scholarly journals The Impact of Grazing Systems on the Magnitude and Stability of Ranch Income in the Rolling Plains of Texas

1982 ◽  
Vol 35 (4) ◽  
pp. 526 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. E. Whitson ◽  
R. K. Heitschmidt ◽  
M. M. Kothmann ◽  
G. K. Lundgren
Keyword(s):  
Grazing Systems ◽  
Rolling Plains ◽  
The Impact

Using grazing systems modelling to assess economic, production and environmental risks to aid in selecting appropriate stocking rates

2006 ◽  
Vol 46 (7) ◽  
pp. 841 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. J. Alcock
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Risks ◽  
Potential Outcomes ◽  
Management Options ◽  
Economic Production ◽  
Grazing Systems ◽  
Systems Modelling ◽  
Systems Models ◽  
Farm Sustainability ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Stocking Rates

Results of contemporary farm benchmarking are often used as the grounds for recommending wholesale change in farm management while often paying little heed to the associated risks involved. The current push to increase pasture utilisation rates through increased stocking rates is an example of generalised recommendations for which there is limited supporting data. Grazing systems models provide objective tools to help put the potential outcomes of various management options into context. They provide a framework to evaluate the impact of management options before they are implemented and can provide a fuller representation of the risks involved. This may help to avoid costly mistakes in terms of time, money and farm sustainability.

Evaluation of the impact of SGS on livestock producers and their practices

2003 ◽  
Vol 43 (8) ◽  
pp. 1031 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. J. Allan ◽  
W. K. Mason ◽  
I. J. Reeve ◽  
S. Hooper
Keyword(s):  
Management Practices ◽  
Red Meat ◽  
Annual Rainfall ◽  
Pasture Management ◽  
High Rainfall ◽  
Grazing Systems ◽  
Sustainable Grazing ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Improved Pasture

The Sustainable Grazing Systems (SGS) Program has assisted producers in the high rainfall zone (HRZ, annual rainfall >600 mm/year) of southern Australia, by developing and delivering more productive and sustainable grazing systems. It was evaluated by 2 external surveys — a benchmarking survey in 1994 before the start of SGS, and a follow-up survey of producers in 2001. The 2001 survey showed that SGS had assisted red meat and wool producers in southern Australia make significant and beneficial changes to their grazing systems. Substantial changes in grazing practices occurred between 1994 and 2001 in the HRZ. These changes included an increase in the number of producers who rotationally graze (25%), as well as those undertaking practices aimed at improved pasture management. Participants in SGS were more likely to have made changes to their grazing systems than non-participants. There were no overt differences between regions in producer demographics, or changes made to management practices. The survey confirmed SGS had achieved its goal. Sixty percent of producers in the target regions were aware of SGS (out of a total of 23 689 producers); 42% (9839) had some involvement with SGS and/or received the SGS magazine 'Prograzier'; while 26% (6141) actively participated in SGS through undertaking a PROGRAZE course, and/or by attending regional SGS activities. Of the estimated 9839 producers who participated in the program, up to 8000 made beneficial changes to enhance the productivity and sustainability of their grazing operations. Active participants (6141) attributed many of these benefits to their involvement in SGS.

Gastrointestinal nematode parasites and the stability and productivity of intensive ruminant grazing systems

1988 ◽  
Vol 321 (1207) ◽  
pp. 541-563 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Plant Density ◽  
Gastrointestinal Nematode ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Feeding Rates ◽  
Nematode Parasites ◽  
Relevant Field ◽  
Grazing Systems ◽  
The Stability ◽  
Grass Growth ◽  
The Impact

This paper uses mathematical models, describing the transmission dynamics of directly transmitted gastrointestinal nematode parasites of sheep and cattle, to examine the impact of these parasites on the stability and productivity of ruminant grazing systems. Current models of the ecology of grass growth under grazing, and the epidemiology of trichostrongylid nematode parasites of ruminants, are combined in a formulation that captures the general features of the plant - (ruminant) herbivore - parasite interaction. The simplest case, in which herbivore numbers are constant and not food limited (the norm for m any agricultural systems) is considered in detail. T he effect of gastrointestinal parasitism in reducing herbivore feeding rates is shown to act as a potential density-dependent constraint on the parasite’s infection rate. T he process is manifested in the model as a progressive linearization of the relation between herbivore feeding rate and plant density at the parasite equilibrium . This effect acts to stabilize the dynamics of the model grazing system and significantly affects its predictions about the impact of parasite control and the pattern of host productivity. Model predictions are discussed in the light of relevant field observations, and areas for future research are identified.

