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

Beef production from native pastures sown to fine-stem stylo in the Burnett region of south-eastern Queensland

1979 ◽  
Vol 19 (97) ◽  
pp. 140 ◽  
Author(s):  
EJ Bowen ◽  
KG Rickert
Keyword(s):  
Stocking Rate ◽  
Management Options ◽  
North West ◽  
Heteropogon Contortus ◽  
South Eastern ◽  
Continuous Grazing ◽  
Weight Gains ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Native Pastures ◽  
Stocking Rates

At Gayndah, south-eastern Queensland, a native Heteropogon contortus pasture, sown to fine-stem stylo (Stylosanthes guianensis var. intermedia), and invaded by red natal grass (Rhynchelytrum repens), was grazed by weaner steers from June 1 in three treatments : heavy and light put-and-take grazing for five years from 1971, and set-stocked at 1.37 animals ha-1 for two years from 1974. Weight gains in the put-and-take treatments were not significantly different. The mean annual liveweight gain was 167 kg animal-1 at a mean equivalent stocking rate of 1.47 animals ha-1. Over the same period unsown native pasture, cleared of timber, gave a gain of 62 kg animal-1 at 0.62 animals ha-1. In all seasons except summer, weight gains declined linearly with stocking rate and in 1972-73, with a mean equivalent stocking rate of 2.66 animals ha-1, the annual gain was almost halved. When equivalent stocking rates were 0.9, 0.9, 1.8 and 1.2 animals ha-1 in winter, spring, summer and autumn, the respective gains were 4, 73, 65 and 45 kg animal-1. The set-stocked treatment had a mean annual gain of 147 kg animal-1. At another site 116 km north-west of Gayndah, two paddocks of Heteropogon contortus and fine-stem stylo were set-stocked with weaners over four years. One paddock had four applications of superphosphate of 250 kg ha-1. The mean annual liveweight gains were significantly different, being 154 and 143 kg animal-1 in the fertilized and unfertilized paddocks at mean stocking rates of 0.83 and 0.74 animals ha-1, respectively. In a grazing protection experiment the density of fine-stem stylo declined exponentially with an accumulation of pasture dry matter in spring and summer. Heavy continuous grazing, an annual hay cut and an accidental fire all increased the density of fine-stem stylo. Management options to maintain the density of fine-stem stylo and the relative importance of the legume and grass to animal production are discussed.

Herbage and animal production from native pastures and pastures oversown with Stylosanthes hamata. 1. Fertiliser and stocking rate effects

1993 ◽  
Vol 33 (5) ◽  
pp. 561 ◽  
Author(s):  
CJ Gardener ◽  
MR McCaskill ◽  
JG McIvor
Keyword(s):  
Animal Production ◽  
Stocking Rate ◽  
Heteropogon Contortus ◽  
Stylosanthes Hamata ◽  
Stylosanthes Humilis ◽  
Native Pasture ◽  
Utilisation Rate ◽  
Native Pastures ◽  
Fertiliser Application ◽  
Stocking Rates

Native pastures dominated by Heteropogon contortus (speargrass) were sown to Stylosanthes hanzata cv. Verano in 1972, and herbage production and steer growth rates were compared with those of native pastures from 1973 to 1985. The native pastures also contained naturalised Stylosanthes humilis, but its contribution to pasture yield diminished rapidly, after infection by Colletotrichum gloeospoirioides (anthracnose) in 1973. The experiment was a factorial design of 2 pasture types (native, native plus Verano) x 2 stocking rates (0.6, 1.2 steers/ha) x 2 superphosphate treatments (nil, 300 kg/ha.year) x 2 replicates. Fertiliser application decreased the proportion of legume but had no significant effect on herbage or animal production on this comparatively fertile site (extractable P, 18 mg/kg). Annual liveweight gains at the high and low stocking rates, respectively, on the native pasture averaged 100 and 120 kg/steer. Sowing to Verano did not affect herbage yields but increased annual liveweight gains by 28 and 36 kg/steer at low and high stocking rates. The high stocking rate of 1.2 steers/ha was sustainable for the first 9 years of the experiment, when above-average rainfall was received. However, in the following 3 below-average years, there was a shift to less-desirable species, and a decline in pasture productivity. Relative to the low stocking rate, herbage production on the native pasture in the final season was reduced by 60% and on the Verano pasture by 26%. The highest annual herbage utilisation rate that appeared sustainable in the long term was about 45%, which corresponded to a utilisation rate of 30% during the growing season (about November-May). When oversown with Verano, speargrass tended to decline in favour of annual grasses, weeds, and the introduced grass Urochloa mosanzhicensis, which had been sown on an adjacent experiment. Urochloa appeared to be a more suitable companion species than speargrass for Verano.

