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Articles 1981 - 2010 of 9405

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Grazing Behaviour And Selection Of Browse Species By Cattle, Sheep And Goats On Natural Pasture In The Sahelian Zone Of Burkina Faso, H. O. Sanon, C. Zoungrana-Kabore, I. Ledin Jun 2023

Grazing Behaviour And Selection Of Browse Species By Cattle, Sheep And Goats On Natural Pasture In The Sahelian Zone Of Burkina Faso, H. O. Sanon, C. Zoungrana-Kabore, I. Ledin

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Pastures in semi-arid countries, are subject to seasonal variability. Browse species that are less dependent on rainfall, are highly valued. Goats are browsers, while cattle and sheep are grazers. However, faced with a scarcity of feed resources, especially in the late dry season, all animal species fall back on browse species. The objective of this study was to estimate feeding behaviour and browse species utilisation by cattle, sheep and goats on natural pasture in different seasons, and concurrently appreciate the indigenous knowledge on browse species in the study area.

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Herbage Accumulation And Vegetation Structure In Tanzâniagrass (Panicum Maximum, Jacq. Cv Tanzania) Pasture Submitted To Regime Of Intermittent Stocking, Ana C. Ruggieri, Carlos A. M. Gomide, Estella R. Janusckiewicz, E. D. Contato, R. A. Reis Jun 2023

Herbage Accumulation And Vegetation Structure In Tanzâniagrass (Panicum Maximum, Jacq. Cv Tanzania) Pasture Submitted To Regime Of Intermittent Stocking, Ana C. Ruggieri, Carlos A. M. Gomide, Estella R. Janusckiewicz, E. D. Contato, R. A. Reis

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Knowledge of pasture structure characteristics such as height, tillering density, leaf area index (LAI) and herbage mass (HM), together with growth rates and forage accumulation, can become important tools to indicate improvements to the production system. This experiment evaluated the structural and productive characteristics and persistence of a Tanzaniagrass pasture.

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Methane Emissions Of Dairy Cows In Irish Spring-Calving, Grass Based Production Systems, Frank O'Mara, D. K. Lovett Jun 2023

Methane Emissions Of Dairy Cows In Irish Spring-Calving, Grass Based Production Systems, Frank O'Mara, D. K. Lovett

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Countries which sign up to the Kyoto Protocol on greenhouse gas emissions are required to return annual inventories of greenhouse gas emissions, including methane emissions from farm livestock. Countries with large agricultural emissions are encouraged to derive specific emission factors (annual production of methane per animal in a specified animal class) for their livestock populations, rather than relying on default emission factors provided by IPCC (1996). In this paper, we describe how an emission rate of methane from enteric fermentation for spring-calving dairy cows in Irish production systems has been derived.

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Rainfall And Grazing Impacts On The Population Dynamics Of Bothriochloa Ewartiana In Tropical Australia, David M. Orr, Peter J. O'Reagain Jun 2023

Rainfall And Grazing Impacts On The Population Dynamics Of Bothriochloa Ewartiana In Tropical Australia, David M. Orr, Peter J. O'Reagain

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Bothriochloa ewartiana (desert bluegrass) is a palatable, native perennial (C4) grass of considerable importance to the northern Australian grazing industry. However, little is known of the interaction between grazing pressure and the highly variable rainfall found in this area, on its population dynamics. This paper reports interim results (1998-2004) from a long-term study, in which its population dynamics were examined under 3 grazing strategies.

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Root And Vigor Response Of Big Bluestem To Summer Grazing Strategies, E. M. Mousel, W. H. Schacht, L. E. Moser, C. W. Zanner Jun 2023

Root And Vigor Response Of Big Bluestem To Summer Grazing Strategies, E. M. Mousel, W. H. Schacht, L. E. Moser, C. W. Zanner

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Warm-season grasses e.g., big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii Vitman) are great potential sources of summer forage in eastern Nebraska. Frequent, intensive defoliation can reduce root mass and limit root distribution. Quantifying root structure response to multiple defoliation events in a grazing situation is critical to develop management plans for these types of grasses. This experiment aimed to quantify the cumulative effects of timing and frequency of grazing on root structure and organic reserve estimates in big bluestem pastures.

