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Impacts of grazing management options on pasture and animal productivity in a Heteropogon contortus (black speargrass) pasture in central Queensland. 3. Diet composition in autumn

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Hendricksen, R.E., Myles, D.J., Reid, D.J. and Orr, D.M. (2010) Impacts of grazing management options on pasture and animal productivity in a Heteropogon contortus (black speargrass) pasture in central Queensland. 3. Diet composition in autumn. Animal Production Science, 50 (4). pp. 276-283.

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Article Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/an09090

Publisher URL: https://www.publish.csiro.au/an/pdf/AN09090

Abstract

The diet selected in autumn by steers fistulated at the oesophageous was studied in a subset of treatments in an extensive grazing study conducted in a Heteropogon contortus pasture in central Queensland between 1988 and 2001. These treatments were a factorial array of three stocking rates (4, 3 and 2 ha/steer) and three pasture types (native pasture, legume-oversown native pasture and animal diet supplement/spring-burning native pasture). Seasonal rainfall throughout this study was below the long-term mean and mean annual pasture utilisation ranged from 30 to 61%. Steers consistently selected H. contortus with levels decreasing from 47 to 18% of the diet as stocking rate increased from 4 ha/steer to 2 ha/steer. Stylosanthes scabra cv. Seca was always selected in legume-oversown pastures with diet composition varying from 35 to 66% despite its plant density increasing from 7 to 65 plants/m(2) and pasture composition from 20 to 50%. Steers also selected a diet containing Chrysopogon fallax, forbs and sedges in higher proportions than they were present in the pasture. Greater availability of the intermediate grasses Chloris divaricata and Eragrostis spp. was associated with increased stocking rates. Bothriochloa bladhii was seldom selected in the diet, especially when other palatable species were present in the pasture, despite B. bladhii often being the major contributor to total pasture yield. It was concluded that a stocking rate of 4 ha/steer will maintain the availability of H. contortus in the pasture.

Item Type:Article
Business groups:Animal Science
Keywords:Burning; Heteropogon contortus pastures; legume oversowing; oesophageal fistula; selection indices; stocking rate; esophageal extrusa samples; microscope point technique; botanical composition; resident animals; cattle; selection; dynamics; patterns; range; grass.
Subjects:Animal culture > Rangelands. Range management. Grazing
Animal culture > Cattle
Animal culture > Feeds and feeding. Animal nutrition
Live Archive:08 Sep 2010 03:01
Last Modified:12 Mar 2024 04:41

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