Life Sciences Commons^™

Foraging Behaviour And Herbage Intake In The Favourable Tropics/Subtropics, S. C. Da Silva, Paulo C. De F. Carvalho

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

Key points

1. Herbage intake by animals grazing tropical/sub-tropical pastures is directly related to bite mass, as it is for those grazing temperate pastures.

2. Where these swards have low proportions of stem and dead material (controlled swards), herbage intake follows a similar pattern to that of temperate pasture species, but leaf characteristics, such as lamina length play an important role and influence the short-term rate of intake.

3. Sward structural characteristics and behavioural factors are relatively more important than nutritional factors in terms of herbage intake regulation. The feeding value of the herbage produced is potentially adequate to sustain …

Spring Forage Stash Module To Prevent Forage Crisis On Uruguayan Livestock Systems: An Evaluation Based On Model Simulations, M. Pereira Machín, F. Dieguez Cameroni

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

In Uruguay, rangeland cattle production systems support national economy by beef exportation chain and economic inputs to the country. Soil hydric stress episodes results to forage crisis on grassland-based production systems, having high impact on its trajectory and leaving sequels at several farm levels mainly on rearing cattle systems in drought sensitive regions of the country. In that context, the proposal is to create a spring forage stash module, with a simple management rules as a mechanism to build stability to farms and to buffering drought impact. The concept is to differ spring forage (season with low variation coefficient on …

Real-World Applications For Virtual Fences – What Are Potential Benefits For Conservation?, F. Riesch, M. Komainda, J. Horn, J. Isselstein

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

Livestock grazing can enhance biodiversity and ecosystem services in agricultural landscapes. In many parts of Europe, however, grazing has lost its importance, especially in the dairy sector. Large proportions of permanent grassland have been converted to arable land or intensified by fertilization and frequent defoliation. The disappearance of large herbivores and extensively grazed pastures contributes to the loss of structural, functional and biological diversity and ecosystem services. Modern technologies, which circumvent the cost- and labour-intensive installation of physical fences, could facilitate a precise spatio-temporal management of livestock and promote grazing. We reviewed the literature on the state-of-the-art of virtual fencing, …

Effect Of High-Intensity, Short-Duration Grazing On Species Density And Botanical Composition Of Arid Rangelands, Mounir Louhaichi, Mouldi Gamoun, Fethi Gouhis, Ezzeddine Belfekih, Mohamed Abdelkader

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

Rangelands are the mainstay of pastoral and agropastoral livelihoods worldwide. They have provided forage for livestock and wildlife for centuries, but steady degradation of rangelands is causing increasing concern. Many rangeland managers believe exclusion of livestock grazing for extended periods would allow degraded rangelands to recover. The purpose of this current ongoing research is to evaluate the effect of high-intensity short-duration grazing on plant density, species richness and botanical composition on arid rangelands during favorable years. The site, which is protected for two years in southern Tunisia and covers an area of 6 ha, was grazed by a flock of …

Impact Of Grazing Management On Productivity Of Tropical Grasslands, Moacyr Corsi, Geraldo B. Martha Jr., Domício Do Nascimento Jr., Marco A. A. Balsalobre

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

Beef and dairy cattle enterprises from tropical pasture-based systems are notoriously of low productivity. The low soil fertility, the exploitation of native grasslands, the low genetic potential of the animals and the poor management of soil, pasture and animal components are all arguments used to explain these “low-productivity systems”. In fact, research has consistently indicated up to 50% increase in calving rate when animals grazing unfertilized pastures were supplemented with trace-mineralized salt (Table 1) but unfortunately less than 90% of Brazilian farmers use this management strategy (Tosi, 1997). However, a recent survey conducted by São Paulo State government showed that …

Impact Of Grazing Management On The Productivity Of Cold Temperate Grasslands Of Southern Patagonia - A Critical Assessment, A. F. Cibils, M. B. Coughenour

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

The contention that productivity of cold temperate grasslands of southern Patagonia have been greatly affected by domestic herbivore grazing in the past is fairly widespread. The consequences of spatiotemporal interactions between grazing and abiotic factors on the overall productivity of such systems, however, are still poorly understood. Predictions of both short- and long-term impacts of grazing management strategies on grassland productivity require a better understanding of these interactions. In this paper we make a critical assessment of the impact of grazing management on long-term sustainability of the grass steppes of southern Patagonia (Argentina). We discuss this issue in the context …

The Use Of Open Communal Grazing Designs To Screen Options For Grazing Management, David R. Kemp, D. L. Michalk, P. M. Dowling, G. Millar

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

An open communal grazing design is described that enables a large number of grazing tactics to be concurrently evaluated in small plots under common grazing conditions. Pasture data indicated that the same level of utilisation occurred inside the experimental plots as in the surrounding field. However, differential grazing may occur where plots have divergent composition. The open communal design was economical using < 5% of the land, livestock and fencing resources of alternative designs. The limitations of the open communal design as a research tool are also discussed.