A study on the herbage productivity and availability by some grassland types

A study was conducted to determine the herbage productivity and availability upon the flat, slope and forest type of grassland using Korean native cattle and sheep under 4 year old grassland established by intensive and semi-intensive sowing methods in Daecheon, from 1987 to 1988. Orchardgrass made up the major plant species of the diets on all grassland types, especially the proportion of orchardgrass was 81-92 % of the diets on the forest grassland. The proportions of tall fescue and ladino clover of the diets slightly increased on the flat and slope grassland in summer (July and August). Contents of crude protein (CP) and in vitro DM digestibility (IVDMD) of collected herbage samples were high in spring, while contents of crude fiber (CF) and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) were high in summer on all grassland types. The order of the contents of CP and IVDMD was flatslopeforest grassland. The percentage of herbage utilization on the flat, slope and forest grassland was 76.2 %, 75.2 % and 74.8 %, respectively. The order of diet preference based on the relative intake index (RII) and touch number was flatslopeforest grassland. Grazing and ruminating time were not different among the grassland types, but those were slightly increased on the forest grassland. Resting and loafing time were slightly increased on the flat grassland. Walking time was increased on the slope grassland. Animal distance and occupied area per cattle on the flat, slope and forest grassland were 4.34m -11.7m** (2), 3.97m - 12.6m** (2) and 3.76m-16.8m** (2), respectively. Subgroup formation on those grassland was 3.9 head, 4.4 head and 4.2 head per group respectively. Eating, ruminating and chewing time on the flat grassland were slightly less than on the other grassland. The order of eating rate, ruminating and chewing efficiency was flatslopeforest grassland. Live weight gain per day on the flat, slope and forest grassland during the grazing and feeding was 0.586-0.923kg, 0.565-0.882kg and 0.470-0.826kg, respectively. The order of feed efficiency was flatslopeforest grassland