Theme 33: Technology Transfer and Education
Description
Two farm demonstrations were designed to show effects of periodic grazing of riparian areas. Sites were monitored for vegetative cover, degree of treading or hoof prints and dung deposition within three m of stream edge following grazing by beef cattle. A fenced enclosure was established along a 350 m stream reach on Farm-1, and eleven permanent stations were monitored following six graze periods over 12-months. Farm-2 involved grazing of two 0.13 ha paddocks, each of which contained a 22 m stream reach. On Farm-1 the cover improved following riparian exclusion, and evidence of treading in the 11 stations declined following each graze period. On Farm-2, vegetation was dense in the beginning, and one day graze periods with high stock density did not result in significant soil exposure, even though hoof prints were evident at more than 30% of the transect points. Having access to a drinking water tank 45 m up slope did not influence cover nor dung deposition in the riparian zone. The number of dung patties found within 3 m of the stream edge ranged from 15 to 28/100 m (Farm-1) and from 41 to 96/100 m (Farm-2). Estimates of potential dung N deposited within three m of the entire reach of the respective streams was 565 g and 83 g. This project showed ways to use riparian areas with minimal impact on its function.
Included in
On Farm Riparian Grazing Demonstration
Two farm demonstrations were designed to show effects of periodic grazing of riparian areas. Sites were monitored for vegetative cover, degree of treading or hoof prints and dung deposition within three m of stream edge following grazing by beef cattle. A fenced enclosure was established along a 350 m stream reach on Farm-1, and eleven permanent stations were monitored following six graze periods over 12-months. Farm-2 involved grazing of two 0.13 ha paddocks, each of which contained a 22 m stream reach. On Farm-1 the cover improved following riparian exclusion, and evidence of treading in the 11 stations declined following each graze period. On Farm-2, vegetation was dense in the beginning, and one day graze periods with high stock density did not result in significant soil exposure, even though hoof prints were evident at more than 30% of the transect points. Having access to a drinking water tank 45 m up slope did not influence cover nor dung deposition in the riparian zone. The number of dung patties found within 3 m of the stream edge ranged from 15 to 28/100 m (Farm-1) and from 41 to 96/100 m (Farm-2). Estimates of potential dung N deposited within three m of the entire reach of the respective streams was 565 g and 83 g. This project showed ways to use riparian areas with minimal impact on its function.
