Publication Date
1997
Description
Cattle grazing leads to the generation of patches differing in forage quality and quantity even in virtually monoespecific pastures. This work assesses the effect of two biotypes of different growth rate and mature body weight on the patchiness of a tall fescue pasture. We analysed height, herbage mass by unit surface, and proportions of heavily and lightly utilized patches through a residual herbage mass gradient generated by both biotypes at four stocking rates from March to December. At the end of spring the residual herbage of paddocks grazed by the small biotype was more heterogeneous. The percentage of heavily utilized patches was higher but the lightly utilized patches had more herbage mass by unit surface, and tended to be taller. This suggests that both biotypes develop different tactics of forage utilization when pasture growth rate declines in late spring.
Citation
Cid, M S.; Brizuela, M A.; Aello, M S.; and Ferri, C, "Pasture Heterogeneity Created by Grazing of Cattle Biotypes with Different Body Size" (2024). IGC Proceedings (1993-2023). 24.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/igc/1997/session29/24
Included in
Agricultural Science Commons, Agronomy and Crop Sciences Commons, Plant Biology Commons, Plant Pathology Commons, Soil Science Commons, Weed Science Commons
Pasture Heterogeneity Created by Grazing of Cattle Biotypes with Different Body Size
Cattle grazing leads to the generation of patches differing in forage quality and quantity even in virtually monoespecific pastures. This work assesses the effect of two biotypes of different growth rate and mature body weight on the patchiness of a tall fescue pasture. We analysed height, herbage mass by unit surface, and proportions of heavily and lightly utilized patches through a residual herbage mass gradient generated by both biotypes at four stocking rates from March to December. At the end of spring the residual herbage of paddocks grazed by the small biotype was more heterogeneous. The percentage of heavily utilized patches was higher but the lightly utilized patches had more herbage mass by unit surface, and tended to be taller. This suggests that both biotypes develop different tactics of forage utilization when pasture growth rate declines in late spring.
