Lucerne reduces soil moisture and increases livestock production in an area of high groundwater recharge potential

1995 ◽  
Vol 35 (2) ◽  
pp. 171 ◽  
Author(s):  
MC Crawford ◽  
MR Macfarlane
Keyword(s):  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Groundwater Recharge ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Plant Density ◽  
Fibre Diameter ◽  
Stocking Rate ◽  
Recharge Potential ◽  
Wool Production ◽  
Hordeum Leporinum ◽  
Moisture Potential

A grazing experiment was conducted on an area with high groundwater recharge potential in northeastern Victoria from 1988 to 1992. Merino wether weaners were grazed on either lucerne (Medicago sativa) or a pasture consisting of annual species (Trifolium spp., Lolium rigidum, Vulpia bromoides, Hordeum leporinum) at 5.0, 8.75, or 12.5 wethers/ha. Lucerne pastures were rotationally grazed and annual pastures were set-stocked. Measurements included herbage mass, lucerne plant density, sheep liveweight, wool production and fibre diameter, and soil moisture potential. Herbage mass in both pasture treatments decreased with increasing stocking rate, but at 12.5 wethers/ha, lucerne herbage mass was significantly (P<0.001) greater than annual pasture herbage mass. Sheep liveweight showed similar trends. On annual pastures, wool production per sheep decreased with increasing stocking rate, whereas on lucerne, it was maintained as stocking rate increased from 8.75 to 12.5 wethers/ha. Mean wool production per ha on lucerne pasture was 14.5, 23.5, and 32.1 kg for 5.0, 8.75, and 12.5 wethers/ha, respectively, and on annual pasture it was 13.8, 21.7, and 24.8 kg. Supplementary feeding was needed on annual pastures every year at the high stocking rate. On lucerne pastures, it was unnecessary except for 3 weeks in 1991. Soil moisture under lucerne was less than under annual pasture, indicating that lucerne used more water than the annual pasture and created a larger soil water deficit, thus leading to potentially less groundwater recharge. In this environment, lucerne could be productively stocked at 12.5 wethers/ha, whereas annual pastures were less productive and could only be stocked at 8.75 wethers/ha. Furthermore, lucerne was more effective at using soil water and reducing the potential for groundwater recharge.

Effect of time of joining and rate of stocking on the production of Corriedale ewes in southern Victoria. 3. Wool growth and the composition and availability of pasture

1975 ◽  
Vol 15 (73) ◽  
pp. 159 ◽  
Author(s):  
PA Kenney ◽  
IF Davis
Keyword(s):  
Fibre Diameter ◽  
Late Pregnancy ◽  
The Other ◽  
Early Lactation ◽  
Stocking Rate ◽  
Wool Production ◽  
Wool Growth ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Brome Grass ◽  
Stocking Rates

A study was made during a three year period (1 968-1 970) of wool production by a flock of 540 ewes grazing annual pasture at Werribee, Victoria. The ewes were stocked at three rates (5, 7 1/2 and 10 ewes ha-1) and lambed between July 6 and August 20 or between September 10 and October 29 each year. Fibre diameter and length of wool samples were measured in 1968, 1969 and 1970 ; in 1970 growth of greasy wool was calculated from staples of dye-banded wool. Wool growth was reduced in all ewes during late pregnancy and early lactation but was not affected during late lactation in ewes lambing in September. The proportion of tender fleeces from all ewes was greater in 1970 and the weight of fleeces from only those ewes bearing single lambs was less in all years for ewes lambing in July than for ewes lambing in September. More ewes were barren and fewer ewes had twins in July and consequently the mean fleece weights of all ewes from both groups were similar. Fleeces from ewes stocked at 10 ha-1 were lighter, shorter and finer than fleeces from ewes stocked at 5 and 7 1/2 ha-1, but the proportion of tender fleeces did not differ between the groups. Wool production of ewes stocked at 5 and 7 1/2 ha-1 increased from 1968 to 1970, whereas that of ewes at 10 ha-1 did not. This was associated with differences in pasture availability and composition. At 10 ewes ha-1 less pasture was present in winter and spring in 1970 than in 1968, whereas at the other stocking rates it was greater. In 1970 the density of weeds in autumn was greater and in spring more silver grass (Vulpia spp.) and less brome grass (Bromus spp.) was available at the high stocking rate.

