A COMPARISON OF THE GROWTH OF A CUT SWARD WITH THAT OF GRAZED SWARDS, USING A TECHNIQUE TO ELIMINATE FOULING AND TREADING |
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| Authors: | A Smith |
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| Institution: | Grassland Research Institute, Hurley, Maidenhead, Berkshire, SL6 SLR |
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| Abstract: | Plots of S24 perennial ryegrass were grazed fire times by sheep to stubble heights of 10–15 cm (treatment L), 5 cm (M) and 2 cm (S), other plots were cut (C) at approximately the same height as in M. the quantity of digestible organic matter (DOM) harvested by cutting at 5 cm was not significantly different from that harvested by grazing at the same average height there were only minor differences between grazing treatments in the amounts of DOM harvested, but the number of hours for which the sheep had to be maintained on the plots in order to graze the swards to the required heights increased 4-fold between treatments L and S. the results are discussed in relation to the total DOM harvested in each treatment. |
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