Publication Date
1997
Description
Direct grazing of hedgerows of tagasaste (Chamaecytisus proliferus) by sheep or cattle appear to be very robust systems. Tagasaste persists under a continuous grazing regime with cattle such that plant regrowth maintained between 5 and 10 cm in length produces in excess of 215 kg of animal liveweight/ha/year. This level of production is also sustained within a rotational grazing regime. Under both grazing systems cattle production within a year is highly seasonal, with liveweight gains from young cattle peaking at 1.0-1.5 kg/head/day in winter and spring, but dropping to maintenance only by late summer-autumn. Sheep, like cattle, can be grazed on tagasaste at any time of the year, however their different grazing habits demand sheep be used in an intensive, short-term grazing system for approximately 30 days at a time on any one stand of tagasaste.
Citation
Edwards, N J.; Allen, G M.; McNeill, D M.; and Oldham, C M., "Grazing Management of Tagasaste (Chamaecytisus Proliferus) for Sheep and Cattle Production in Southern Australia" (2024). IGC Proceedings (1993-2023). 18.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/igc/1997/session6/18
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Grazing Management of Tagasaste (Chamaecytisus Proliferus) for Sheep and Cattle Production in Southern Australia
Direct grazing of hedgerows of tagasaste (Chamaecytisus proliferus) by sheep or cattle appear to be very robust systems. Tagasaste persists under a continuous grazing regime with cattle such that plant regrowth maintained between 5 and 10 cm in length produces in excess of 215 kg of animal liveweight/ha/year. This level of production is also sustained within a rotational grazing regime. Under both grazing systems cattle production within a year is highly seasonal, with liveweight gains from young cattle peaking at 1.0-1.5 kg/head/day in winter and spring, but dropping to maintenance only by late summer-autumn. Sheep, like cattle, can be grazed on tagasaste at any time of the year, however their different grazing habits demand sheep be used in an intensive, short-term grazing system for approximately 30 days at a time on any one stand of tagasaste.
