Grassland Basics Flashcards
What are some grassland statistics for the UK?
- there are 500,000 hectares in horse use
- there are 300,000 hectares used for feed production
- there are 60 UK racecourses and about 100 P2P courses
Define GRASSLAND
Grassland is a vegetation type of global importance. It is a plant community where grasses (gramineae) are dominant with few shrubs/weeds. They have varied growth cycles. It is very versatile and different species have different uses.
Define a PERENNIAL plant
A perennial plant is one that lives for at least two years
What is the role of grassland?
- source of forage for grazing
- source of grazing for winter fodder
- used as an exercise/work area (gallops, XC course etc)
- used for recreational purposes
- used for sports fields
What is the evolutionary significance of grass?
30 million years ago, the Earth cooled. Continental uplift took place and inland areas were deprived of rain. Forest diminished and were replaced with open grassland.
By 20 million years ago, grassland had become a major part of the world’s vegetation
Increased grassland influenced the evolution of bovines and equines - diets changed, bodies changed and lifestyles changed
2 million years ago - the evolution of man was accelerated by grassland prominence
Define a SWARD
A sward is the mixture of grasses, legumes and weeds in a given area. The thickness of the sward affects ground cover and will be different depending on what the grassland is used for.
Define a LEY
A ley is a temporary sward made up of a few species. It is less than 5 years old and rotated. Often more productive than permanent pasture but more easily damaged by over use.
Define a PERMANENT PASTURE
A permanent pasture is older than 5 years old and is made up of indigenous species. Quality of sward is affected by the amount of ryegrass used.
What is the difference between cultivated and uncultivated grassland?
Cultivated grassland is used for growing of crops - 56% of the grassland in the UK is cultivated and the rest is rough grazing. Cultivated grassland is divided into:
- leys (temporary)
- permanent pasture
What is the species diversity of grass?
Worldwide there are 620 genera and 10,000 species
In the UK there are 54 genera and 160 species, which is 1.6% of the total.
9 out of the total 17 common species in the UK can achieve dominance
What are some common grass species in the UK?
- Perennial ryegrass
- Italian ryegrass
- Common bent
- Creeping bent (indigenous)
- Red fescue (indigenous)
- Meadow fescue
- Timothy
- Cocksfoot
What are the most important grass species in the UK?
The most important grass species in the UK is perennial ryegrass
- very productive
- long living
- hard wearing
- have early, intermediate and pasture varieties
ALSO IMPORTANT:
Short duration ryegrasses. Theses have high yields during short terms of 1-2 years (may be hybrids - IRG x PRG). Creating hybrids combines positive traits
What swards should be used for grazing?
Must be:
- thick and dense
- well draining
- productive ( in order to prevent some weeds)
- variety of species including (helps the horses diet and the hindgut)
- weeds may add nutritional purposes
What should be considered for pasture management?
- the forage source
- parasite control
- horse welfare
- soil science
- soil chemistry
- species variation
- routine management procedures
What are some methods of routine pasture management?
- harrowing
- rolling
- poo picking
- fertilising
This is done to prevent the pasture becoming ‘horse sick’ where it goes bald and patchy from over use.
Define DIPLOIDS
Diploids are plants with two sets of chromosomes. They are the most long lived and persistent. They have a high level of dry matter and are suited to grazing and making forage.
Define TETRAPLOIDS
Tetraploids have four sets of chromosomes but are not genetically modified. They contain lots of sugar - have a high laminitis risk. Low dry matter content but high WSC content. Good for sports turfs as they grow quickly, Most hybrids are tetraploids.
What are some hard wearing species of grass?
Creeping bent, browntop bent, highland bent, stop creeping red fescue, smooth meadow grass
Define LEGUMES
Legumes are plants often included in grazing swards for a variety in diet.
What are some types of legumes?
White clover -
- persistent in grazed paddocks
- high protein feed and soil nitrogen enrichment
- varying leaf sizes
- may become a weed in overgrazed paddocks
Sainfoin -
- perennial legume
- traditional horse feed in the Cotswold
- should not be sown with aggressive grasses
- better quality than lucerne but lower yielding and less persistent
Lucerne (alfalfa) -
- most widely grown legume
- high protein - good for dried forages
- mainly imported but also grown in the UK
Red clover -
- much less persistent than white clover
- used for high protein hay/haylege
All legumes are high in nitrogen which is then converted to protein - they are therefore an excellent source of amino acids. They are mostly self fertilising.
What are some examples of injurious weeds?
- docks
- thistles
- ragwort - much more dangerous when dried out as it is much more palatable as it loses its bitter taste
