Theme 22: Grazing Management

Description

Panicum maximum 'cv'. Mombaça was rotationally grazed by steers. Three regrowth periods based on the number of expanded leaves per tiller: 2.5; 3.5 and 4.5, were compared. Three groups of seven tester steers, one for each treatment, grazed the replications of each experimental paddocks, the animals being removed from a paddock after 4 to 5 day grazing period when its sward leaf area index (LAI) was 1.5, on the average. Sward height and available biomass increased while tiller population density and leaf-stem ratio decreased with regrowth period. Overall averages observed for LAI and photosyntheticly active radiation interception by the end of regrowth periods did not differ among treatments but LAI and light interception evolved faster in the swards submitted to the shortest regrowth period towards the end of the grazing season.

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The Duration of Regrowth Period and the Structural Traits in a Rotationally Grazed Panicum maximum Sward

Panicum maximum 'cv'. Mombaça was rotationally grazed by steers. Three regrowth periods based on the number of expanded leaves per tiller: 2.5; 3.5 and 4.5, were compared. Three groups of seven tester steers, one for each treatment, grazed the replications of each experimental paddocks, the animals being removed from a paddock after 4 to 5 day grazing period when its sward leaf area index (LAI) was 1.5, on the average. Sward height and available biomass increased while tiller population density and leaf-stem ratio decreased with regrowth period. Overall averages observed for LAI and photosyntheticly active radiation interception by the end of regrowth periods did not differ among treatments but LAI and light interception evolved faster in the swards submitted to the shortest regrowth period towards the end of the grazing season.