Economics of increasing the persistence of sown pastures: costs, stocking rate and cash flow

2000 ◽  
Vol 40 (2) ◽  
pp. 313 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. F. Scott ◽  
G. M. Lodge ◽  
L. H. McCormick
Keyword(s):  
Cash Flow ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Stocking Rate ◽  
Pasture Management ◽  
Spreadsheet Model ◽  
Reducing Costs ◽  
Substantial Decline ◽  
Ecologically Sustainable ◽  
Stocking Rates

Poor persistence of sown pastures, trends of low pasture resowing rates and a substantial decline in carrying capacity of non-crop areas bring into question the basis of the philosophy of pasture improvement by sowing pasture species. If graziers are to adopt grazing strategies or stocking rates that are more ecologically sustainable, then clearly they must also be cost-effective in either increasing income or reducing costs so that they are economically sustainable. This paper describes the use of an interactive spreadsheet model developed to assist graziers and their advisers with assessing the long-term profitability of pasture management and/or improvement (and therefore pasture persistence). The model provides a comparative cash flow for different levels of inputs (fertiliser, herbicides and feed supplements) over a 15-year period. Results clearly show that at the same stocking rate, different animal enterprises have markedly different profitabilities over a 15-year period. Further, for native, improved and sown pastures, the most profitable pastures are those that can sustain increased stocking rates for long periods of time, without the need for resowing.

Optimal management of fertiliser and stocking rate in temperate grazing systems

2010 ◽  
Vol 50 (1) ◽  
pp. 6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karel Mokany ◽  
Andrew D. Moore ◽  
Phillip Graham ◽  
Richard J. Simpson
Keyword(s):  
Cash Flow ◽  
Application Rate ◽  
Optimal Management ◽  
Stocking Rate ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
Grazing Systems ◽  
Fertiliser Application ◽  
Gross Margins ◽  
Stocking Rates

Phosphorus (P) fertilisers are one of the key tools available for increasing pasture production and the profitability of grazing enterprises. However, recent rapid changes in fertiliser price have increased the importance of developing optimal management strategies for applying P fertiliser and setting stocking rates. We applied a novel combination of process-based grazing systems modelling and randomised cash flow analyses to examine how changes in fertiliser price affect optimal fertiliser application rates and stocking rates for sheep grazing systems in south-eastern Australia, simultaneously taking into account long-term economic viability and environmental sustainability. We used ‘GrassGro’, a grazing systems decision support tool, to simulate three sheep enterprise types (Merino wethers, Merino ewes, crossbred ewes) at two locations (Hamilton, Victoria; Bookham, New South Wales). Gross margins from each year simulated in GrassGro (1966–2007) were randomised 500 times and input to a cash flow analysis that identified the financially optimal stocking rate for a range of fertiliser applications and the financial risk frontiers (combinations of stocking rate and fertiliser input for which the enterprise becomes financially unviable). For all enterprises examined at both locations, the optimal combinations of stocking rate and fertiliser application rate did not vary markedly as fertiliser price changed. Regardless of enterprise type or location, the fertiliser application rate at which the highest gross margins were achieved provided the greatest range of stocking rates that were both financially viable and environmentally sustainable. Increases in fertiliser price reduced the combinations of stocking rate and fertiliser application rate that were viable in the long term, emphasising the importance of well informed grazing management decisions.

scholarly journals INNOVATIVE STRATEGIES AS A PROSPECTIVE DIRECTION OF PLANNING ACTIVITIES OF HOTEL AND RESTAURANT ENTERPRISES OF UKRAINE

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ljudmila Neshchadym ◽  
Svetlana Тymchuk
Keyword(s):  
Internal State ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Restaurant Industry ◽  
Product Portfolio ◽  
Innovative Strategies ◽  
Reducing Costs ◽  
Fierce Competition ◽  
High Level

The article monitors and analyzes the main strategies for the development of hotel and restaurant enterprises and, accordingly, increase their efficiency and competitiveness; the process of organization and economic planning of hotel and restaurant enterprises has been improved. It is investigated that the enterprises of hotel and restaurant industry of Ukraine partially provide the necessary quality indicators for the provided services, and this is the reason for the insufficient level of competitiveness of services in the domestic market and in European countries. An urgent problem of planning and organizing the activities of hotel and restaurant enterprises is the use of innovative strategies and areas of long-term development to increase the level of competitiveness and quality of services provided. This will intensify innovation processes in Ukraine in the field of services. Innovative strategies and promising areas of development of hotel and restaurant enterprises are extremely important in the management of hotel and restaurant complexes. Innovative strategies in the hotel and restaurant industry are cost-effective and feasible provided a high level of profitability, improving the service process, expanding the range of services, reducing costs, increasing competitiveness, improve and optimize the work of all hotel or restaurant services. The application of innovative strategies in the process of hotel and restaurant enterprises allows them to compete in the field of service. In conditions of fierce competition and rapidly changing market conditions, it is very important not only to focus on the internal state of affairs of the enterprise, but also to develop a long-term strategy. Economic activity requires constant innovation. All services offered by hotel and restaurant enterprises must be introduced in modern innovative ways. This is the basis for successful business, maintaining a consistently high level of competitiveness and improving the quality of service. The selection of the optimal innovation strategy for a hotel or restaurant company is carried out by its management based on the analysis of key factors that characterize its condition and the state of the product portfolio.