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.

The effect of systems of grassland management and winter feeding on the productivity of an 18-month grass-cereal beef system

1978 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 99-107
Author(s):  
J. B. Moran ◽  
W. Holmes
Keyword(s):  
Weight Gain ◽  
Grassland Management ◽  
Metabolizable Energy ◽  
Stocking Rate ◽  
Field System ◽  
Grass Silage ◽  
Grazing System ◽  
Grazing Systems ◽  
Ad Libitum ◽  
Stocking Rates

ABSTRACTExperiments in two successive years with 24 cattle compared a six-paddock grazing system with a simpler two-field system. In each system the whole area was cut for conservation once during the season. The two systems were stocked each at 3·9 or 6·5 cattle/ha. In the following winters the cattle were offered grass silage (1974) or dried lucerne pellets (1975) ad libitum with two levels of barley.Daily gains on pasture were depressed by the higher stocking rate but there was no difference between grazing systems. The yield of conserved grass was least on the high stocking rate two-field system. The estimated output of utilized metabolizable energy per hectare was highest on the high stocking rate paddock grazing system but the output from the low stocking rate two-field system was almost as high. It was concluded that the latter system was valuable in many practical situations. Cattle that had been grazed at low stocking rates finished earlier in winter. There was some evidence of winter compensation in cattle weight gain on diets with dried lucerne pellets but not on grass silage diets.

Animal production from naturalized and sown pastures at three stocking rates under coconuts in the Solomon Islands

1981 ◽  
Vol 97 (3) ◽  
pp. 669-676 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. E. Watson ◽  
P. C. Whiteman
Keyword(s):  
Weight Gain ◽  
Solomon Islands ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Stocking Rate ◽  
Brachiaria Decumbens ◽  
Live Weight Gain ◽  
Natural Pasture ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Stocking Rates ◽  
Brachiaria Mutica

SUMMARYA grazing study, comparing a naturalized and a sown pasture at three stocking rates, was conducted under a uniform stand of 65-year-old coconuts on a fertile soil in the Russell Islands. In a plot trial on this site there was no significant response to application of up to 400 kg N/ha/year over 2 years to Brachiaria decumbens. Average daily transmission of photosynthetically active radiation through the coconut canopy was 60% of full sunlight. The sown pasture consisted initially of para (Brachiaria mutica), signal (B. decumbens) and koronivia (B. humidicola) with the legumes Centrosema pubescens, Pueraria phaseoloides and Stylosanthes guianensis. The main species in the naturalized pasture were Axonopus compressus, Mimosa pudica, C. pubescens and Colopogonium mucunoides. Pastures were set stocked in two replicates over 3 years at 1·5, 2·5 and 3·5 animals/ha. There was no significant difference in live-weight gain between pastures in any year. Live-weight gain per head declined linearly with increasing stocking rate. Highest live-weight gain was 437 kg/ha/year in the 1st year at 3·5 animals/ha. The planted grasses declined from 60% at the start of grazing to 6% 8 months later. A. compressus increased from 2 to 24% over 3 years in the sown pasture, and from 12 to 34% of yield in the natural pasture. M. pudica increased from 27 to 44% in the sown, and remained approximately constant at 37% in the natural pasture. G. pubescens increased at 2·5 animals/ha, but was replaced by P. phaseoloides at 1·5 animals/ha and by A. compressus and M. pudica at 3·5 animals/ha. There were no significant effects of pasture treatments or stocking rate on copra yields. Where there is a cover of naturalized grasses and legumes under coconuts, cultivation and planting of exotic species cannot be recommended. Major improvement will come from thorough weed control and maintaining stocking rates between 1·5 and 2·5 animals/ha.

