The effects of season and management on the growth of grass swards

Parsons, A. J.

doi:10.1007/978-94-009-1187-1_4

Cited by 82 publications

(84 citation statements)

References 90 publications

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“…That would indicate the ideal harvest point during regrowth (determinant of cutting and/or grazing interval), a condition that would be associated with the end of the linear phase of the sigmoidal growth curve described by Brougham [10]. These findings indicated convergence of the available knowledge and corroborated the central role of LAI as a determinant of plant responses to grazing, highlighting the need to study and understand aspects related to sward structure, light use, and the balance between growth and senescence as a means of planning and defining efficient grazing management strategies [67]. Chapman & Lemaire [68] reinforced the importance of LAI as a determinant of forage plant responses, and demonstrated that it was the result of the combined expression of the morphogenetic and structural characteristics of plants in a given environment.…”

Section: Forage Grass Research-a Historical Overviewsupporting

confidence: 65%

Ecophysiology of C4 Forage Grasses—Understanding Plant Growth for Optimising Their Use and Management

2015

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Grazing management has been the focus of the research with forage plants in Brazil for many years. Only in the last two decades, however, significant changes and advances have occurred regarding the understanding of the key factors and processes that determine adequate use of tropical forage plants in pastures. The objective of this review is to provide an historical overview of the research with forage plants and grasslands in Brazil, highlighting advances, trends, and results, as well as to describe the current state of the art and identify future perspectives and challenges. The information is presented in a systematic manner, favoring an integrated view of the different trends and research philosophies. A critical appraisal is given of the need for revision and change of paradigms as a means of improving and consolidating the knowledge on animal production from pastures. Such analysis idealizes efficient, sound and sustainable grazing management practices necessary to realize the existing potential for animal production in the tropics.

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Section: Forage Grass Research-a Historical Overviewsupporting

confidence: 65%

Ecophysiology of C4 Forage Grasses—Understanding Plant Growth for Optimising Their Use and Management

2015

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“…First, the length of leaves which become senescent is directly proportional to the residual herbage mass through their lifespan (Davies 1988), which is usually rather constant for a given species when expressed in degree-days (Duru et al 1993). Second, part of the respiration depends on plant mass, about 1.5% per day (Parsons 1988). So, for a given herbage nitrogen index, the net herbage accumulation per day should be lower when the residual herbage mass increases.…”

Section: Effect Of Grazing Management On Net Herbage Accumulationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The intensity and frequency of sward defoliation determines both the net herbage growth following a grazing and herbage intake (Parsons 1988). These practices also determine the efficiency of fertilizer use, nitrogen in particular (Mazzanti et al 1994).…”

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confidence: 99%

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Herbage volume per animal: A tool for rotational grazing management

Duru¹,

Ducrocq²,

Bossuet³

2000

REM

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The objective of this study was to provide a tool for maintaining a high grazing efficiency. In a rotational grazing system, the residual sward height does not provide enough information in advance to make the recommendation. The grazing management of 4 commercial dairy farms which differed greatly in their stocking rate, was monitored over 3 spring seasons. Data were collected on the overall grazing area (sward height measurements, stocking rate, indoor feeding, nitrogen supply) and on 3 grazed fields (herbage mass, height, and nitrogen status). At the whole grazing area level, computed data were herbage volume per animal unit (HVAU).We show that the HVAU depends on the residual herbage height. Both criteria decreased when stocking rate increased. The HVAU reflects, at the whole grazing season and area levels, how the system works on grazed field over grazing cycle. The HVAU has 2 advantages: (i) It gives rough estimation of the size of the whole grazing area to achieve a high grazing efficiency; (ii) it is a means to assess a posteriori the efficiency of the grazing system regarding the consistency between stocking rate and nitrogen supply management.

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“…Therefore, in dense tall fescue swards, under non-limiting growth conditions, it is possible to increase the herbage mass accumulation of the sward, if the regrowth period is extended, through compensatory changes in tiller density and tiller size. However, this kind of management might have negative consequences on the nutritional quality of forage (Marino and Agnusdei, 2004) and on the production of the following regrowth if the subsequent resting period in not long enough (Parsons, 1988). On the other hand, it is possible to promote tillering by increasing the grazing frequency to obtain a similar productivity and high quality forage.…”

Section: Tall Fescue Experimentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Tiller population density and productivity in tall fescue and prairie grass swards

Scheneiter¹,

Assuero

2010

Cienc. Inv. Agr.

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J. Scheneiter, and S. Assuero. 2010. Tiller population density and productivity in tall fescue and prairie grass swards. Cien. Inv. Agr. 37(2): 35-44. This study examined the relationship between herbage mass and tiller population density in terms of size/density compensation theory, in tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) and prairie grass (Bromus catharticus Vhal) swards. Tall fescue herbage mass and tiller density information was collected from an experiment where two nitrogen levels, two seeding arrangements and two grazing frequencies were evaluated. In prairie grass, the same information was obtained from swards managed with two levels of defoliation frequency and intensity. In tall fescue size density compensation mechanisms were observed when nitrogen nutrition limitation was overcome. Prairie grass showed less phenotypic plasticity than tall fescue and density/compensation mechanisms were less evident.

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The effects of season and management on the growth of grass swards

Cited by 82 publications

References 90 publications

Ecophysiology of C4 Forage Grasses—Understanding Plant Growth for Optimising Their Use and Management

Ecophysiology of C4 Forage Grasses—Understanding Plant Growth for Optimising Their Use and Management

Herbage volume per animal: A tool for rotational grazing management

Tiller population density and productivity in tall fescue and prairie grass swards

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