Long-Term Effects of Early Pruning and Thinning Treatments on Growth of Natural Longleaf Pine

1980 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 77-79
Author(s):  
Robert C. Sparks ◽  
Norwin E. Linnartz ◽  
Harold E. Harris
Keyword(s):  
Longleaf Pine ◽  
Basal Area ◽  
Pinus Palustris ◽  
Diameter Growth ◽  
Stocking Rate ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
Natural Stand ◽  
Stocking Rates ◽  
Pruning Intensity

Abstract Pruning and thinning a young natural stand of longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Mill.) in southwest Louisiana had little influence on height. However, diameter growth was reduced substantially as pruning intensity or stocking rate increased up to 25-percent live crown and 200 stems per acre, respectively. Improved diameter growth at lower stocking rates was not sufficient to equal the total basal area increment of 200 trees per acre.

scholarly journals Impact of Climate Change on Livestock Returns and Rangeland Ecosystem Sustainability in the Southwest

2018 ◽  
Vol 47 (2) ◽  
pp. 336-356 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gregory L. Torell ◽  
Katherine D. Lee
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Current Method ◽  
Adaptive Methods ◽  
Livestock Grazing ◽  
Climate Projections ◽  
Stocking Rate ◽  
Forage Production ◽  
Temperature And Precipitation ◽  
Stocking Rates

Climate change will increase variability in temperature and precipitation on rangelands, impacting ecosystem services including livestock grazing. Facing uncertainty about future climate, managers must know if current practices will maintain rangeland sustainability. Herein, the future density of an invasive species, broom snakeweed, is estimated using a long-term ecological dataset and climate projections. We find that livestock stocking rates determined using a current method result in lower forage production, allowable stocking rate, and grazing value than an economically efficient stocking rate. Results indicate that using ecology and adaptive methods in management are critical to the sustainability of rangelands.

Studies in pasture management for the breeding ewe. I. Effects on ewe liveweights, incidence of pregnancy toxaemia, lamb birth weights, and neo-natal mortality

1968 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 605
Author(s):  
HL Davies
Keyword(s):  
Birth Weight ◽  
Early Pregnancy ◽  
Subterranean Clover ◽  
Late Pregnancy ◽  
Stocking Rate ◽  
Pasture Management ◽  
Continuous Grazing ◽  
Natal Mortality ◽  
Stocking Rates ◽  
Pregnancy Toxaemia

Breeding ewes were run under three systems of pasture management on sown pastures (based on subterranean clover) at Canberra. The ewes lambed from mid August to late September. The three management treatments were: (i) Continuous grazing (treatment CG). (ii) Ewes were confined to one-third of the whole area available in early pregnancy, so that feed was autumn-deferred for late pregnancy (treatment DP).(iii) Ewes were confined to a portion (one-third in 1956, one-half in 1957) of the area for the whole of pregnancy in order to ensure an adequate amount of feed for lactation (treatment DL). Two stocking rates and two breeds of ram were compared (Merino and Border Leicester). Treatment DL resulted in unsatisfactory liveweight gains during pregnancy, a far higher incidence of pregnancy toxaemia, reduced lamb birth weight, and increased neo-natal mortality. At the low stocking rate there were no significant differences between treatments CG and DP. At the high stocking rate, treatment DP reduced liveweight gain in early pregnancy and ensured an adequate liveweight gain in late pregnancy. The incidence of pregnancy toxaemia was lower at the high stocking rate in 1957 on treatment DP compared with CG. At the higher stocking rate, ditocous ewes on treatment DP gained more weight in late pregnancy than those on CG or DL.

