Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Choosy Grazers And Plant Communities – Interactions Between Cattle Breeds And Vegetation In Semi-Natural Pastures, C. M. Pauler, Johannes Isselstein, J. Berard, T. Braunbeck, M. K. Schneider

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

It is well recognized that domesticated and wild ruminant grazers have an important impact on the composition of grassland vegetation, mainly by forage selection, trampling and defaecation. However, little is known on the effects of genetic diversity, for example differences among breeds of cattle. Cattle breeds differ in terms of robustness, growth rate, weight and probably also in movement and forage selection behaviour, which all could impact vegetation composition. Our study therefore aimed at identifying breed-specific differences in forage selection and behaviour and its consequences for vegetation. In a controlled experiment on semi-natural pastures in the Swiss Alps, suckler cows …

Producing 20-Month Old Beef Steers Off Annual Pasture, K D. Greathead, D. J. Barker, W. J. Ryan

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

A recent Mt Barker experiment compared two systems of fodder conservation with continuous grazing, using two types of steers, at three stocking rates. Year-round performance, carcass composition, and resulting costs and returns per hectare were assessed.

Production per hectare was greatest from crossbred steers at the intermediate stocking rate with either type of fodder conservation.