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THE EFFECT OF INTENSIVE SHEEP STOCKING OVER A FIVE‐YEAR PERIOD ON THE DEVELOPMENT AND PRODUCTION OF THE SWARD
Author(s) -
Kydd D. D.
Publication year - 1966
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.1365-2494.1966.tb00489.x
Subject(s) - grazing , dry matter , silage , stocking , agronomy , biology , organic matter , population , zoology , ecology , demography , sociology
An increase in the amount of dry‐matter recorded from year to year in grazed paddocks was accompanied by changes in the structure and botanical composition of the sward. These changes were due to the presence of the grazing animal, but there was no increase in the amount of DM grazed by the animals. Some increase was harvested when the swards were cut to make silage. Of the 2 possible ways by which organic‐matter might circulate within the ecological system, directly from plant to soil or indirectly through the animal, it is suggested that the system of management favoured the former. Since there is evidence that an increase in the amount of DM per unit area implies an increase in the growth potential of the sward, it is concluded that it should be possible to adjust the grazing system to the advantage of the animal population. The development, production and growth of the sward is discussed in ecological and agricultural terms; in the latter, reference is made to the ageing of swards.