Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface
- Acknowledgements
- Abbreviations
- 1 Grassland improvement and environmental protection
- 2 The plant genetic base for grassland improvement
- 3 The nitrogen economy of grasslands
- 4 Growth and defoliation
- 5 Grassland ecology
- 6 Grazing management
- 7 Innovation, optimization and the realization of change
- Appendix The International Grassland Congresses
- References
- Index
6 - Grazing management
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 19 September 2009
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface
- Acknowledgements
- Abbreviations
- 1 Grassland improvement and environmental protection
- 2 The plant genetic base for grassland improvement
- 3 The nitrogen economy of grasslands
- 4 Growth and defoliation
- 5 Grassland ecology
- 6 Grazing management
- 7 Innovation, optimization and the realization of change
- Appendix The International Grassland Congresses
- References
- Index
Summary
Introduction
The objectives of grazing management are to synchronize the supply of available forage with the demand of the animals grazing the pasture and to maintain the vigour of acceptable pasture. These are effected by choosing a stocking rate (SR, the number of animals carried on the pasture per unit area) which reflects the long-term capacity of the pasture to produce acceptable forage, as modified by the inputs made by the manager which influence pasture growth and quality. A consequential objective is to transfer the availability of forage in time and to give priority feeding to the classes of stock generating the greatest marginal return (McCall & Sheath, 1993). This involves stocking method: the deferment of grazing in order to accumulate surplus feed, and the rotation of stock around different paddocks according to some defined objectives associated with the botanical composition of the pasture or with farm convenience. This may be directed to the provision of a sequence of different forages in order to maintain continuity of forage supply (Humphreys, 1991). The species of animals grazed also impacts on the sustainability of forage resources. Grassland scientists have long been concerned about the effects of overgrazing and the degradation of the landscape, as outlined in chapter 5.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- The Evolving Science of Grassland Improvement , pp. 156 - 182Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 1997