Pasture management and animal production in Quebec: A review

1993 ◽  
Vol 73 (4) ◽  
pp. 715-724 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hélène V. Petit
Keyword(s):  
Weight Gain ◽  
N Fertilization ◽  
Beef Steers ◽  
Stocking Rate ◽  
Pasture Management ◽  
Fertilizer Requirement ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Native Pastures ◽  
Stocking Rates ◽  
High Fertilization

Twenty percent of forage farmland was devoted to seeded and native pastures in 1991. Common white clover is widely found in native pastures but ladino clover is the main legume recommended. Timothy is the most popular grass for seeded pasture and its yield is increased by N fertilization. More than 30% ladino in pasture decreases the N fertilizer requirement. High fertilization of pasture where beef steers are kept at high stocking rates and moderately fertilized pasture where beef steers are kept at low stocking rates result in similar average daily gains. Excessive steer stocking rates can result in decreased herbage production at the end of the growing season which results in decreased weight gain. However, feeding concentrate can compensate for herbage shortage and maintain weight gain of steers with a high stocking rate similar to that of unsupplemented animals on pasture with a low stocking rate. The difference in total beef production per hectare between heavily and moderately fertilized pastures is only 10% higher for the former when herbage surpluses conserved as silage and hay are fed to steers during winter. When herbage allowance is not limiting, there appears to be no advantage in supplementing grazing cattle with concentrate or protein. Key words: Pasture, grazing, dairy cattle, beef cattle, sheep

Stocking rate trials in Ankole, Uganda: II. Botanical analysis and oesophageal fistula sampling of pastures grazed at different stocking rates

1974 ◽  
Vol 82 (3) ◽  
pp. 507-516
Author(s):  
G. N. Harrington ◽  
D. Pratchett
Keyword(s):  
Growth Rates ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Stocking Rate ◽  
Normal Pattern ◽  
Brachiaria Decumbens ◽  
Themeda Triandra ◽  
Continuous Grazing ◽  
Stocking Rates ◽  
Grazing Pressures

SUMMARYBotanical analyses of trials grazed at 3·6, 2·4, 1·2, 0·8 and 0·6 ha/300 kg animal for 4 years are detailed. The two heaviest grazing pressures encouraged Brachiaria decumbens, a high quality grass, at the expense of Themeda triandra and Hyparrhenia filipendula. Rotational grazing allowed the weed grass Cymbopogon afronardus to regenerate after clearing more rapidly than did continuous grazing.Bullocks with oesophageal fistulas sampled pastures grazed at 2·4, 1·2 and 0·6 ha/animal at 4-weekly intervals for 12 months. The 0·6 ha/animal treatment was repeated on pasture cleared of the weed grass Cymbopogon afronardus. Cattle growth rates, both long term and at the time of sampling, were recorded.Cattle growth rates were greatest at 2·4 ha/animal but fistula sampling demonstrated that the diet was significantly lower in CP and higher in CF than the more heavily stocked treatments, which is contrary to the normal pattern. It is concluded that the differences in cattle growth rates at the different stocking rates were due to differences in dry-matter intake rather than the recorded differences in diet quality. The higher CP in the diet at the heavier stocking rates is ascribed to the increase of B. decumbens in the diet.An unexplained ceiling to cattle growth rates of ca. 0·5 kg/day, and a calculated drymatter intake of < 2·1% body weight/day, in the presence of unlimited forage of 10% CP and 55% apparent digestibility, makes it more economic to stock for maximum production per ha than per animal.

Effects of superphosphate fertiliser and stocking rate on the nutritive value of perennial ryegrass and subterranean clover herbage

1999 ◽  
Vol 50 (4) ◽  
pp. 537 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. R. Saul ◽  
G. A. Kearney ◽  
P. C. Flinn ◽  
C. L. Lescun
Keyword(s):  
Perennial Ryegrass ◽  
Crude Protein ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Nutritive Value ◽  
Subterranean Clover ◽  
Stocking Rate ◽  
Western Victoria ◽  
Stocking Rates ◽  
Infertile Soils

The effect of superphosphate fertiliser on digestible dry matter (DDM) and crude protein (CP) percentages of perennial ryegrass and subterranean clover was assessed on a long-term, grazed experiment in western Victoria. CP of both species increased significantly (3–6 units) where long-term average phosphorus (P) applications were 33 kg/ha.year compared with 1 kg/ha.year. CP of herbage was also greater on paddocks grazed at higher (9–23 ewes/ha) than lower (5–13 ewes/ha) stocking rates (1–3 units). DDM of subterranean clover significantly increased (8–10 units) with higher superphosphate applications but there was little effect on the DDM of perennial ryegrass. Long-term applications of superphosphate were associated with larger increases in both DDM and CP than if the same rate was applied in autumn of the year of measurement. For subterranean clover, 30 kg/ha of P applied to infertile soils (Olsen P 5 mg/kg) in autumn increased the DDM of herbage collected in September by only 4–6 units. The nutritive value of most volunteer pasture species also increased with higher superphosphate applications but the DDM of these species was usually inferior to perennial ryegrass. The results highlight the importance of monitoring nutritive value, pasture composition, and herbage production to quantify fully the likely effect of fertiliser applications on animal production.

