Publication Date
1993
Description
Perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) swards were continuously but variably stocked to maintain a sward surface height (SSH) of either 4 cm or 3cm for 2 grazing seasons (1983, 1984). The lower sward height resulted in less length of leaf per tiller but this was balanced by a higher tiller population such that there were only small differences between the swards in green leaf mass per ha. In 1984 the green tissue ai1d the green leaf mass increased on both swards despite there being no change in the average sward height. This was due to an increased length of material present per inter. The diet selected on both swards 'was principally composed of lamina, the two youngest leaves present on a' tiller being the major components. Changes in sward characteristics in 1984 resulted in a higher proportion of older less digestible leaves in the diet on both the 4 cm and the 3 cm swards.
Citation
Clark, H, "Influence of Sward Characteristics on the Diet Selected by Grazing Sheep in Perennial Ryegrass Swards Maintained at Two Sward Heights" (2024). IGC Proceedings (1993-2023). 6.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/igc/1993/session18/6
Included in
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Influence of Sward Characteristics on the Diet Selected by Grazing Sheep in Perennial Ryegrass Swards Maintained at Two Sward Heights
Perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) swards were continuously but variably stocked to maintain a sward surface height (SSH) of either 4 cm or 3cm for 2 grazing seasons (1983, 1984). The lower sward height resulted in less length of leaf per tiller but this was balanced by a higher tiller population such that there were only small differences between the swards in green leaf mass per ha. In 1984 the green tissue ai1d the green leaf mass increased on both swards despite there being no change in the average sward height. This was due to an increased length of material present per inter. The diet selected on both swards 'was principally composed of lamina, the two youngest leaves present on a' tiller being the major components. Changes in sward characteristics in 1984 resulted in a higher proportion of older less digestible leaves in the diet on both the 4 cm and the 3 cm swards.