Effect of Soil Water Potential Controlling on the Rice Growth

2012 ◽  
Vol 170-173 ◽  
pp. 2407-2413 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wei Chen ◽  
Dao Cai Chi ◽  
En Bo Tai ◽  
Xu Dong Zhang ◽  
Tao Tao Chen
Keyword(s):  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Water Potential ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Soil Water Potential ◽  
Eating Quality ◽  
Growth Stages ◽  
Maturity Stage ◽  
Initial Stage ◽  
Moisture Potential ◽  
Soil Moisture Potential

Pot experiments were conducted under different status of soil moisture potential during different stages of rice. The results show that soil moisture potential regulation and control is able to increase the rice yield at each growth stages after returning green, the suitable soil water potential criteria for middle-season rice in Liaoning province at different stages is 5~10kPa in tillering initial stage, 35kPa at most in tillering final stage, 5~10kPa in jointing and heading stages, not more than 20kPa in Milk maturity stage; re-watering post drought has a compensation effect to rice whose soil suction potential is controlled in 5~10kPa at tillering initial stage according to the results that its tillers number, output, final root dry biomass and leaf dry weight were significant exceeding contrast; The research on rice quality indicates that water stress in jointing stage increase protein content but reduce eating quality.

Effect of stocking rate on fleece measurements and their relationships in merino sheep

1976 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 163 ◽  
Author(s):  
DH White ◽  
BJ McConchie
Keyword(s):  
Fibre Diameter ◽  
Major Determinant ◽  
Stocking Rate ◽  
Merino Sheep ◽  
Wool Production ◽  
Rate Experiment ◽  
Fleece Weight ◽  
One Year ◽  
Staple Length

The wool characteristics of Merino wethers were measured for 6 years in a stocking rate experiment. The decline in fleece weight due to increasing stocking rate from 4.9 to 12.4 sheep per hectare was usually accompanied by a reduction in fibre diameter and staple length and an increase in staple crimp frequency. The magnitude of these responses differed considerably between years; in one year clean fleece weight was reduced by 50%, with an associated reduction of 5 µm in mean fibre diameter and one of 2 cm in staple length. In four of the six years of the experiment, variation in fibre diameter accounted for at least 50% of the variation in wool production between stocking rate treatments. The relationships between clean fleece weight and fibre diameter were similar between years, mean fibre diameter being reduced by about 1.8 �m for each kilogram reduction in clean fleece weight. Fibre diameter is the major determinant of wool price, and this information should improve the prediction of economic responses to changes in stocking rate.

Groundwater recharge estimates combining soil isotope profiles and classical soil water monitoring techniques

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nina Krüger ◽  
Christoph Külls ◽  
Marcel Kock
Keyword(s):  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Water Balance ◽  
Groundwater Recharge ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Soil Profile ◽  
Tunable Diode Laser ◽  
Soil Water Balance ◽  
Advection Dispersion ◽  
Flow Processes ◽  
Percolation Rate

