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THE PATTERN OF GRAZING IN ‘CONTINUOUSLY’ GRAZED SWARDS
Author(s) -
Morris R. M.
Publication year - 1969
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.1365-2494.1969.tb01046.x
Subject(s) - grazing , tiller (botany) , zoology , leaf area index , agronomy , biology
The frequency and severity of defoliation of small sample areas, 8 × 8 cm, was studied in swards of S37 cocksfoot which were maintained at different levels of leaf‐area index by continuous grazing with lambs. By varying the number of lambs grazing a plot, the LAI was maintained at three approximately constant levels, 5.3 (H), 4.1 (M), and 3.0 (L). Any one 8 × 8 cm area was grazed on average once every 36 days in treatment H, 24 days in treatment M and 19 days in treatment L. Approximately 24% of the total length of leaf present per tiller was removed each time a tiller was grazed, under all treatments. The lambs tended to graze patches of herbage about 16 × 16 cm, then move to a different place in the sward. These results are discussed in relation to grazing practices aimed at securing the maximum harvested yield.