Publication Date
1997
Description
The paper reports a three year study on the growth of heifers and vegetational changes in a natural grassland oversown with caribbean stylo and grazed in a deferred- rotational grazing system. There were two feeding treatments. One set of grazing heifers was given common salt only. The other set of heifers were given supplemental feeding of leucaena green @4 per cent or Leucaena hay @ 1 per cent body weight. The supplemental feeding of leucaena was beneficial in terms of body weight gain particularly during the dry summer months. Population of the caribbean stylo oversown in natural Sehima- Heteropogon grassland gradually declined over the years. While the causes of decline in the population of oversown caribbean stylo are yet to be understood well, the practical implication of this study leads to suggesting resowing of the stylo after every three years in order to maintain its substantial population in the natural grassland used for rotational grazing.
Citation
Shankar, Vinod; Gupta, J N.; and Upadhyay, V S., "Growth of Heifers and Changes in Vegetation in a Natural Grassland Oversown with Caribbean Stylo" (2024). IGC Proceedings (1997-2023). 54.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/igc/1997/session22/54
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Growth of Heifers and Changes in Vegetation in a Natural Grassland Oversown with Caribbean Stylo
The paper reports a three year study on the growth of heifers and vegetational changes in a natural grassland oversown with caribbean stylo and grazed in a deferred- rotational grazing system. There were two feeding treatments. One set of grazing heifers was given common salt only. The other set of heifers were given supplemental feeding of leucaena green @4 per cent or Leucaena hay @ 1 per cent body weight. The supplemental feeding of leucaena was beneficial in terms of body weight gain particularly during the dry summer months. Population of the caribbean stylo oversown in natural Sehima- Heteropogon grassland gradually declined over the years. While the causes of decline in the population of oversown caribbean stylo are yet to be understood well, the practical implication of this study leads to suggesting resowing of the stylo after every three years in order to maintain its substantial population in the natural grassland used for rotational grazing.
