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A Multifactorial Evaluation Method of the Forage Value in the Natural Rangelands West Jilin of China
Full text linkEvaluation of the forage germplasm resources needs not only to investigate species, distribution and development potentialities of forages but also to evaluate the forage value synthetically. Single or few factors affecting the forage value cannot reflect this value to a full extent. It is therefore essential to consider it in its entirety and to balance every important factor. The forage value depends on the feeding value (which depends mainly on forage nutrients, palatability, organic matter [DOM] digestibility) and on the productive value (which mainly depends on abundance and presence). This method consists to evaluate forages from quality characteristics of the feeding value and quantity characteristics of the productive value. By field investigation and laboratorial analysis during 1986-1988, we determined 8 species parameters and applied the multifactorial method to the evaluation of forages in natural rangelands
Pasture Production and Quality in a Cool Oceanic Climate
Full text linkIn Iceland cool oceanic climate prevails, as the geographic location extends from the polar circle to three degrees latitude to the south and the island is warmed by a branch of the Gulf stream. Animal production is the main agricultural activity and it relies on good conditions for grass growth. In the following we sumarize some recent experimental results on the production of herbage in Iceland
Importance of Productive Grasslands in Protected Landscape Regions
Full text linkGrasslands, especially pastures, are often situated on extreme mountain sites in our country. Due to their botanical structure and natural production potential, they influence the ecological character of the region and give the impression of protected landscape. The aim is to preserve this specific character of the lanscape and on the other hand to look for the moderate grassland improvement and better utilization by nutrition and regular grazing. The untreated and non-utilized grasslands can lead to unfavourable changes of swards in the high localities. Therefore we tried to solve the moderate improvement of natural subalpine grasslands in the High Tatra National park
La Voie Etroite de L\u27Intensification Dans Les Systemes Mixtes
Full text linkDans les zones d\u27elevage allaitant de la bordure nord-ouest du Massif central, la production de viande bovine est basee traditionnellement sur !\u27utilisation de la prairie permanente peu fertilisee et exploitee en piiturage libre ou semi-libre a un niveau de chargement proche d\u27une unite gros bovin (U.G.B.) par hectare de prairie. Or, Jes travaux conduits depuis 10 ans a la ferme des Bordes dans l\u27Indre par l\u27I.T.C.F. et les Chambres d\u27agriculture de quatre departements regroupes au sein du S.U.A.C.I. ont mis en evidence des marges de progres importantes. L\u27objectif de l\u27etude presentee dans cet article est d\u27utiliser Jes resultats obtenus en experimentation et a travers les suivis d\u27exploitation pour repondre a la question suivante : est-il interessant au plan economique d\u27intensifier Jes productions fourrageres, dans le cadre de la region « Bordure De Brenne » pour degager des surfaces en cultures de vente dans un systeme base sur la vente en maigre des broutards
Classification, Improvement and Use of Low Mountain and Hill Grassland in Changbai Mountain System
Full text linkClimate, soil and distribution of animal and plants display clear « Vertical zone» nature in the area of Changbai Mountains. Various types of grassland are distributed under the elevation of 500 metres in the area. The grasslands should be improved and their productivity needs to increase
A Study on the Importance of Forage Trees on the Native Grazing Land
Full text linkInner Mongolia grassland has a rather simple management and low production. Artificial pasture covers 0.08 % of the total grassland, the output value of animal husbandry is only 24 % of that of agriculture. In 1984, 13.66 kg beef and mutton, 20.8 kg cow and sheep milk, 4.8 kg fine hair were produced for a hundred mu grassland(]). Herbivore value was RMB 82 Yuan. Because of coldness and shortage of forage, during the period of 1952-1985 there was a total livestock loss of 81.000.000 and per sheep lossed weight of 5 kg every winter and spring. In the heavy snowfall of 1977 in Xilingole League, 3.000.000 livestock died, taking 39.4 % of total livestock number. The long term overgrazing in some poor vegetation grassland worsened the contradiction between grass and livestock and led to grassland degeneration. In 1960-1980, the 3.4 hundred million mu desert and the Gobi desert have been increased to 4.5 hundred million mu. In order to solve these problems, measures must be taken to increase the biomass. Forage trees are a prime factor in developing animal husbandry in native grassland. They can provide large amount of branches during snowy winter, the livestock can find survival food there. In the drought years the forage trees can at least maintain the biomass of the former years and feed the livestock. In the heavy snow of 1977, Zhenglan Banner had a survival rate as high as 90 % because of its 15.7 % forest coverage. Meanwhile the neighbouring Abahanar Banner with poor forestry coverage had only a 10 % survival rate. If the whole League have had the favorable condition as that of Zhenglan Banner, there could have been 2.700.000 livestock saved