Acremonium endophytes in perennial ryegrass and other pasture grasses in Australia and New Zealand

1992 ◽  
Vol 43 (8) ◽  
pp. 1683 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. van Heeswijck ◽  
G. McDonald
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Secondary Metabolites ◽  
Fungal Endophytes ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Fescue Toxicosis ◽  
Naturally Occurring ◽  
Resistance To Insects ◽  
Pasture Grasses ◽  
Grazing Systems ◽  
The Impact

Many grasses contain asymptomatic fungal endophytes which are now recognised as having a major impact on the performance of pastures in Australia and New Zealand, and elsewhere in the world. The association between the plant and the fungus is regarded as mutualistic, with the host grass able to benefit from endophyte presence through reduced herbivore feeding, increased resistance to insects, improved plant growth and possibly disease resistance. Grazing systems may be disadvantaged, however, as the ingestion of endophyte-infected grasses can be associated with a number of animal toxicoses including ryegrass staggers and fescue toxicosis. There is increasing evidence that the effects of endophyte on the host grass, and consequently on pasture performance and animal production, are mediated by a range of secondary metabolites produced by the plant-fungus interaction. Recent work has shown that a great deal of variation can be found amongst endophyte strains both in the types and amounts of these secondary metabolites produced. This review presents the current status of knowledge on the impact of endophyte on pasture grasses in Australia and New Zealand and attempts to place it in the framework of endophyte research in general. It discusses the potential for harnessing the benefits of endophyte infection, whilst minimizing deleterious effects, through the use of elite endophyte strains which have been isolated from naturally occurring grasses, or modified by the techniques of genetic engineering. It concludes by identifying a number of significant areas which require further research for us to fully understand the plant-fungus interaction and its effects on pasture systems.

Near-Grazing Behaviour of the Harmonic Ocsillator

1999 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Molenaar ◽  
J. G. de Weger ◽  
W. v. d. Water
Keyword(s):  
Harmonic Oscillator ◽  
Low Speed ◽  
Impact Phenomena ◽  
Grazing Systems ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Grazing Behaviour ◽  
Impacting Systems

Abstract Impacting systems are intrinsically nonlinear. They are found in a great variety of mechanical constructions. The control of the impact phenomena requires a thorough understanding of the dynamics involved. It is discussed that near-grazing systems, i.e. systems in which the impacts take place at low speed, can be described by discrete mappings. The form of this mapping for a harmonic oscillator with a stop is dealt with in detail. It is pointed out how these mappings can be derived and the results are compared to results earlier published. It is indicated how the present results could be checked experimentally.

The impact of selecting for increased ewe fat level on reproduction and its potential to reduce supplementary feeding in a commercial composite flock

2016 ◽  
Vol 56 (4) ◽  
pp. 698 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. F. Walkom ◽  
F. D. Brien ◽  
M. L. Hebart ◽  
W. S. Pitchford
Keyword(s):  
Body Composition ◽  
Body Condition ◽  
New South ◽  
Supplementary Feeding ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Fat Level ◽  
Grazing Systems ◽  
Selection For ◽  
The Difference ◽  
The Impact

In southern Australian grazing systems, energy availability typically exceeds energy requirements. Grazing systems are likely to have higher profitability if ewes can utilise this relatively cheap feed by gaining more condition (muscle and fat) and then mobilising it when feed is expensive. The present paper focusses on the importance of genetic merit for fat on the lifetime productivity of the ewe within a commercial operation. The analysis was carried out on a maternal composite stud flock in Holbrook, New South Wales. Ultrasound fat and muscle depth were measured on 2796 ewes as lambs at post-weaning and as adult ewes, to determine the genetic relationship between young and adult body composition. The hypothesis of the paper is that selection for increased fat at young age will improve body condition of adult ewes, which will lead to improved reproduction and potentially reduced requirements for supplementary feeding. Given that the difference in feed cost between times of abundance and shortage is likely to be larger, the system may become more profitable despite being less efficient (owing to increased feed intake). Our results indicated that selection for scanned post-weaning fat and muscle depth in lambs should lead to increased fat muscle and body condition in the breeding ewe because of strong genetic correlation estimates between the post-weaning and adult traits of 0.68–0.99. The influence of body composition traits on reproduction (number of lambs weaned) within the stud flock was weak. However, it is hypothesised that by genetically increasing post-weaning fat depth in ewes, producers could improve profitability by reducing the demands for supplementary feeding.