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Managing The Reproductive Development Of Grasses By Grazing Practices, J. P. Theau, L. Chazelas, P. Ansquer, J. Viegas, O. Stefanini, M. L. Petit, P. Cruz, Michael Duru Jun 2023

Managing The Reproductive Development Of Grasses By Grazing Practices, J. P. Theau, L. Chazelas, P. Ansquer, J. Viegas, O. Stefanini, M. L. Petit, P. Cruz, Michael Duru

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Grazing natural grassland communities is necessary for both productive (feeding herbivores) and environmental (maintenance of open landscapes) objectives. Management guidelines should take into account the functional diversity of plant species between and within grassland communities. The management of the heading stage of grasses by grazing is an important tool to maintain acceptable forage quality and to avoid the seeding of low-valued species. The heading stage should be managed even in extensive systems and this needs a good knowledge of the phenological development of dominant species. In this work we illustrate the approach through the study of the development of four …

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Estilosantes Campo Grande In Brazil: A Tropical Forage Legume Success Story, Celso D. Fernandes, Bela Grof, S. Chakraborty, Jaqueline R. Verzignassi Jun 2023

Estilosantes Campo Grande In Brazil: A Tropical Forage Legume Success Story, Celso D. Fernandes, Bela Grof, S. Chakraborty, Jaqueline R. Verzignassi

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Estilosantes Campo Grande (ECG) is a mixture (80/20 by weight) of Stylosanthes capitata and S. macrocephala, derived through genetic combination of selected accessions by open crossing over 6 generations (Grof et al., 2001). The cultivar is the result of >10 years of research on a collection of >1000 ecotypes of Stylosanthes species collected and maintained by Embrapa. The main use of ECG in Brazil is to improve grass-dominant pastures. It has good persistence with Brachiaria spp., Panicum maximum (Tanzania-1 and Mombaça) and Andropogon gayanus. It has excellent adaptation to low fertility sandy soils and is persistent under …

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Forage Peanut (Arachis Pintoi): A High Yielding And High Quality Tropical Legume For Sustainable Cattle Production Systems In The Western Brazilian Amazon, Judson F. Valentim, C. M. S. De Andrade Jun 2023

Forage Peanut (Arachis Pintoi): A High Yielding And High Quality Tropical Legume For Sustainable Cattle Production Systems In The Western Brazilian Amazon, Judson F. Valentim, C. M. S. De Andrade

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The State of Acre had 1.45 million ha of pastures and a cattle herd of 1.95 million heads in 2003. Since 1998, the increasing area affected by the death of Marandu grass (Brachiaria brizantha) led farmers in Acre to search for alternatives to maintain productivity and profitability of their production systems. However, the traditional strategy of converting primary forest areas into pastures has been severely restricted by strong enforcement of environmental legislation by state and federal agencies. This forced farmers to search for alternative technologies to reclaim degraded pastures and to intensify their production systems. Tropical kudzu ( …

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An In Vitro Investigation Of Forage Factors Which Affect The Production Of Conjugated Linoleic Acid And Trans Vaccenic Acid In The Rumen. I. Grass Species, Michael R. F. Lee, C. Hodgkins, J. K. S. Tweed, Nigel D. Scollan, R. J. Dewhurst Jun 2023

An In Vitro Investigation Of Forage Factors Which Affect The Production Of Conjugated Linoleic Acid And Trans Vaccenic Acid In The Rumen. I. Grass Species, Michael R. F. Lee, C. Hodgkins, J. K. S. Tweed, Nigel D. Scollan, R. J. Dewhurst

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Extensive, pasture-based systems appear to offer the most cost-effective and natural means of cis 9 trans 11 conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) levels of milk fat. However, since most regions in Europe rely increasingly on conserved forages for winter feeding of lactating animals, it is necessary to develop feeding systems for both fresh and conserved forage diets. An understanding of the mechanisms that cause the differences in CLA response to conservation is an essential pre-requisite to this task. This study investigated whether grass species affected CLA and trans vaccenic acid (TVA) production in an in vitro system.

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Effects Of Perennial Ryegrass Cultivars On Traits For Improved Animal Performance, Harm J. Smit, B. M. Tas, Hassan Z. Taweel, J. Dijkstra, Anjo Elgersma, S. Tamminga Jun 2023

Effects Of Perennial Ryegrass Cultivars On Traits For Improved Animal Performance, Harm J. Smit, B. M. Tas, Hassan Z. Taweel, J. Dijkstra, Anjo Elgersma, S. Tamminga

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The use of quality parameters in grass breeding is limited. There may be options to improve grass cultivars (cvs) for improved animal performance.