&lt;p&gt;To improve knowledge of hydrological and hydrogeological flow processes and their dependency on climate conditions it is becoming increasingly important to integrate sensors technology, independent observation methods, and new modeling techniques. Established isotope methods are usually regarded as a supplement and extension to classical hydrological investigation methods but are rarely included in soil water balance models. However, the combination could close knowledge gaps and thus lead to more precise and realistic predictions and therefore to better water management. Within the Wasserpfad project, a project of the Department of Civil Engineering at the TH L&amp;#252;beck, soil moisture has been measured since May 2018. SMT100 soil moisture sensors from TRUEBNER GmbH are used at depths of 20, 40, 60, and 80 cm. Next to the station a 2m deep soil profile was taken in 2020, to estimate groundwater recharge using stable isotope equilibration methods and cryogenic extraction combined with soil water balance modeling. Vertical profiles of stable isotopes have been determined with a 10-cm resolution and measured with Tunable Diode Laser spectrometry. Percolation through the soil profile has been estimated based on the convolution of a seasonal input function using advection-dispersion transport models. Percolation rate estimate based on environmental isotope profiles results in 230 mm per year. Fitting of the advection-dispersion equation using a sinusoidal isotope input fitted to available time series provides an estimate of 255 mm per year. This difference is due to the dispersion effect on the isotope minima and maxima. The result of modeling the soil moisture data with a soil water balance model integrating the Richards equation for water transport and Penmen-Monteith based calculation of actual evaporation is used to verify the percolation rates. The analysis of soil moisture and isotope data by modeling provides a direct and efficient way to estimate the percolation rate. The combination of isotope methods with classical hydrological measuring techniques offers the possibility to verify results, to calibrate models, or to investigate the limits of isotope methods. Thus, flow processes can be predicted more reliably in the future.&lt;/p&gt;

The impact of rabbits on a grazing system in eastern New South Wales. 2. Sheep production

2002 ◽  
Vol 42 (7) ◽  
pp. 917 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. J. S. Fleming ◽  
J. D. Croft ◽  
H. I. Nicol
Keyword(s):  
Body Condition ◽  
Synergistic Effects ◽  
Fibre Diameter ◽  
The Body ◽  
Stocking Rate ◽  
Economic Implications ◽  
Wool Production ◽  
Sheep Production ◽  
Short Term Experiment ◽  
The Impact

Much research, time and money have been invested in the control of rabbits in Australia, yet the relationship between rabbit density and livestock production losses has not been quantified. We experimentally investigated the variations in sheep production parameters caused by 4 densities of rabbits, 0, 24, 48 and 72 rabbits/ha. Medium to strong wool merino wethers were run at a constant stocking rate in replicated plots with rabbits at 4� different densities. Sheep liveweight and body condition and wool production variables were measured over 3�years. Low to medium densities of rabbits were not found to reduce liveweights of wethers, whereas wethers run with the high density of rabbits were significantly lighter. The presence of rabbits reduced the body condition of sympatric sheep with the lowest body condition recorded at the high rabbit density. Mean greasy fleece weights, wool yields and clean-fleece weights were significantly different between densities of rabbits. Wethers run with the high rabbit density grew less wool than the wethers run with the other 3 densities of rabbits. The cumulative gross return per ha from wool production was highest for the medium rabbit density and lowest at high rabbit density. At the conclusion of this short-term experiment, the presence of some rabbits enhanced returns from wool production because of lower fibre diameter and comparable clean-fleece weights of fleeces grown at low and medium rabbit densities. These production characteristics might have been caused by synergistic effects on pasture growth or a sheep stocking rate that was too conservative for the prevailing seasonal conditions. At high rabbit density, competition for pasture between rabbits and sheep overrode possible synergistic and understocking effects. The economic implications of the presence of rabbits on merino sheep production are discussed.

Supplementary feeding pattern and rate of liveweight gain in winter-spring affect wool production of young Merino sheep on the south coast of Western Australia

1995 ◽  
Vol 35 (8) ◽  
pp. 1093 ◽  
Author(s):  
PT Doyle ◽  
TW Plaisted ◽  
RA Love
Keyword(s):  
Growth Rates ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Fibre Diameter ◽  
Supplementary Feeding ◽  
Stocking Rate ◽  
Merino Sheep ◽  
Wool Production ◽  
Wool Growth ◽  
Staple Strength ◽  
Stocking Rates

