Lecture 2 Flashcards
What does grassland refer to?
Refers to a plant community in which grasses (graminaea) are usually the dominant species, with forbs present in variable amounts, but trees and shrubs are absent or only present in minor constituents
What does grassland include: (3)
1-Pasture
2-Rangeland
3-Cover crops
All plant communities that animals are fed.
Definition: Pasture
An area of land in which grass or other plants are grown for the feeding of grazing animals
Definition: Forage
Edible parts of plants other than separated grain, that provide feed for animals or can be harvested for feeding
Definition: Herbage
The biomass of herbaceous plants. The term generally refers to edible plant parts other than grain
Definition: Biomass
The weight of living organisms (plants or animals) in an ecosystem at a given point in time expressed as either fresh or dry weight.
List the 3 different types of grassland:
1-Leys
2-Perminant pasture
3-Rough grazing
Talk about leys:
2 types:
-Short term ley (1-2 years) silage production. Containing IRG/HR/RC suitable to this type of production
-Medium term leys (3+years) grazing rotation containing PRG/WC/Timothy/Cocksfoot
Definition: Permanent Pasture
-Land that has been under grass for at least 5 yrs and hasn’t been ploughed foe other crops in that time
(Semi natural, Improved grassland)
Definition: Rough Grazing
-Includes commonage, areas that is unfenced and has low levels of inputs and management.
-Usually in hilly/upland area and often grazed by sheep
What is an example of a grassland Ley in UCD Lyons farm:
-Red clover/hybrid ryegrass
-Tetraploid PRG
-Italian RG and Red clover
What is a Ley?
-How long is it for?
-Grass legume sward sown as part of a pre designed rotation of crops with an intention being to plough it up again after a pre determined number of years.
-Remains a ley as long as the species of grasses and clover which it contains are directly attributable to the seeds that were initially sown
-Any duration, Pre-designed crop rotation system, ultimately intended to be ploughed up
1-When did ley farming become popular?
2-What sort of sequence is a regular rotation for leys to be part of?
3-List Managerial and technical advantages to leys?
4-What is one really beneficial thing that you gain from Leys?
1-Around 2nd WW, following a period of agricultural depression, continuous tillage -soil structure and productivity
2-Grass rotated with cereal or root crops in a regular sequence
3-Soil fertility, weed, pest and disease control
4-Organic matter (soil structure- compaction/earthworms)
What has led to a decline in ley farming?
A decline in ley farming has led to what?
Intensified cropping systems:
-Cheaper source if fertiliser= reduced need fir crop rotation
-Herbicides and pesticides become readily available
-Still has an important role to play in organic farming (atmospheric N)
-Decline in ley farming has led to an increase in specialisation (Continuous cropping or permanent grassland)
What is the role of grassland leys in the future?
Ley pastures provide a large set of inputs:
(soil conservation, nutrient provision and recycling, soil water retention, biological control pests)
and outputs:
(water purification, climate, reduction, habitat provision, biodiversity conservation, forage production)
ecosystem services of primary importance.
Definition: Permanent pasture
Land that has not been included in the crop-rotation of a holding of 5 years of more
What must Ireland ensure when it comes to permanent grassland?
Total Agricultural land area should be maintained and that this ratio shall not be decreased by >5% versus 2012 (Green Direct Payment)
What sort of land has no obligations to implement the 3 greening measures?
Holdings where >75% of the eligible agricultural area is permanent grassland or is used for the production of grasses or other herbaceous forage have no further obligations to implement the 3 greening measures
What are 3 greening measures:
1-Crop diversification
2-Protection of permanent grassland
3-Protection of environmentally sensitive areas
What are semi natural grasslands?
They have been altered by human agricultural or pastoral activity, generally grazing or mowing , but without the input of fertilisers or reseeding with high - yielding species such as Lolium perenne and Trifolium repens
Name the 5 permanent grassland things :
1-Types of grasses
2-Perennial Ryegrass
3-Categories of Ryegrass
4-Variety testing
5-Pasture profit index
6-National Recommended List
List 5 common sown grasses:
1- Perennial ryegrass
2-Italian ryegrass
3-Cocksfoot
4-Timothy
5-Meadow fescue
Perennial Ryegrass Characteristics:(5)
1-Dark green tufted plant
2-Leaves are flat, smooth, glossy
3-Fibrous roots
4-Inflorescence, narrow spike with flattened spikelet’s containing 8- 12 florets
5-Yellow/violet anthers
-What is the most common grass species in Ireland?
-Why is this the most common grass?
-What % of all seeds is this grass?
-Perennial Ryegrass
-Temperate climate
-95% of all seed sales are PRG
What are the limitations to PRG?
-Nutrient-hungry grass: requires nutrients to produce tonnage grass
-Not tolerant of drought, heat stress or low fertility: no deep rooting if nutrients are not on the top layer of the soil
What are the advantages of PRG? (7)
1-Rapid early growth for spring calving
2-High yield of quality forage
3-Productive on well-drained soils – 15/16 tonnes/ha
4-Suited to rotational grazing
5-Palatable
6-Tolerates trampling
7-Target 60% sward PRG: if <60% then reseed required
What is the Characteristics of Italian Ryegrass? (8)
1-Tufted plant
2-Annual or biennial
3-Taller than PRG
4-Leaves 2x that PRG
5-Fibrous roots
6-Upright stems
7-Long narrow larger spike inflorescence with awned spikelet’s
8-Yellow/grey-violet anthers
List limitations to IRG: (2)
1-Not winter hardy
2-Only lasts c.3 years
Not as persistent as PRG – not well suited to a grazing sward. Very steamy
Whats the advantages of IRG: (5)
1-Will tolerate low fertility and poor drainage but not drought
2-Similar nutritive value to PRG
3-Higher yield – 17-tonne yield
4-Popular for silage sward
What a grass that’s much less common today?
Cocksfoot
Orchard grass
List Characteristics of Cocksfoot: (4)
1-Dense tussocks up to 1m high
2-Broad flat leaf with a smooth surface
3-Duller green than PRG
4-Inflorescence is a panicle
What are advantages of cocksfoot? (5)
1-Deep root system
2-Drought tolerant
3-Palatable
4-High yielding
5-Responds well to fertiliser Intolerant of wet conditions and tight grazing’s
*( 4cm post grazing cover – pressure for regrowth)
Whats a limitation to cocksfoot?
Lower nutrient value
Whats 4 Characteristics to timothy?
1-Found in seed mixtures for heavier more challenging soil types (e.g. peat).
2-Horse mixtures – higher fibre and lower energy
3-Smooth stemmed grass
4-Short broad greyish-green leaves Inflorescence true spike
Whats the advantages to timothy ? (6)
1-Deep root system
2-Tolerates lower pH and extremes of heat and cold
3-75% the production of other grasses
4-Winter hardy
5-Early season growth
6-High yield
What is limitations to timothy?(4)
1-Low tiller density
2-Short-lived perennial
3-Lower digestibility for ruminants – low WSC – Water soluble carbohydrate – energy
4-Less palatable – animals graze around it
Name a not very common grass type?
Meadow Fescue
List advantages to Meadow Fescue: (4)
1-Persistent grass
2-Suited to poorer fertility soil – demand not there for establishment
3-Winter hardy
4-Wide leaves produce high-quality hay
List Limitations to Meadow Fescue: (2)
1-Slower to establish than PRG
2-Does not respond well to chemical N
In the reproductive stages of all PRG, IRG, Cocksfoot, Timothy and Meadows fescue, what is distinctive:
-Distinctive seed head