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Intake, Digestibility And Rate Of Passage Of Grass In Grazing By Light Breed Horses On Different Pastures, Masahito Kawai, N. Yabu, T. Asa, K. Deguchi, S. Matsuoka Jun 2023

Intake, Digestibility And Rate Of Passage Of Grass In Grazing By Light Breed Horses On Different Pastures, Masahito Kawai, N. Yabu, T. Asa, K. Deguchi, S. Matsuoka

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

In a previous study, grazing light breed horses could ingest CP and DE requirements for maintenance without supplements. However, their grazing behaviour, such as biting and chewing efficiency, which related to the passage rate of forage in the digestive tract and fibre digestibility, was affected by the pasture conditions (Kawai et al., 2004). In this study, the DM intake, digestibility and mean retention time (MRT) of grass in light breed horses were determined and compared in spring, summer and autumn on an improved pasture.

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Sustainable Semi-Arid Grazing Management Based On Indigenous Shona Practices Prior To Introduction Of Western Ideas In Zimbabwe, O. Mugweni, R. Mugweni Jun 2023

Sustainable Semi-Arid Grazing Management Based On Indigenous Shona Practices Prior To Introduction Of Western Ideas In Zimbabwe, O. Mugweni, R. Mugweni

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

In the Shona culture the land, i.e. the plants, animals, soil, water, air and others, evolved with herding animals. Hence, the absence of one results in the destruction of the other. It is argued that the conventional grazing management belief that too many animals cause overgrazing is a misconception of the semi-arid savanna environments of Southern Africa where these environments evolved with thousands of herding grazers and mega-faunas such as elephants, wildebeests and buffalo. The objective of the research is to establish that grazing with an adequate recovery period for grazed plants, as a result of domesticated animals being managed …

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The Timing Of Daily Grazing On Annual Ryegrass Or Sulla Forage: The Effects On Milk Yield And Composition Of Comisana Ewes, D. Giambalvo, L. Stringi, C. Scarpello, P. Iudicello, A. Bonanno, A. Di Grigoli Jun 2023

The Timing Of Daily Grazing On Annual Ryegrass Or Sulla Forage: The Effects On Milk Yield And Composition Of Comisana Ewes, D. Giambalvo, L. Stringi, C. Scarpello, P. Iudicello, A. Bonanno, A. Di Grigoli

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The timing and duration of grazing greatly affect the response of animals. Night grazing, in addition to grazing during the day, seems to be one of the most important practices for improving animal performance (Bayer et al., 1987). Many authors have already underlined the major benefits of night grazing, such as improved body condition, reduced heat stress, increased forage intake and milk production. However, labour constraints, insecurity, damage to crops by animals are considered as the main reasons for not practising day and night grazing. The aim of this research was to improve knowledge about the effects of daily …

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Herbage Production Of Tanzania Grass (Panicum Maximum Cv. Tanzania) Submitted To Combinations Of Frequencies And Intensities Of Grazing By Cattle, Domicio Nascimento Jr., Rodrigo A. Barbosa, Valéria P. B. Euclides, S. C. Da Silva, R. A. Torres Jun 2023

Herbage Production Of Tanzania Grass (Panicum Maximum Cv. Tanzania) Submitted To Combinations Of Frequencies And Intensities Of Grazing By Cattle, Domicio Nascimento Jr., Rodrigo A. Barbosa, Valéria P. B. Euclides, S. C. Da Silva, R. A. Torres

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Animal production from pastures is a complex process comprising three main stages: herbage growth, consumption by grazing animals and conversion into animal products (Hodgson, 1990). Utilisation is the stage where the grazier finds greater flexibility for management, probably because most processes related to harvest of the produced herbage by the grazing animals are very responsive to manipulation and control of defoliation practices. The objective of this study was to evaluate herbage production of a Panicum maximum cv. Tanzania pasture submitted to combinations of frequencies and intensities of grazing.

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Grazing Behaviour Of Lambs In Different Production Systems, C. H. E. C. Poli, Alda L. G. Monteiro, C. S. Gomes, G. J. Bosquetto, J. R. Dittrich, Susana Gilaverte, H. V. L. Piazetta Jun 2023

Grazing Behaviour Of Lambs In Different Production Systems, C. H. E. C. Poli, Alda L. G. Monteiro, C. S. Gomes, G. J. Bosquetto, J. R. Dittrich, Susana Gilaverte, H. V. L. Piazetta

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Ingestive behaviour is an important component of a grazing system (Fryxell et al., 2001). The understanding of lamb behaviour patterns in different production systems is crucial to management and to assess the impact of the production system on the use of resources by animals. The objective of this study was to determine the grazing behaviour of lambs in different production systems.