Rest Period Requirements and A Role for Stylosanthes in Cereal Cropping Systems in the Nigerian Subhumid ZOne
Full text linkFerric luvisols that dominate the subhumid zone of Nigeria and west Africa (60 % of the land area) are the main group of soils suitable for grain crops. However, when cropped repeatedly these soils are rapidly degraded leading to low grain yields. Most tropical soils suited for annual crops require a crop free period (Rest Period) of varying duration to maintain soil in a productive state (Young and Wright, 1984). Recuperation of degraded land is slow under the traditional practice of bush fallowing. This cannot sustain the yields and cropping frequency necessary to support the increasing population. Alternatives to natural fallows for soil surface and fertility management should therefore receive serious considerations, especially when compacted and highly erodable shallow soils like luvisols are cultivated. Experimentation by ILCA to maintain Stylosanthes dominance, in pastures established for dry season protein supplementation of cattle led to a concept of periodic cropping to flush out from the soil the symbiotically accrued N. Maize grown on soils previoulsly sown to stylo responded better to fertilizer and grain yield from it was significantly higher than after natural fallow of similar duration. Such yield increases were attributed to improvement of soil physical conditions under stylo (Mohamed Saleem and Otsyina, 1986). Stylo cereal rotations could therefore provide viable alternatives to rest periods. An understanding of the changes in soil physical properties brought about by different durations of stylo were required. Within the last two decades there has been increased human settlement in this zone, mainly of crop farmers. The socio -economic interactions between the cultivators who control the land and the settled pastoralists who have most of the livestock are complex and vary from total enmity to cordiality. Growing Stylosanthes to benefit livestock and crop enterprises could be exploited to alleviate social problems between the two ethnic communities. This was also an important objective of the research
Intensive Maize Production - The Basis for Intensification of Cattle Production in Venezuela
Full text linkThe two main branches of cattle production in Venezuela are beef production and dairy production. Both branches are still rather extensive, mainly due to very extensive forage production. This is particularly evident in beef cattle production where almost 50 % of the weight gain achieved in the rainy season is lost during the dry period. Thus, it takes three to four years for the cattle to achieve slaughtering weight (Moore, 1970). On the other hand, relatively satisfactory milk production of dairy cows is enabled only by consumption of large quantities of expensive concentrates. Within an agricultural and industrial development project in North-West Venezuela it was concluded that intensive production of maize (grain and silage) could be the basis for intensive beef and milk production
Conversion of Tropical Forest to Pasture in Latin America
Full text linkA major workshop concerning the impacts of tropical forest conversion to pastures in Latin America was conducted in Oaxaca, Mexico, October 4-7, 1988, by the U.S. Man and the Biosphere Program (MAB). The workshop described the current situation and history, reviewed the economic, environmental, and social impacts and dynamics of deforestation, discussed production alternatives and development perspectives, and identified research, technological, and policy options and priorities. The purpose of this paper is to summarize results and recommendations of the Oaxaca workshop and emphasize it significance at the XVI International Grassland Congress
Regression Models to Assess Adapatation of Annual Medics (Medicago spp.) in Semi-Arid Subtropical Australia
Full text linkAnnual medics improve production and quality of herbage in winter and are naturalised in inland eastern Australia to lat. 24° S. In southern inland Queensland (lat. 24 to 29 °S, mean annual rain 500 to 800 mm with two-thirds in summer), productivity of the summer-growing grass pasture is limited by rainfall and soil N in summer, and by low temperature and frost in winter. Thus, I tested medic as a self-regenerating winter forage component. Because rainfall is highly variable in our region, I also used rainfall over the past 120 years to estimate the production of medics and so provide a broader view of their adaptation and productivity. To help investigate medic adaptation in marginal areas, this paper derives regression models for predicting both yields ( dry matter and seed) and N-fixation of medic from winter rainfall