The effects of different supplementary feeding practices in summer-autumn and management strategies on green pasture on liveweight change, wool growth rate, annual wool production and wool characteristics of young Merino wethers were examined at 2 farms. The grain feeding treatments were lupins (L) or lupins and oats (LO) fed in amounts that were adjusted to try and maintain liveweight, or lupins and oats (LOG) fed at a higher rate. The objectives of liveweight maintenance or gain were not always achieved, but liveweight patterns differed between LOG compared with L or LO during summer-autumn. The sheep used at farm 1 were aged 4.5 months and liveweight 32 kg at the start of the experiment, while those at farm 2 were 6.5 months and liveweight 39 kg. The stocking rate in summer-autumn was 8 wethers/ha at both farms. During supplementation, sheep on LOG had a higher (P<0.05) liveweight change compared with those on L or LO (farm 1, 15 v. -8 g/sheep. day; farm 2, -35 v. -51 g/sheep. day) and clean wool growth rates (farm 1, 7.1 v. 6.4 g/sheep. day; farm 2, 5.1 v. 4.8 g/sheep.day). The sheep on LOG grew broader (P<0.05) wool than those on L or LO (farm 1, 19.0 v. 18.5 �m; farm 2, 21.7 v. 20.8 �m), and at farm 1 length was also greater (P<0.05) (114 v. 111 mm), while at farm 2 staple strength was greater (P<0.01) (22.9 v. 16.4 N/ktex). There were no significant differences in annual clean wool production. There were positive (P<0.01) relationships between staple strength and liveweight change to the time of minimum liveweight in summer-autumn. After green pasture on offer reached 500 kg DM/ha in autumn, different liveweight change patterns were achieved in 2 groups (LS, lower stocking rates; HS, higher stocking rates) of sheep at each farm by adjusting stocking rates. Within a farm, the LS and HS groups were comprised of equal numbers of sheep from each replicate of the supplementary feeding treatments. There were differences (P<0.05 to 0.01) in liveweight change between LS and HS (farm 1, 93 v. 72 g/day; farm 2, 127 v. 60 g/day), the differences being more pronounced at farm 2. The differential stocking rates at farm 2 resulted in differences in clean wool growth rates (P<0.01), in clean wool production (4.22 v. 4.53 kg, P<0.05), and fibre diameter (20.8 v. 21.4 �m, P<0.01), but there were no significant effects on staple length or strength. There were no significant effects of the supplementary feeding treatments imposed in summer-autumn on the responses to the stocking rate treatments on green pasture.

Superphosphate utilization in clover ley farming. I. Effects on pasture and sheep production

1974 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 525 ◽  
Author(s):  
GD Kohn
Keyword(s):  
Agricultural Research ◽  
Subterranean Clover ◽  
Trifolium Subterraneum ◽  
Wagga Wagga ◽  
First Year ◽  
Stocking Rate ◽  
Wool Production ◽  
Ley Farming ◽  
Hordeum Leporinum ◽  
Sheep Production

From 1962 to 1966 an experiment was carried out at the Agricultural Research Institute, Wagga Wagga, N.S.W., with dry Merino sheep on an annual clover-grass pasture, in which the stocking rate and the rates of topdressing with superphosphate were varied. In the first year Trifolium subterraneum (subterranean clover) responded to superphosphate, particularly at the lowest stocking rates. In the following 2–3 years there was a change to Hordeum leporinum Link (barley grass) dominance. A greater amount of subterranean clover persisted over the years on the unfertilized plots than on the fertilized plots. Clover burr on these treatments was associated with better liveweight performance by sheep over the dry summer-autumn period. However, after the autumn rains germinating barley grass on the topdressed plots allowed rapid liveweight gains to be made by the sheep on those treatments. Greasy wool production per head, averaged over four shearings, was 4.81, 4.36 and 3.86 kg at 5, 10 and 15 sheep per ha respectively. Superphosphate had no significant effect on wool production. Liveweights decreased as the stocking rate increased. However, at a given stocking rate, the liveweight changes were influenced by changes in pasture composition induced by topdressing with superphosphate, as much as by total available pasture. It appears that in this clover ley farming area topdressing can be omitted in the pasture phase of a wool production system after 700 kg superphosphate ha-I have been applied to the soil.