An evaluation of three aerial pasture development methods on the Northern Tablelands of New South Wales, in terms of herbage on offer, botanical composition and animal performance

1987 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
pp. 389 ◽  
Author(s):  
PM Dowling ◽  
GG Robinson ◽  
RD Murison
Keyword(s):  
Management Strategies ◽  
Late Summer ◽  
Botanical Composition ◽  
Stocking Rate ◽  
Sheep Grazing ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Dead Material ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Development Methods ◽  
Stocking Rates

Herbage mass on offer, botanical composition and livestock production of sheep grazing 3 types of pastures developed by 'aerial' methods at 3 stocking rates (5, 7.5 and 10 sheep/ha) were compared in a 3-year grazing trial at Glen Innes, N.S.W., during 1972-75. The pastures were: resident grass-white clover (F), resident pasture plus surface sown grass (SF), and as for SF but with herbicide application prior to surface sowing ofgrass (HSF). All pasture treatments had equivalent rates of superphosphate applied. The sowing effect and the herbicide effect were statistically analysed by contrasting the pasture treatments: SF-F, HSF-SF, respectively. The SF-F contrast showed that herbage on offer of the sown grasses on the SF pasture was greater, and this difference increased with time. Legume herbage on offer was greater on the SF pasture though it declined with time, and exhibited seasonal variation. The HSF-SF contrast indicated that herbage on offer: of sown grass was greater on the HSF pasture and increased with time; of the herbs component was greater on the HSF pasture during the initial and final stages of the experiment; oflegume was greater on the HSF pasture but the difference declined with time; of resident grass was greater on the SF pasture but the difference declined with time; and of dead material was consistently greater on the SF pasture. The contrasts for the resident grasses and dead material components varied seasonally. Herbage on offer of all pasture components declined as stocking rate was increased. Patterns of decline varied with pasture component and pasture treatment. Mean sheep liveweights were influenced by pasture treatment, with sheep on the HSF pasture being the heaviest, and those on the F pasture, the lightest. Increasing stocking rate decreased mean sheep liveweights on pastures F and SF but increased mean sheep liveweights on the HSF pasture. Liveweight declines were least for sheep grazing the F and SF pastures and liveweight increases were greatest on the HSF pasture during late summer-autumn. Greasy wool production per sheep was greatest on the HSF pasture during 1972-73 but thereafter there were no significant differences between treatments. We conclude that, although animal production was increased by the introduction of sown grasses in the short term, the level of superiority was not as great as expected. Changes in management strategies may be required if the greater production achieved is to be sustained.

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.

Grazing studies on the Guadalcanal Plains, Solomon Islands. 2. Effects of pasture mixtures and stocking rate on animal production and pasture components

1981 ◽  
Vol 97 (2) ◽  
pp. 353-364 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. E. Watson ◽  
P. C. Whiteman
Keyword(s):  
Weight Gain ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Solomon Islands ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Animal Production ◽  
Green Leaf ◽  
Stocking Rate ◽  
Live Weight Gain ◽  
Dry Matter Digestibility ◽  
Stocking Rates

SummaryAnimal production was compared on three pastures, Brachiaria mutica (para), B. decumbens (signal) and Panicum maximum cv. Hamil (hamil) each sown with a common legume mixture of Centrosemapubescens (centro), Macroptilium atropurpureum cv. Siratro, and Stylosanthes guianensis cv. Endeavour (stylo), at four stocking rates, 1·8, 21·87, 31·86, and 41·85 animals/ha, over 4 years on the GuadalcanalPlains, Solomon Islands.Mean live-weight gain per head over the four stocking rates and 4 years on para pastures was 01·847, on signal pastures 01·838, and on hamil pastures 01·828 kg/head/day. Mean production per hectare at the optimum stocking rates were: para at 3.6 animals/ha, 607 kg; signal at 31·86 animals/ha, 442 kg; hamil at 21·87 animals/ha, 362 kg/ha/year.The high stocking rates of 31·86 and 41·85 animals/ha caused the hamil pastures to decline to the stage where they were destocked in the 4th year of grazing.Superior production on para pastures was not simply related to green dry matter (GDM) on offer. In the 1st year of grazing, GDM was highest in hamil pastures, but in the 2nd year highest in para, and in the 3rd year mean yields were similar in all pastures, but were very low at the 31·86 and 41·85 animals/ha stocking rate in the hamil pastures.Para pastures maintained highest legume contents. The quadratic relationship between live-weight gain/head and legume content was significant over all pastures and stocking rates. Live-weight gain (LWG) per head increased up to 15% legume content, after which there was little change. Yield of green leaf, percentage green leaf, and sward bulk density did not appear to be related to LWG/head. Para pastures had lower values for all these components than the other pastures.Chemical factors contributed to the higher animal production from para pastures. Para leaf maintained consistently higher in vitro dry-matter digestibility values. Na content of para averaged 01·812%, whereas other species were 01·801 to 01·802%, and below the critical level (01·805%) for animal intake. N and S in leaf material, and Cu in total tops were also consistently higher in para grass.Results of this grazing trial suggest that selection of grass species on the basis of quality including dry-matter digestibility and mineral content, on ability to persist with increasing stocking rate, on compatibility with legumes, and on growth habit are more important than selection for dry-matter yield.

