Grasses Forages in Farming Systems
9.2.4. Grasses
Grasses form the bulk of grazing pastures worldwide. A considerable efort has been expended to develop improved cultivars of successful and adapted grasses across the great range of environments where livestock are grazed. However, unlike legumes, grasses are not able to obtain nitrogen to support their growth from the atmosphere and must therefore rely on soil sources of nitrogen to support their protein requirements for growth. As a consequence, the productivity of grass based pastures is primarily limited by nitrogen availability, since most soils are incapable of supplying suicient nitrogen from soil-derived sources to support the Table. 9.3. Common perennial legumes suited to most winter climates, and their tolerance to drought, and soil acidity and alkalinity. Adaptation of these species to local conditions is dependent on annual rainfall and requires local validation. Source: Forage Adaptation; Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Development. growth potential of the grass. This is particularly evident wherever selected and improved grass species and cultivars are sown with the view to establish highly productive pastures for grazing. In countries with cold climates, grasses that are sown for use in pastures for grazing animals are typically perennial species that persist for a number of years under ideal growth and grazing conditions Table 9.4. Although some annual grasses are sown in these areas as specialist forages for conservation and feeding to animals during winter, for example millet Echinochloa utilis and sorghum Sorghum bicolor, the potential exists to utilise a range of other annual or biennial grasses such as ryegrass Lolium multiflorum, Lolium rigidum in improved pastures for either seasonal grazing or fodder conservation. Adoption of these species requires local evaluation to assess their potential. Common Name Scientiic Name Winter Hardiness Drought Tolerance Acidity Tolerance Alkalinity Tolerance Alfalfa Purple flower Yellow flower Medicago sativa ssp. sativa ssp. falcata Good Good Good Good Low Low High High White Clover Trifolium repens Good Poor Moderate Moderate Sainfoin Onobrychis vicifolia Moderate Good Low High Sweet Clover Melilotus albus Moderate High Low Moderate Alsike Clover Trifolium hybridum Moderate Poor Moderate Moderate Red Clover Trifolium pratense Poor Low Moderate Moderate 187 Cold Winter Climates9.2.5. Selecting the Right Species
Parts
» LEP Cold Climate Beef Breeder Manual 2016 (English).
» Importance of Planning LEP Cold Climate Beef Breeder Manual 2016 (English).
» Timing Trained Staff Planning for Arrival
» Quarantine Facilities Water on Arrival
» Management of Health on Arrival Feeding on Arrival
» Winter Feeding Planning for Arrival
» Monitoring In Quarantine General Health and Husbandry
» Arrival Checklist Planning for Arrival
» Paddocks and Fencing Developing the Property
» Cattle Yards Developing the Property
» Raceways Loading and Unloading Ramps
» Laneways Gates Developing the Property
» Yard Posts Electronic Scales Crush and Head Bail
» Water Troughs Developing the Property
» Modernising Traditional Winter Facilities
» Winter Confinement Feeding Sites
» Confinement Yards Winter Facilities
» Planning Requirements On-Farm Fodder Storage
» Ruminant Digestive System LEP Cold Climate Beef Breeder Manual 2016 (English).
» Feed Intake The First Limiting Nutrient
» Digestibility Fibre Concepts of Nutrition and Feeding
» Vitamins Nutrient Balance Essential Nutrients
» Water LEP Cold Climate Beef Breeder Manual 2016 (English).
» Moulds and Mouldy Feeds Cold Weather Impacts on Feed
» Body Condition Scoring Observational Skills
» How to Recognise Sick Animals
» Healthy Animal Behaviour Reading Manure Early Diagnosis and Treatment
» Prevention Rather than Treatment Nutritional Stress
» Understanding the Animal Welfare Requirement Features of Sight
» Flight Zones Education and Training
» Moving Animals Safe, Low Stress Cattle Handling
» Euthanasia Safe, Low Stress Cattle Handling
» Understanding the Animal Welfare Requirement Preventing Injury
» Features of Suitable Cattle Transport
» Preparing Animals for Transport Loading
» Loading Density In-Transit Care
» Unloading Transporting in Extreme Weather
» External Parasites Common Cattle Diseases
» Internal Parasites Common Cattle Diseases
» Diseases Affecting Reproductive Performance
» Clostridial Diseases Common Cattle Diseases
» Other Important Diseases Common Cattle Diseases
» Bloat Common Cattle Diseases
» Australian Health Status Developing a Breeding Objective
» Selecting the Most Appropriate Breed
» Crossbreeding With Local Breeds - Beef and Dairy
» Physical Evaluation of Bulls
» Structural Soundness and Body Conformation
» Penis and Prepuce Scrotum and Testicles
» Semen Sample Ability to Mate Serving Capacity
» Bull Management and Preparation for Mating Bull to Cow Ratio
» Reproductive Organs Oestrus Cycle and Heat Detection
» Mating After Calving Using Artificial Insemination in the Reproductive Cycle Pregnancy Detection
» Preparations for Calving Calving Management
» Abnormal Calving Calving Management
» Failure to Conceive Culling Unproductive Cattle from
» Failure to Produce a Live Calf Failure to Raise a Calf to a Healthy Weaner
» Cast-for-Age Culling Unproductive Cattle from
» Selecting Replacement Breeders Heifers
» Targets for Heifer Development
» Selecting Appropriate Sires for Heifer Mating First Calving
» Relationship Between Feeding LEP Cold Climate Beef Breeder Manual 2016 (English).
» Animal Identification Calf Processing
» Castration Dehorning Calf Processing
» Early Weaning Feeding Weaner Cattle
» Adaptation of Australian Cattle
» Winter Management Essentials LEP Cold Climate Beef Breeder Manual 2016 (English).
» Bedding Managing the Welfare of Cattle in Winter
» Water Managing the Welfare of Cattle in Winter
» Feeding in Confinement Opportunities to Manage Cattle
» Winter Grazing Opportunities to Manage Cattle
» Managing Winter Grazing Opportunities to Manage Cattle
» Grazing Stockpiled Forage Swath Grazing
» Bale Grazing Opportunities to Manage Cattle
» Developing a Winter Feed Budget
» Traditional Indoor Winter Backgrounding
» Finishing LEP Cold Climate Beef Breeder Manual 2016 (English).
» Plant Adaptation Forage Species
» Legumes Forages in Farming Systems
» Grasses Forages in Farming Systems
» Selecting the Right Species Anti-nutritional Factors
» Preparation for Sowing Seed Quality
» Area Required Stocking Rate Grazing
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