Effects of stocking rate in spring on liveweight and wool production of sheep grazing annual pastures

1994 ◽  
Vol 45 (2) ◽  
pp. 367 ◽  
Author(s):  
AN Thompson ◽  
PT Doyle ◽  
M Grimm
Keyword(s):  
Fibre Diameter ◽  
Stocking Rate ◽  
Wool Production ◽  
Wool Growth ◽  
Linear Relationships ◽  
Condition Score ◽  
Grazing Period ◽  
Staple Strength ◽  
Stocking Rates ◽  
Staple Length

Two experiments examined the effects of different stocking rates in spring, and hence the availability of annual pastures, on changes in liveweight and wool production in Merino wethers (Experiments 1 and 2 respectively: age 5 and 2+-year-old; liveweight 63.8 � 0.64 (s.e.m.) kg and 43.8 � 0.34 kg; condition score 3.9% 0.14 and 3.l � 0-08). In Experiment 1, stocking rates were 8, 16, 24, 32 and 40 sheep/ha from 8 August, 1989 f9r 122 days; Experiment 2 involved an additional stocking rate of 48 sheep/ha from 23 August, 1990 for 98 days. Feed on offer (FOO kg DM/ha) declined (P < 0.01) linearly as stocking rate increased. Stocking rate and initial FOO (ranging between 1100 and 7000 kg DM/ha) had no significant effects on pasture growth rate (PGR) through most of spring. Late in spring, increased stocking rates resulted in greater (P < 0.05) PGR. The total amount of pasture produced in the grazing period was not significantly affected by stocking rate (Expt 1, 7530 to 8200 kg DM/ha; Expt 2, 6390 to 6860 kg DM/ha). The relationships between liveweight change (LWC) or wool growth rates (WGR) and FO, during the period until pasture wilting at the lowest stocking rate (83 days in Expt 1; 76 days in Expt 2), were described by Mitscherlich equations. More than 74% of the variation in LWC or WGR was explained by differences in green FOO. In Expts 1 and 2 respectively, more than 90% of the maximum liveweight gain (66 and 192 g/day) was achieved at a FOO of 4000 or 3000 kg DM/ha, and sheep maintained weight at 2000 or 1000 kg DM/ha. More than 90% of the maximum WGR (22.3 and 19.0 g/day) was achieved at a FOO of 3000 or 2000 kg DM/ha. More than 70% of the variation in WGR was explained by LWC in both experiments. The slopes of the linear relationships were 0.047 g wool/g LWC in Expt 1, and 0.024 g wool/g LWC in Expt 2. At liveweight maintenance, sheep produced 15% less (Expt 1) or 25% less (Expt 2) wool than those grazed under conditions which allowed maximum rates of liveweight gain. Fibre diameter (FD) and length of wool grown were affected in the same manner as WGR by increases in FOO and hence LWC. In Expts 1 and 2 respectively, total clean wool weights were reduced by 17 and 9 g, mean FD by 0.05 and 0.02 microns and staple length by 0.35 and 0.13 mm, for each increase of one sheep/ha during the spring treatment periods. The effects of stocking rate in spring on annual wool production, mean FD and staple length were described by linear (P < 0.05 to P < 0.01) relationships. Standard deviation of midside FD (Expt 2), staple strength and position of break (both experiments) did not change significantly with stocking rate. These results indicate that grazing to a lower FOO during spring can be used to manipulate the amount and characteristics of wool produced by Merino wethers grazing annual pastures in Mediterranean climates with 600-700 mm rainfall.