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Herbage Intake And Animal Performance Of Cattle Grazing Brachiaria Brizantha Cv. Marandu Under Continuous Stocking, S. C. Da Silva, P. Sarmento, L. K. Molan, F. M. E. Andrade, André F. Sbrissia, A. V. Lupinacci, A. C. Gonçalves, D. E. Oliveira Jun 2023

Herbage Intake And Animal Performance Of Cattle Grazing Brachiaria Brizantha Cv. Marandu Under Continuous Stocking, S. C. Da Silva, P. Sarmento, L. K. Molan, F. M. E. Andrade, André F. Sbrissia, A. V. Lupinacci, A. C. Gonçalves, D. E. Oliveira

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Grazing management affects sward structure, which in turn influences plant and animal responses. With the objective of understanding causal relationship between sward structure and animal responses, the present experiment evaluated the daily herbage intake and live weight gain of growing cattle on Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu pasture during summer (Dec. 2001 to Mar. 2002).

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Effect Of Red And White Clover Added To A Rye Grass-Based Diet On Intake, Fibre Digestion And Methane Release Of Dairy Cows, Anette H. Van Dorland, Michael Kreuzer, M. Leuenberger, H. R. Wettstein Jun 2023

Effect Of Red And White Clover Added To A Rye Grass-Based Diet On Intake, Fibre Digestion And Methane Release Of Dairy Cows, Anette H. Van Dorland, Michael Kreuzer, M. Leuenberger, H. R. Wettstein

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Forage legumes like white and red clover are widely grown in association with grass, with the intention to improve the quality of grass-based diets. However little is known about the effect of either white or red clover added to a grass-based diet on methane release, and existing studies are not conclusive. The objective of this study, applying the respiratory chamber technique, was to determine the effect of red and white clover added to a rye grass-based diet on intake, fibre digestion and methane release of dairy cows.

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Proanthocyanidins From Hedysarum, Lotus And Onobrychis Spp. Growing In Sardinia And Sicily And Their Antioxidant Activity, A. Tava, M. G. De Benedetto, D. Tedesco, G. Di Miceli, G. Piluzza Jun 2023

Proanthocyanidins From Hedysarum, Lotus And Onobrychis Spp. Growing In Sardinia And Sicily And Their Antioxidant Activity, A. Tava, M. G. De Benedetto, D. Tedesco, G. Di Miceli, G. Piluzza

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Proanthocyanidins (PA), or condensed tannins, are a class of natural polyphenolic compounds, occurring in numerous plant species, including a number of economically significant forage legumes. These compounds are polymers of flavan-3-ols, and typically contain from 2 to 20 units. Their biological significance is still being debated and, in recent years, a great deal of attention has been focused on their role in ruminant nutrition. Evidence has indicated that PA, in a moderate concentration (0.5-5% DM), may have considerable importance in protecting dietary proteins against microbial degradation in the rumen, and in preventing bloat. The antioxidant activity (AA) is also an …

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The Use Of Long-Term Modelling In Analysing N2O Abatement Strategies In Dairy Pastures, Richard J. Eckard, I. R. Johnson, D. F. Chapman Jun 2023

The Use Of Long-Term Modelling In Analysing N2O Abatement Strategies In Dairy Pastures, Richard J. Eckard, I. R. Johnson, D. F. Chapman

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Concerns about the environmental impact of nitrogen (N) losses in Australia, in particular, nitrous oxide emissions are related to the rapid increase in N application on dairy pastures. Computer modelling is the most suitable method available to assess the potential of best management practices (BMP) to reduce field losses, as direct field measurements are frequently limited by the short term nature of many field trials.

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Time Budget On Major Activities Of Livestock Grazing Heterogeneous Natural Range And Crop Fields In Semi-Arid Nigeria, B. S. Malami, P. H. Y. Hiernaux, H. M. Tukur, J. Steinbach Jun 2023

Time Budget On Major Activities Of Livestock Grazing Heterogeneous Natural Range And Crop Fields In Semi-Arid Nigeria, B. S. Malami, P. H. Y. Hiernaux, H. M. Tukur, J. Steinbach

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Semi-arid rangelands of West Africa provide herbs, trees and shrubs, which together with crop residues form the main sources of feed for the livestock population. Feed supply in this region is characterised by a progressive decline in quantity and quality with advancing dry season. It was reported that walking ability as well as watering frequencies affect the productivity of grazing livestock (Dicko and Sangare, 1984). This study tests the hypothesis that advancing season increases both time spent walking as well as feeding, with a switch from grazing to browsing.

