Theme 22: Grazing Management
Description
Two on-farm experiments were conducted in the winter and spring of 1998 on a New Zealand seasonal production dairy farm to determine the effect of herbage mass present after grazing on subsequent pasture growth rates. Experiments involved a range of post-grazing levels of herbage mass (870, 1140, 1390, 1640, 1920 kg DM/ha in winter, and 1100, 1420, 1700 and 1910 kg DM/ha in spring) representing a range in cow intakes of 6.1-20.0 and 7.6-18.5 kg DM/cow/day in winter and spring, respectively. In both experiments there was a range of postgrazing herbage mass (1200-1600 kg DM/ha in winter and 1400-1800 kg DM/ha in spring) over which post-grazing residuals had little effect on pasture growth rates. This lack of response was explained by underlying changes in sward components. Grazing residuals of 1200-1300 and 1500-1600 kg DM/ha were recommended to provide an adequate compromise between the pasture and animal requirements of grazing management considered important in winter and spring respectively. This study adds to the growing evidence to support farming systems focused on sward targets in enhancing both pasture and animal performance.
Included in
The Effects of Post-Grazing Sward Conditions on Herbage Accumulation in Winter and Spring
Two on-farm experiments were conducted in the winter and spring of 1998 on a New Zealand seasonal production dairy farm to determine the effect of herbage mass present after grazing on subsequent pasture growth rates. Experiments involved a range of post-grazing levels of herbage mass (870, 1140, 1390, 1640, 1920 kg DM/ha in winter, and 1100, 1420, 1700 and 1910 kg DM/ha in spring) representing a range in cow intakes of 6.1-20.0 and 7.6-18.5 kg DM/cow/day in winter and spring, respectively. In both experiments there was a range of postgrazing herbage mass (1200-1600 kg DM/ha in winter and 1400-1800 kg DM/ha in spring) over which post-grazing residuals had little effect on pasture growth rates. This lack of response was explained by underlying changes in sward components. Grazing residuals of 1200-1300 and 1500-1600 kg DM/ha were recommended to provide an adequate compromise between the pasture and animal requirements of grazing management considered important in winter and spring respectively. This study adds to the growing evidence to support farming systems focused on sward targets in enhancing both pasture and animal performance.
