Publication Date

1997

Location

Manitoba and Saskatchewan

Description

Animal production on pasture systems provided with either fertiliser or biological nitrogen was compared. A grazing experiment was sown at AgResearch Gore (46°07’ S; 168°54’ E) in October, 1989. Four ryegrass/white clover paddocks were compared to four ryegrass paddocks, with the latter receiving 270 kg nitrogen/ha/year. Each paddock of 0.5 ha was subdivided for rotational grazing at 20 ewes/ ha. In comparison to the ryegrass pastures, mixed pastures produced 22% more herbage and were subsequently 22% higher stocked, lamb liveweight gains were 12% higher during lactation and 42% higher after weaning resulting in earlier sale at higher carcass weights. Ewe weight increases were 2.6 kg higher over lactation and wool production per kg body weight was 12% higher on the mixed pastures. Mixed pastures yielded more saleable product per kg of dry matter produced at lower($300/ha) cost than ryegrass pastures.

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White Clover Versus Nitrogen Fertilizer 2. Sheep Production

Manitoba and Saskatchewan

Animal production on pasture systems provided with either fertiliser or biological nitrogen was compared. A grazing experiment was sown at AgResearch Gore (46°07’ S; 168°54’ E) in October, 1989. Four ryegrass/white clover paddocks were compared to four ryegrass paddocks, with the latter receiving 270 kg nitrogen/ha/year. Each paddock of 0.5 ha was subdivided for rotational grazing at 20 ewes/ ha. In comparison to the ryegrass pastures, mixed pastures produced 22% more herbage and were subsequently 22% higher stocked, lamb liveweight gains were 12% higher during lactation and 42% higher after weaning resulting in earlier sale at higher carcass weights. Ewe weight increases were 2.6 kg higher over lactation and wool production per kg body weight was 12% higher on the mixed pastures. Mixed pastures yielded more saleable product per kg of dry matter produced at lower($300/ha) cost than ryegrass pastures.