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The potential for control of the soft rush ( Juncus effusus ) in grass pasture by grazing goats
Author(s) -
MERCHANT M.
Publication year - 1993
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.1365-2494.1993.tb01874.x
Subject(s) - tussock , grazing , pasture , agronomy , juncus , biology , stocking , zoology , ecology , wetland
Two experiments were conducted to examine the effect of inter‐tussock grass height and stocking rate on the utilization of the rush ( Juncus effusus ) by grazing goats. In the first experiment, on rush‐infested Festuca rubralTrifolium repens pasture, the utilization of rushes by goats grazing at a sward height of 3–4cm or 5–6cm was compared with that occurring on plots grazed by sheep at a sward height of 3–4 cm. Sheep grazed minimal amounts of rush. In contrast, it was estimated that 90% and 75% of current seasons growth of rush was grazed by goats at sward heights of 3–4 and 5–6 cm respectively during the first year. With continued goat grazing at 5–6cm there was a dramatic reduction in the cover and vigour of the rushes, and at a sward height of 3–4cm established tussocks were eliminated from the pasture. The second experiment compared the utilization of rushes invading predominantly Agrostis swards stocked with goals at 10, 20 or 30 ha ‐1 and in which inter‐tussock sward height was maintained at 4–5cm on all treatments, by adding or subtracting sheep. On one site rush utilization increased with the increase in stocking rate of goats and rush tussocks were eliminated within 3 years at 30 goats ha ‐1 . On another, there was no difference between plots stocked at 20 or 30 goats ha ‐1 and viable tussocks remained. The influence of the composition and productivity of the inter‐tussock herbage and the proportion of rush in the biomass are discussed. Goats can be used lo control rushes in grassland but high stocking levels and low inter‐tussock pasture heights are required to promote adequate levels of utilization.