Changing Climate Conditions

Agriculture ◽

10.3390/agriculture9040068 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 9 (4) ◽

pp. 68 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Nina Maximova ◽

Komali Kantamaneni ◽

Gennady Morkovkin ◽

Darya Arnaut ◽

Louis Rice

Keyword(s):

Growing Season ◽

Climatic Changes ◽

Climatic Conditions ◽

Integrated Analysis ◽

Published Data ◽

Climate Conditions ◽

Related Data ◽

Growing Season Length ◽

Altai Region ◽

The Past

This research examines the transformation of the agro-climatic conditions of the Altai region as a result of climate change. The climate of the Altai region in Russia is sharply continental and characterized by dry air and significant weather variability, both in individual seasons and years. The current study is determined by the lack of detailed area-related analytical generalizations for the territory of the Altai region over the past 30 years. Most of the published data dealing with an integrated analysis of the agro-climatic conditions in the Altai region date back to the late 1960s and early 1970s; in most cases, this data is from climate reference-books based on the generalized data from the first half of the 20th century. To make accurate forecasts and to efficiently manage agricultural production in the Altai region, area-related data on the state and dynamics of agro-climatic changes have been analysed. The results reveal that in the period between 1964 and 2017, significant climatic changes occurred in the territory of the Altai region. These climatic changes affected the growing season length, which increased due to a shift in the dates of the air temperature transition above 10 °C, to earlier dates in spring and to later dates in autumn. Furthermore, the current study also revealed that the foothills of the Altai Mountains are the most moistened parts of the region and the Kulunda lowland is the most arid part. In the Altai region, the accumulated temperatures and amounts of precipitation during the growing season increased significantly, and the values of integrated coefficients and indices that reflect the moisture supply conditions for the territory also changed significantly. Based upon the results, a schematic map of the current precipitation distribution on the Altai region’s territory has been generated. These results and this map may be used to conduct more detailed studies in the field of agro-climatology and to update the current borders of agro-climatic areas and revision of the agro-climatic zonation scheme.

Download Full-text