Short-term impact of sheep and cattle grazing on upland wet heath vegetation

2005 ◽  
Vol 2005 ◽  
pp. 230-230
Author(s):  
C. N. R. Critchley ◽  
H. F. Adamson ◽  
J. J. Hyslop
Keyword(s):  
Action Plan ◽  
Plant Species Composition ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Environmentally Sustainable ◽  
Heavy Grazing ◽  
Blanket Bog ◽  
Grazing Systems ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Cattle And Sheep

The UK Biodiversity Action Plan identifies upland heath and blanket bog as priorities for conservation. Heavy grazing by livestock has damaged these habitats in many parts of the UK. Agri-environment schemes have partly addressed the problem by encouraging farmers to reduce sheep stocking levels on degraded moorland. This can prevent further loss of dwarf shrub cover, but the increased biomass of moorland grasses can inhibit regeneration of dwarf shrubs and other desirable species. The objectives of this system-scale study are to assess the impact on plant species composition and animal performance, of sheep-only and mixed grazing regimes with both cattle and sheep on degraded wet heath vegetation. It is being carried out as part of a wider project to determine environmentally sustainable and economically viable grazing systems for heather moorland.

scholarly journals Building the GLENCOE Platform -Grasslands LENding eConomic and ecOsystems sErvices

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thais Devincenzi ◽  
Martín Jaurena ◽  
Martín Durante ◽  
Jean Víctor Savian ◽  
Gabriel Ciappesoni ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Grazing Management ◽  
System Level ◽  
Management Systems ◽  
Ecosystem Functions ◽  
Management Actions ◽  
Natural Grasslands ◽  
Grazing Systems ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Livestock Systems

To feed the rising population whilst also preserving ecosystem functions, creative solutions are needed for the ecological intensification of natural grassland-based livestock systems. In Uruguay, natural grasslands are the main nutritional resource for livestock production. In these ecosystems, cattle and sheep graze together all the year round, and grasslands are frequently heavily grazed. Considerable research has been generated concerning grassland management, but there is still no knowledge about the impact of decision rules that supports management actions on long-term ecosystem functioning, at the system level. To meet this deficit, a participatory working group of farmers, researchers, and consultants have developed the GLENCOE platform. This platform is a large-scale facility, supported by INIA-Uruguay, designed to answer the following question: How to intensify the grazing management to improve the sustainability of livestock systems based on natural grasslands? To build the platform three steps were followed: (I) definition of the research problem using a problem tree analysis; (ii) conceptualization of the platform and the design of the grazing systems to be evaluated; and, (iii) spatial allocation of the grazing systems according to the variability of soil, slopes, and seasonal dynamic of vegetation indexes. These criteria were considered across farmlets that were equivalent in the initial stage, allowing causal inferences for the systems trajectories on productive and environmental traits. The platform is composed of three independent farmlets of 50 ha each, where multiparous Hereford cows and Merinos wethers co-graze under three grazing management systems. Each farmlet is managed according to different spatio-temporal decisions of the specific management of vegetation communities, grazing methods, and the stockpile of forage that is allowed by the number of the existing paddocks. Farmlet-1; comprises less decisions (2 paddocks), Farmlet-2; intermediate (8 paddocks), and Farmlet-3; high level of decisions (32 paddocks). This innovative platform will be used as a participatory and interdisciplinary space for research and co-learning of management on processes that can only be observed in long-term evaluations, and at farmlet scale. We expect that this new approach will contribute to the developement and implemention of sustainable grazing management systems in Uruguay.

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