Effects of stocking rate and grass species on pasture and cattle productivity of sown pastures on a fertile brigalow soil in central Queensland
1987
Walker, B. | O'Rourke, P.K. (Queensland Dept. of Primary Industries, Brisbane (Australia)) | Hodge, P.B. (Queensland Dept. of Primary Industries, Townsville (Australia))
Animal production from sown pastures of Panicum maximum var. trichoglume (green panic, GP), Cenchrus ciliaris cv. Biloela (buffel, BG) and Chloris gayana cv. Pioneer (Rhodes grass, RG), on freshly cleared brigalow (Acacia harpophylla) country near Theordore was compared over 4 years. Cattle were grazed continuously at stocking rates (SR) of 0.4, 0.7 and 1.4 animals (yearlings) per ha. Herbage presentation yields were highest for BG and lowest for GP at all stocking rates at each harvest. Increase in SR gave lower yields of GP and RG, but yields of BG were mostly highest for SR 0.7 and lowest for SR 1.4. Green panic pastures had a high content of other grasses, mainly RG and BG. Pasture yields did not decline for any treatment over the four years. Weight gains (kg per animal per year) were greatest for GP and lowest for RG at each SR, with the effect of SR being linear. During summer there were no significant SR effects, but over winter liveweight gain declined with increase in SR. Over the four years there was a progressive decline in rate of weight gain during winter. The level of total and green DM herbage yields, either per animal or per ha, had negligible effect on weight gain during the summer period, but was highly correlated with weight gain during winter.
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