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Effect Of Time Spent On Pasture On Grazing Behaviour In Latxa Dairy Sheep, A. Garcia-Rodriguez, N. Mandaluniz, L. M. Oregui Jun 2023

Effect Of Time Spent On Pasture On Grazing Behaviour In Latxa Dairy Sheep, A. Garcia-Rodriguez, N. Mandaluniz, L. M. Oregui

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

In the Basque country the dairy ewe production system is based on a high pasture utilisation by means of partial time grazing where ewes spend a limited number of hours outdoors (Oregui et al., 1997). This production system, which is also typical of other Mediterranean areas, is different from that in northern Europe where continuous grazing is the usual management. There is a lack of knowledge concerning grazing behaviour under these conditions. This research investigated the effect of time spent on pasture on grazing behaviour.

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Diet Selection In A Pasture Of Panicum Maximum Cv. Mombaça With Different Sward Heights, Teresa C. M. Genro, Ê. R. Prates, F. F. Cardoso, L. R. L. San'thiago Jun 2023

Diet Selection In A Pasture Of Panicum Maximum Cv. Mombaça With Different Sward Heights, Teresa C. M. Genro, Ê. R. Prates, F. F. Cardoso, L. R. L. San'thiago

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The n-alkane method allows to measure dry matter (DM) intake and to determine the proportion of grass and legume ingested by ruminants grazing mixed pastures. Dove & Mayes (1996) pointed out that using this method, beyond estimating intake of individual plant species, it may also be possible to determine intake of anatomical components of the plant. The aim of this work was to use the non-negative least squares procedure to estimate diet selection based on plant alkanes and animal faeces.

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A Simple Vegetation Criterion (Ndf Content) May Account For Diet Choices Of Cattle Between Forages Varying In Maturity Stage And Physical Accessibility, Cécile Ginane, R. Baumont Jun 2023

A Simple Vegetation Criterion (Ndf Content) May Account For Diet Choices Of Cattle Between Forages Varying In Maturity Stage And Physical Accessibility, Cécile Ginane, R. Baumont

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The management of extensively grazed pastures requires an understanding and prediction of the diet choices of herbivores grazing on vegetation that is qualitatively (maturity stage) and quantitatively (biomass, sward height) heterogeneous. The Optimal Foraging Theory (OFT, Stephens & Krebs, 1986), bases its predictions on the relative energy intake rate (EIR) of forages. However, as EIRs are difficult to assess at pasture and are subject to wide intra- and inter-individual variations, another vegetation criterion was sought (accessibility, quality), by-passing the animal's influence, to predict cattle diet choices quantitatively.

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Influence Of Giving A Choice Of Grazing Or Maize Silage Offered In The Field Simultaneously On Diet Selection Of Lactating Dairy Cows, O. Hernández‐Mendo, J. D. Leaver Jun 2023

Influence Of Giving A Choice Of Grazing Or Maize Silage Offered In The Field Simultaneously On Diet Selection Of Lactating Dairy Cows, O. Hernández‐Mendo, J. D. Leaver

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Changing the times of access to grazing and to maize silage (MS) offered indoors affects the relative intake of each feed, but has little effect on dairy cow performance (Hernandez-Mendo & Leaver, 2000). Offering the MS in the grazing paddock as an instantaneous alternative to grazing should give an insight into the factors influencing feed intake, and may provide a means of alleviating the high rate of decline in milk yield of grazing dairy cows. The objective of this study was to examine the response in diet preferences and performance of lactating dairy cows when grazing a perennial ryegrass sward …

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A Sward Based Method To Estimate Herbage Selection Of Grazing Dairy Cows, F. Taube, M. Wachendorf, J. Baade Jun 2023

A Sward Based Method To Estimate Herbage Selection Of Grazing Dairy Cows, F. Taube, M. Wachendorf, J. Baade

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Diet selection of grazing animals is influenced by sward composition and vertical sward structure. Grazing studies were established in northern Germany (Kiel, Schleswig - Holstein state) to determine if selective grazing behaviour in a mixed sward can be measured by a sward based method. The hypothesis that active selection of different functional groups of forages can be documented by using the selection index (Figure 1, Hodgson, 1990) and regressive approaches vs time was tested.

