14- vs. 42-paddock rotational grazing: Forage quality
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Authors: R. K. Heitschmidt, S. L. Dowhower, and J. W. Walker
Date: 1987
Journal: Journal of Range Management
Volume: 40
Number: 4
Pages: 315-317
Summary of Methods: Research was initiated at the Texas Experimental Ranch in 1981 to quantify the effects of 2 livestock densities on forage quality in a rotational grazing (RG) treatment. Livestock densities evaluated were equivalent to 14- and 42-paddock RG treatments. Near the beginning of the 1982 growing season the center paddock was subdivided into three, 10-ha paddocks to establish the RG-42 treatment. Results showed that livestock density had minimal effect on forage quality. Increases and decreases in overall quality during grazing periods were positively associated with rates of plant growth. Number of periods when forage quality increased or decreased during grazing and magnitude of change were unaffected by treatment. These results agree with concurrent studies which showed that neither forage production, plant species composition, nor live/dead ratios were significantly altered when number of paddocks was increased from 14 to 42.
Article Summary / Main Points: None
Vegetation Types:
MLRA Ecoregions:
Agrovoc Control Words: Riparian zones Rangelands Wildlife
Article Review Type: Refereed
Article Type: Experimental Research
Keywords: stocking density, cell grazing, aboveground net primary production, growth dynamics, rotational grazing treatments
Annotation: The treatment was stocked with 125 Hereford/Angus crossbred cows at a heavy rate of 3.7 ha/cow/yr. Rate of stocking was constant until June 1984 when it was reduced to 5.1 ha/cow/yr because of drought.
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