Relationship between time spent grazing, quality, quantity and availability of herbage consumed by grazing animals on kikuyu and coastcross ii¹

Extracts from a thesis to be submitted for the degree M.Sc. Agric. at the University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg.

Abstract

There is a need for the determination of supporting data in grazing trials in order to improve the reliability of conclusions which can be drawn. Variables selected by the researcher must depend on the objectives of the research and on the resources available. In this study time spent grazing (TSG), intake and the availability of herbage were measured during short grazing periods on kikuyu and Coastcross pastures. In each case there was a decrease in intake and TSG with decreasing herbage availability. The relationship between intake and availability (or disc height) was similar for both grasses in spite of the fact the Coastcross herbage was of considerably lower quality. However, TSG was higher on Coastcross. In order to achieve the same overall intake pattern, the rate of intake was thus higher on the kikuyu pasture.

It seems that the variables determined were useful in explaining the different animal responses observed on the two pastures.

Uittreksel

Daar bestaan ‘n behoefde aan die bepaling van ondersteunende data in weidingseksperimente om die betroubaarheid van gevolgtrekkinge wat geneem kan word, te verbeter. Die gekose maatstawwe sal bepaal word deur die doelwitte van die navorsing en die hulpbronne beskikbaar. In hierdie studie is voerinname, tyd bestee aan beweiding en die beskikbaarheid van gras gedurende kort weidingsperiodes op kikuyu‐ en Coastcross‐ weidings, bepaal. In beide gevalle was daar ‘n afname in TBB en voerinname met ‘n afname in voedselbeskikbaarheid. Die verhouding tussen inname en beskikbaarheid (of skyf‐hoogte) vir die twee grasse was soortgelyk, ten spvte van die feit dat die Coastcross van ‘n heelwat laer gehalte was. Die TBB vir Coastcross was egter höer en om ‘n ooreenkomstige voerinname patroon te kon handhaaf, was die tempo van voerinname op kikuyu ook dus hoër.

bit blyk dat die maatstawwe wat gebruik is doeltreffend was om die gedrag van die diere, wat op die twee weidingsoorte waargeneem is, te verduidelik.

Notes

Extracts from a thesis to be submitted for the degree M.Sc. Agric. at the University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg.