ISSN:
1365-2494
Source:
Blackwell Publishing Journal Backfiles 1879-2005
Topics:
Agriculture, Forestry, Horticulture, Fishery, Domestic Science, Nutrition
Notes:
Individual tillers of S23 ryegrass, in three paddocks set-stocked with sheep at widely differing grazing pressures, were marked and studied from 11 July to 19 August, 1966, and observations were made on the frequency and severity of grazing.The uprooting of tillers, and the destruction of others, were major sources of loss of records. It was found that an acceptable measure of the frequency of defoliation could be made by recording three times a week. In a subsidiary experiment it was shown that repeated handling did not affect the DM yield, the number of tillers or the length of green leaf (G.L.L.) of single plants.Despite the extreme differences in grazing pressure, there were no significant differences between paddocks in the daily increase in the G.L.L. of tillers which were not grazed during a short period of intensive recording. In all three paddocks the sheep tended to graze the tillers with the greatest G.L.L. at any one time, and there was evidence of patchy grazing only at the lowest grazing pressure.An increase in grazing pressure resulted in increases in both the frequency and severity of defoliation. Comparisons were made between the product of the frequency X severity of defoliation of individual tillers, and the stocking rate, grazing pressure and herbage consumption on the three paddocks.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2494.1969.tb01073.x
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