Archived

This content is available here strictly for research, reference, and/or recordkeeping and as such it may not be fully accessible. If you work or study at University of Kentucky and would like to request an accessible version, please use the SensusAccess Document Converter.

Publication Date

1993

Location

New Zealand

Description

Duration of autumn grazing may affect the long-term balance of grass and legume in a sward. Effects of early and late autumn closing dates were studied on productivity and morphology of orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata) and white clover (Trifolium repens) in replicated grazed swards. Early-closed paddocks continued to accumulate herbage during autumn, resulting in greater winter senescence than late-closed paddocks. Spring-cut herbage mass was not affected by autumn management; however, late closing had significantly more clover than early closing. Early-closed paddocks were grass domlnanl, with few relatively large tillers and few clover growing points compared with late-closed paddocks at the end of each grazing season. Late closing resulted in more than twice as many clover growing points as early-closed. Stolon mass was greater, but starch and total non-structural carbohydrate contents were less during autumn in late- than in early-closed paddocks. Improvement in clover growing point density and stolon mass in the late-closed treatment may favour clover persistence in mixed swards.

Share

COinS
 

Autumn Management of Grass-legume Pasture

New Zealand

Duration of autumn grazing may affect the long-term balance of grass and legume in a sward. Effects of early and late autumn closing dates were studied on productivity and morphology of orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata) and white clover (Trifolium repens) in replicated grazed swards. Early-closed paddocks continued to accumulate herbage during autumn, resulting in greater winter senescence than late-closed paddocks. Spring-cut herbage mass was not affected by autumn management; however, late closing had significantly more clover than early closing. Early-closed paddocks were grass domlnanl, with few relatively large tillers and few clover growing points compared with late-closed paddocks at the end of each grazing season. Late closing resulted in more than twice as many clover growing points as early-closed. Stolon mass was greater, but starch and total non-structural carbohydrate contents were less during autumn in late- than in early-closed paddocks. Improvement in clover growing point density and stolon mass in the late-closed treatment may favour clover persistence in mixed swards.