Efficiency of Forage Harvest by Grazing Cattle

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Abstract
Three grazing trials of 14 days each were conducted in April, July and Sept., 1977, to examine the effects of grazing pressure on forage disappearance, organic matter intake and the relationship between intake and forage disappearance. Levels of grazing pressure studied were 10, 20, 40 and 50 kg of forage allowed per animal-unit per day (kg/au per day). Standing crop was measured before, during the middle and immediately after each trial. Organic matter intake was estimated at the beginning and end of each trial by the fecal excretion:indigestibility ratio technique. Total standing crop declined steadily during the grazing trials, with forage availability being significantly less at the end than at the beginning or middle of the trials. Averaged over the 3 trials, total forage disappearance during a 14-day grazing period was 236, 334, 355 and 457 kg per pasture and forage losses per au per day were 8.5, 12.0, 12.7 and 16.3 kg for the 10, 20, 40 and 50 kg/au per day grazing pressures, respectively. Daily intake averaged across all treatments, periods and trials was .apprx. 9 kg/au per day. At the grazing pressure level of 10 kg/au per day, forage disappearance approximated the average daily intake; grazing pressures of 20, 40 and 50 kg/au per day had forage disappearances that exceeded intake by 28, 48 and 90%, respectively. A 2-fold increase in the efficiency of forage harvest by grazing cattle may be possible as grazing pressure is increased.

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