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THE EFFECT OF IRRIGATION AND STOCKING RATE ON THE OUTPUT FROM A SWARD
Author(s) -
Bone J. S.,
Tayler R. S.
Publication year - 1963
Publication title -
grass and forage science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.716
H-Index - 56
eISSN - 1365-2494
pISSN - 0142-5242
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2494.1963.tb00367.x
Subject(s) - stocking , irrigation , stocking rate , grazing , grassland , herd , milk production , agronomy , environmental science , production (economics) , forage , zoology , biology , agroforestry , economics , macroeconomics
The dairy‐cow results are presented from an experiment in which the response to grass irrigation was measured at two stocking rates. The method and herbage results have already been described (1). Over two years, with an average application rate of 5·5 in of water per year, the main effect of irrigation was to increase the number of grazing days obtained by 35%. Neither yield per cow nor milk quality was significantly affected by the treatments. The data emphasize the importance of high stocking rates for the full exploitation of irrigation. The practical implications of the results are discussed; they suggest that in the right circumstances of herd potential and grassland management, irrigation for milk production can be highly profitable.