Stocking rate trials in Ankole, Uganda: I. Weight gain of Ankole steers at intermediate and heavy stocking rates under different managements

1974 ◽  
Vol 82 (3) ◽  
pp. 497-506 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. N. Harrington ◽  
D. Pratchett
Keyword(s):  
Weight Gain ◽  
Grazing Pressure ◽  
Stocking Rate ◽  
Rotational Grazing ◽  
Brachiaria Decumbens ◽  
Continuous Grazing ◽  
Weight Gains ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Stocking Rates

SUMMARYA series of stocking rate trials running for differing periods between 1961 and 1972 are summarized. Weight gains of steers grazed at 2·4, 1·2, 0·8 and 0·6 ha/300 kg animal on Cymbopogon/Hyparrhenia/Themeda pasture are detailed. Subtreatments included continuous and rotational grazing and the removal of the unpalatable Cymbopogon afronardus.Weight gains at 0·6 ha/animal were higher than a linear relationship between stocking rate expressed as animals/ha and weight gain would predict. This was ascribed to the dominance of the high quality grass Brachiaria decumbens at this grazing pressure.Rotational grazing was less productive than continuous grazing, because C. afronardus increased more rapidly under this management, but there was less soil erosion. Removal of C. afronardus increased cattle growth rates and gains/ha by over 40% at 0·6 ha/animal. The cost of clearing this weed should be recovered in 2 years from a commercial cattle ranch. A grazing pressure of ca. 0·8 ha/animal is expected to maximize long-term profits on C. afronardus-free Ankole rangeland and in 3 years in this trial average gains of 0·29 kg/day/animal were achieved. This was an annual production level of 131 kg/ha/annum, which compared with 53 kg/ha at 2·4 ha/animal and 143 kg/ha at 0·6 ha/animal.

Changes in pH and organic carbon were minimal in a long-term field study in the Western District of Victoria

2002 ◽  
Vol 53 (2) ◽  
pp. 115 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. W. D. Cayley ◽  
M. R. McCaskill ◽  
G. A. Kearney
Keyword(s):  
Organic Carbon ◽  
Average Rate ◽  
Perennial Grass ◽  
Subterranean Clover ◽  
Grazing Pressure ◽  
Rate Of Change ◽  
Stocking Rate ◽  
Mean Values ◽  
Stocking Rates

Changes in soil pH from a long-term experiment at Hamilton, Vic., associated with time, fertiliser application, and stocking rate were assessed. The pH was measured in a 1 :5 suspension of soil in water (pHW) from 1980 onwards and in a 1:5 suspension of soil in 0.01 M CaCl2 (pHCa) from 1984 onwards. Topsoils (0–10 cm) were sampled regularly from 1980 to 1999, and the soil profile to a depth of 80 cm in 1994. The site was sown to perennial ryegrass, phalaris, and subterranean clover in 1977. Treatments fertilised with different amounts of superphosphate were grazed by sheep at stocking rates of 7–19 dry sheep equivalents (DSE)/ha. Average applications of phosphorus (P) ranged from 0.5 to 38.7 kg P/ha.year. The pHCa of the topsoil in 1984 was 4.9. It decreased at an average rate of 0.005 pHCa or 0.008 pHW units/year, with little variation due to fertiliser or stocking rate. Measurements in 1994 revealed subtle but statistically significant (P < 0.01) trends in soil pHCa that were associated with grazing pressure, inputs of fertiliser, and whether or not areas sampled were used by the sheep for camping. The top 0–5 cm of soil was slightly less acidic (+0.07 pHCa units) in the camp areas compared with non-camp areas. Below 5 cm to a depth of 80 cm, camp areas were more acidic (–0.19 pHCa units). At the highest stocking rates, heavier applications of superphosphate were associated with greater subsoil acidity: –0.06 pHCa units per 100 kg phosphorus (P) applied. There was no relationship at medium stocking rates. At low stocking rates, higher P applications were associated with more alkaline subsoils. Net removal of product from 1979 to 1994 (wool and meat removed from plots and excreta transferred to camps) was estimated to be equivalent to 140–380 kg/ha of lime over this 15-year period. The organic carbon (OC) content of the topsoil did not change over 20 years of records from 1979, and was unaffected by inputs of P. In 1994, the OC content of the 0–5 cm layer of topsoil was greater than the 5–10 cm layer (mean values 5.5% and 3.8% respectively; P < 0.001). The OC content of camp areas was higher than that of non-camp areas, this difference being more pronounced in the 0–5 cm layer (P < 0.01). It was concluded that the rate of change of pH was slow because of the high pH buffering capacity of the soil, the small amount of alkalinity removed in product, and the generally high perennial grass content of the pastures. Soils shown to be at greatest risk of acidification from this study were those under camp areas, and where high fertiliser rates were applied to pastures with a low perennial grass content. Rotational grazing should diminish these problems by reducing the concentration of excreta in camp areas, and favouring perennials over annuals in both camp and non-camp areas. Inputs of lime may eventually be needed to compensate for the acidifying effect of product removal.

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