Effects of genotype, sex and stocking rate on postweaning efficiency and value-adding potential at turnoff of weaners grazing improved pasture in the Douglas Daly region of the Northern Territory

2007 ◽  
Vol 47 (11) ◽  
pp. 1272 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. J. Schatz ◽  
P. E. R. Ridley ◽  
D. J. M. La Fontaine ◽  
M. N. Hearnden
Keyword(s):  
Weight Gain ◽  
East Asian ◽  
Northern Territory ◽  
Stocking Rate ◽  
Stocking Rates ◽  
Improved Pasture ◽  
The Way

An experiment was undertaken to establish the effects of genotype, sex and stocking rate on postweaning growth and value-adding potential at turnoff of weaners grazing improved pasture in the Douglas Daly region of the Northern Territory, Australia. The growth of 27 steer and 27 heifer weaners of four genotypes was studied each year for 4 years (i.e. n = 216 animals per year). Animals from each group were run at one of three stocking rates. The cattle were weighed monthly and fat depth was measured ultrasonically at the end of the postweaning year. Genotype had no significant effect on weight gain but one-quarter Charolais × three-quarters Brahman and Droughtmaster animals were significantly (P < 0.0001) leaner than Brahman (purebred and commercial) cattle at the end of the postweaning year. Steers grew more (12%; P < 0.0001) and were leaner (2.6 mm less P8 fat depth; P < 0.0001) than heifers. Animals that grazed at lower stocking rates gained more weight (P < 0.0001) but were not significantly fatter than those at higher stocking rates. The way these factors can be used to produce leaner animals with more value-adding potential for South-East Asian feedlots is discussed.

Animal production on sown and native pastures on brigalow land in southern Queensland during drought

1969 ◽  
Vol 9 (36) ◽  
pp. 47 ◽  
Author(s):  
JE Coaldrake ◽  
CA Smith ◽  
JJ Yates ◽  
LA Edye
Keyword(s):  
Dry Matter ◽  
First Year ◽  
Stocking Rate ◽  
Rhodes Grass ◽  
Buffel Grass ◽  
Native Pasture ◽  
Chloris Gayana ◽  
Native Pastures ◽  
Stocking Rates ◽  
Better Than

Liveweight gains of six yearling steers grazing on each of four introduced grasses, each with lucerne, were compared with those from native pasture and native pasture plus forage oats, on a weakly solonized brown clay loam of moderate fertility in the brigalow region of southern Queensland. The pastures were grazed continuously for three years (1963 to 1965) at set stocking rates during the worst drought known from 87 years of local records. At the height of the drought in 1965 the sown pastures supported animals as far into the drought as did the two native pasture treatments at half the stocking rate. Sorghum almum (CV. Crooble) and Rhodes grass (Chloris gayana CV. Pioneer) died late in the drought and did not re-establish after rain, whereas buffel grass (Cenchrus ciliaris CV. Nunbank) and green panic (Panicm maximum var. trichoglume CV. Petrie) survived. Standing dry matter in the pastures was less than 1,000 lb dry matter an acre for much of the life of the experiment. At a stocking rate of one bullock to 2.3 acres S. almm gave the highest average gain per head in the first full year of grazing (462 lb per head), but this was only significantly better (P<0.05) than the gain from buffel grass, and not significantly better than the gains (at one bullock to 4.6 acres) on native pasture (415 lb per head) and native pasture plus oats (390 lb per head). Rainfall in the first year was 18 inches. In the remaining two years, with 13 and 8 inches of rain respectively, there were no significant differences between the sown pastures until the S. almum and Rhodes grass died. Native pasture plus oats (681 lb per head) and native pasture (424 Ib per head) gave the greatest gain per head in 1964, but not per acre because of the lower stocking rate.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document