Effects of Clipping Compared to Grazing of Ladino Clover-Orchardgrass and Alfalfa-Orchardgrass Mixtures
1968
Bryant, H. T. | Blaser, R. E.
Clipped and grazed plots with similar defoliation intensities were sampled with a sickle bar mower for yield on the same day. The clipped plots were trimmed with the mower and the grazed plots grazed by cows the same day yield samples were taken. After each grazing the manure was removed and the ungrazed forage around urine spots trimmedd with a hand sickle. Herbage yields were higher under clipping than under grazing. Grazing had less effect on yield of alfalfa-orchardgrass than on yield of Ladino clover-orchardgrass. The harmful effect of grazing was not permanent. Higher yields of Ladino-clover-orchardgrass were obtained under both clipping and grazing by defoliating to 1.9 cm compared to 6.4 cm. Highest and lowest yields of alfalfa-orchardgrass were obtained on the least and most frequently defoliated plots, respectively, under both clipping and grazing. Estimating potential grazing yields by clipping may lead to predicting inflated yields. The grazing technique used appears suitable for studying how the animal affects plants under different grazing pressures.
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