Studies in the wool production of grazing sheep. 2. Variation in wool characteristics with season and stocking rate

1964 ◽  
Vol 4 (15) ◽  
pp. 404 ◽  
Author(s):  
WR McManus ◽  
GW Arnold ◽  
JR Paynter
Keyword(s):  
Fibre Diameter ◽  
Late Summer ◽  
Annual Growth ◽  
Late Winter ◽  
Stocking Rate ◽  
Wool Production ◽  
Grazing Sheep ◽  
Stocking Rates ◽  
Staple Length

A four-year study of the variation in wool characteristics of both periodic midside fleece samples and whole fleeces is reported. The wools are derived from an experiment (Arnold, McManus and Bush 1964) in which Merino wethers were continuously grazed on improved pastures at four widely different stocking rates. Despite very large differences in pasture availability and nutritional patterns between treatments the fleeces were essentially similar in staple length, fibre diameter, clean scoured yield, wax and suint content, in quality count and subjective characteristics of soundness, handle, colour, and character. The value of the fleeces was similar for all treatments. Staple length and fibre diameter were lowest in late summer and late winter, when feed quantity and quality, respectively, were also lowest. On all treatments over half the fleeces exhibited 'trade tenderness' attributable to undernutrition in summer. Winter shearing minimises the effects of undernutrition in winter on the soundness of the fleeces. The staple length on the tattoo midside was 21 per cent greater than annual growth on the alternate midside region. Possible reasons for this increase are discussed.

Influence of stocking rate and mixed grazing of Angora goats and Merino sheep on animal and pasture production in southern Australia. 3. Mohair and wool production and quality

2010 ◽  
Vol 50 (3) ◽  
pp. 168 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. A. McGregor
Keyword(s):  
Growth Rate ◽  
Fibre Diameter ◽  
Fibre Production ◽  
Grazing Pressure ◽  
Stocking Rate ◽  
Pasture Production ◽  
Merino Sheep ◽  
Wool Production ◽  
Temperate Pastures ◽  
Angora Goats

The effects of animal species (AS; Angora goats, Merino sheep, mixed-grazed goats and sheep at the ratio of 1 : 1) and stocking rate (SR; 7.5, 10 and 12.5 animals/ha) on fibre production and quality were determined in a replicated experiment on improved annual temperate pastures in southern Australia from 1981 to 1984. Separately grazed sheep produced the most total clean fibre/ha at each SR. Mixed-grazed treatments produced amounts of clean fibre/ha similar to the arithmetic mean of sheep and goat treatments at 7.5/ha (21.9 versus 21.3 kg/ha), 10% more at 10/ha (28.3 versus 25.3 kg/ha, P < 0.05) and 7% more at 12.5/ha (31.6 versus 29.6 kg/ha, P < 0.10). Clean wool production/head was affected by AS and SR but not year. Clean mohair production was affected by SR and year but not AS. Variation in mean fibre diameter (MFD) accounted for 67 and 71%, respectively, of the variation in clean wool and clean mohair production/head. There was an AS × SR interaction for clean fibre production/t pasture. Growth rate of mohair was highest in autumn and least in summer. In each season, an increase in the SR reduced the clean mohair growth rate. Growth rate of wool was highest in spring and least in summer. Wool and mohair MFD were affected by an AS × SR interaction. Mohair MFD was also affected by year and season. At 10/ha, wool from mixed-grazed sheep had a greater MFD than wool from separately grazed sheep (20.2 versus 18.9 μm) and mixed-grazed goats grew mohair 1 μm coarser than separately grazed goats. At 12.5/ha mixed-grazed goats grew mohair 1.9 μm finer than separately grazed goats. Mohair MFD was predicted by a multiple regression that included average liveweight for the period of fleece growth, season of growth (summer 1 µm finer than winter) and year (range 1.27 µm). Mohair MFD increased 4.7 µm/10 kg increase in average fleece-free liveweight (P = 6.4 × 10–14). Fleece-free liveweight alone accounted for 76.4% of the variation in mohair MFD. There was an AS × SR interaction for the incidence of kemp and medullated fibres; under severe grazing pressure their incidence was suppressed. This experiment indicated that the principles associated with the effects of SR on wool production on annual temperate pastures apply to mohair production. Mixed grazing of Merino sheep and Angora goats produced complementary and competitive effects depending on the SR. Angora goats should not be grazed alone or mixed-grazed with sheep on annual temperate pastures at SR greater than that recommended for Merino sheep.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document