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Biomass Vertical Distribution In A Grazed Grassland Under Monoespecific And Mixed Grazing, C. Saroff, S. González, A. Ohanian, H. Pagliaricci, Y. R. Chiaramello Jun 2023

Biomass Vertical Distribution In A Grazed Grassland Under Monoespecific And Mixed Grazing, C. Saroff, S. González, A. Ohanian, H. Pagliaricci, Y. R. Chiaramello

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Mixed grazing is defined as the use of the same forage resource for more than one herbivore species. It has been shown that different herbivore species have specific grazing modalities (Black and Kenney, 1984), which may differentially modify the structure of the pasture. The aim of this study was to evaluate the biomass vertical distribution in a sward with mixed grazing.

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Cattle And Sheep Mixed Grazing: 2. Competition, S. J. C. González-Montagna, Pedro A. Martínez-Hernández, R. D. Améndola-Massiotti Jun 2023

Cattle And Sheep Mixed Grazing: 2. Competition, S. J. C. González-Montagna, Pedro A. Martínez-Hernández, R. D. Améndola-Massiotti

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The outcome of mixed grazing depends on the degrees of complementarity and competition between animal species. Complementarity increases the utilisation of herbage resource but competition may be desirable when one grazing species has a higher priority ranking in the farming system. A species wins in the competition by harvesting a higher proportion of the available herbage than the other (Nicol, 1997). De Wit (1960) used the replacement series based on degrees of substitution of species, for the quantification of the outcome of mixtures experiments. The use of species equivalence is required in order to apply this approach to the analysis …

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Cattle And Sheep Mixed Grazing: 1. Species Equivalence, R. D. Améndola-Massiotti, S. J. C. González-Montagna, Pedro A. Martínez-Hernández Jun 2023

Cattle And Sheep Mixed Grazing: 1. Species Equivalence, R. D. Améndola-Massiotti, S. J. C. González-Montagna, Pedro A. Martínez-Hernández

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The effects of mixed grazing of cattle and sheep depend on stocking rate (SR) and species ratio (Nicol, 1997). Calculations of SR and species ratio require the use of species equivalence. Equivalents are often estimated in terms of intake requirements related to live weight (LW), while maintenance energy requirements are calculated on the basis of LW0.75. Freer (1981) stated that LW0..9 would be more appropriate for comparisons of intake requirements for maintenance of sheep and cattle. Nonetheless, Nolan & Connolly (1977) stated that the equivalent is system-specific and depends on the species being considered. The objective of …

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Diversity Of Diet Composition Decreases With Conjoint Grazing Of Cattle With Sheep And Goats, A. M. Nicol, M. B. Soper, A. V. Stewart Jun 2023

Diversity Of Diet Composition Decreases With Conjoint Grazing Of Cattle With Sheep And Goats, A. M. Nicol, M. B. Soper, A. V. Stewart

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Conjoint or mixed grazing can affect the diet selected by each species (Nicol & Collins, 1990). Diet similarity coefficients are often used to compare pairs of diets (Krebs, 1999). However this approach is awkward when a number of contrasts are required in a multifactorial comparison. Species diversity is a descriptor of a particular environment. Many models provide an estimate of species diversity, the most common of these being a log-normal distribution (Tokeshi, 1996). We tested whether this model could be applied to dietary components selected from a pasture, and thus provide a coefficient of dietary diversity for the individual diets …

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Elasticity Of Ingestive Behaviour And Intake In Sheep Associated With Food Diversity On Plurispecific Swards, C. Cortes, J. C. Damasceno, G. Bechet, J. Jamot, S. Prache Jun 2023

Elasticity Of Ingestive Behaviour And Intake In Sheep Associated With Food Diversity On Plurispecific Swards, C. Cortes, J. C. Damasceno, G. Bechet, J. Jamot, S. Prache

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Animals on heterogeneous swards generally opt for a varied diet. This may stimulate their intake, unless searching constraints limit intake rate (Champion et al., 1998). However the management of plurispecific swards presents a risk of overgrazing the preferred species and undergrazing the less-preferred species. This study aimed to test the effect of type of diversity and type of management on the elasticity of ingestive behaviour and intake in sheep.

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