Nutrition: Grassland Management Flashcards
1
Q
Typical compositions of grasslands
A
- Young grass
- DM= 15-20%
- ME=11.5-12.5
- CP=15-20%
- Mature grass
- DM=25-50%
- ME=9.5-10.5
- CP=5-13%
2
Q
Types of grasslands
A
- Natural (rough) grasslands: rough/hill grazing
* Cultivated grasslands: permanent grasslands, rotational grass
3
Q
Components of Natural Grasslands
A
Uncultivated/unimproved
Low quality herbage species
Management: grazing, burning, improvement, drainage, liming, fertilizing, reseeding
4
Q
Components of cultivated grasslands (Permanent pasture)
A
Permanent pasture: improved, maintained without reseeding, common in uplands and lowlands, most abundant grassland, 5yo, grass more palatable, higher nutritive value
Herbage species are diverse
5
Q
Components of cultivated grasslands (rotational)
A
Common in mixed farms Used for grazing and conservation <5yo Grass palatable, high nutritive value Sown every few years as part of crop rotation Herbage species: only few species used
6
Q
Types of legumes
A
- Clover: white or red, higher in CP than grasses, higher in many minerals than grasses, present in mixed swards with grasses
- Lucerne: v important crop, grazed or conserved, higher CP than grasses
- associated problems: bloat, phytoestrogens
7
Q
Ways to manage grasslands
A
- Fertilizer: NPK
- Soil pH: grasses~6.5; use lime or sulphur, test soil in late winter to establish req for NPK
- Mechanical tx: harrowing, rolling, topping, reseeding
- Drainage: prevent sward damage
8
Q
Grazing strategies
A
- Continuous: uncontrolled grazing, often for whole grazing season or year round, variable stocking rate, not ideal
- Rotational/strip: area divided into paddocks, grazed in sequence, grazing followed by rest period
- Mixed/alternate: mixing animal species, cattle graze taller herbage, sheep prefer shorter, dilutes parasite infestation
- Zero: grass cut daily and fed to housed livestock, very high capital costs
