Theme 13: Plant Improvement
Publication Date
2001
Location
Brazil
Description
Fifteen intermediate-heading perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) varieties were grazed by sheep under continuous variable stocking management. Mean daily grass dry matter intake per ewe was positively correlated with liveweight gain per ewe (r = 0.63) and per ha (r = 0.58) over an 8-month grazing season. Daily intake was not correlated with grazing time (r = 0.12) but was positively correlated with instantaneous dry matter intake rate (r = 0.75). Breeding varieties with high intake rate characteristics should allow increases in the contribution of grazed grass to grassland-based livestock farming. There is now a need to identify morphological and chemical characteristics of varieties that are correlated with high intake rate and a need to develop tools, which enable these traits to be identified rapidly in grass breeding programmes.
Citation
Orr, R. J.; Cook, J. E.; Champion, R. A.; and Rook, A. J., "Intake Characteristics and Performance of Contrasting Grass Varieties Continuously Stocked with Sheep" (2001). IGC Proceedings (1985-2023). 5.
(URL: https://uknowledge.uky.edu/igc/19/13/5)
Included in
Agricultural Science Commons, Agronomy and Crop Sciences Commons, Plant Biology Commons, Plant Pathology Commons, Soil Science Commons, Weed Science Commons
Intake Characteristics and Performance of Contrasting Grass Varieties Continuously Stocked with Sheep
Brazil
Fifteen intermediate-heading perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) varieties were grazed by sheep under continuous variable stocking management. Mean daily grass dry matter intake per ewe was positively correlated with liveweight gain per ewe (r = 0.63) and per ha (r = 0.58) over an 8-month grazing season. Daily intake was not correlated with grazing time (r = 0.12) but was positively correlated with instantaneous dry matter intake rate (r = 0.75). Breeding varieties with high intake rate characteristics should allow increases in the contribution of grazed grass to grassland-based livestock farming. There is now a need to identify morphological and chemical characteristics of varieties that are correlated with high intake rate and a need to develop tools, which enable these traits to be identified rapidly in grass breeding programmes.
