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Effects of different levels of fertilizer application to veld on growth of steers and chemical composition of the herbage
Author(s) -
Cilliers J. W.,
Van Biljon P. L.,
Tolmay E.,
Coertze C.
Publication year - 1997
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.1365-2494.1997.tb02354.x
Subject(s) - stocking , human fertilization , dry matter , pasture , zoology , biology , agronomy , fertilizer , stocking rate , grazing
The effects of different levels of N fertilization (no N, 40 kg N and 80 kg N ha −1 year −1 ), P fertilization (no P, 21 kg P ha −1 year −1 and 21 kg P plus 53 kg K ha −1 year −1 ) and stocking rates (0·52 large stock units (LSU) ha −1 , 0·78 LSU ha −1 and 1·56 LSU ha −1 ) on the chemical composition and in vitro dry matter digestibility of the herbage and the liveweight gains of steers were determined in the western variant of the Bankenveld in South Africa. The average daily liveweight gains (ADLGs) of the steers increased with increasing level of N fertilization. Fertilization with P had a positive effect on ADLG only when 53 kg of K was applied with 21 kg of P ha −1 . Higher stocking rates reduced ADLGs. The liveweight gains ha −1 increased as the rates of N and P fertilization increased. The medium stocking rate (0·78 LSU ha −1 ) gave a higher liveweight gain ha −1 than the lowest stocking rate (0·52 LSU ha −1 ), but the highest stocking rate (1·56 LSU ha −1 ) reduced liveweight gain ha −1 . In general, in terms of chemical components, a higher nutritive value of the veld herbage resulted from N fertilization. The higher crude protein (CP) content of the herbage, resulting from higher stocking rates, should be seen against the background of lower liveweight gains ha −1 at the highest stocking rate. On pasture with similar contents of CP and acid detergent fibre (ADF), higher ADLG of steers was found as a result of P and K fertilization, especially for herbage with a lower CP and a higher ADF content, implying better utilization of the nutrients in such herbage with P and K fertilization, although P was also supplemented through a lick.