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Productivity of S. 59 red fescue with and without S. 184 white clover under hill conditions: 1. Animal performance

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

D. A. Davies
D. A. Davies
Affiliation:
Welsh Plant Breeding Station, Plas Gogerddan, Aberystwyth
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Summary

An appraisal of the value of S. 59 red fescue (Festuca rubra L.) for grazing was made using ewes and lambs (Clun Forest in 1969, Welsh Mountain in 1970) at a site 305 m O.D. in mid-Wales. S. 23 perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) was used as a control, and the value of S. 184 white clover (Trifolium repens L.) in conjunction with both grasses was examined.

In the first year, under a rotational grazing regime at a fixed stocking rate of 22 ewes and single lambs/ha, lamb live-weight gains were significantly poorer on S. 59/S. 184 and significantly better on S. 23/S. 184 than on either of the pure grass swards. For the 130 days grazing season, mean daily lamb live-weight gains were 157, 126, 78 and 120 g on S. 23/S. 184, S. 23, S. 59/S. 184 and S. 59 treatments respectively.

During the second year lamb growth rates on S. 59/S. 184 improved by 59%, whereas those on the other treatments were marginally lower than in 1969. Stocking rates were increased on the grass swards and decreased on the grass/clover swards for most of the grazing period in the second year in accordance with herbage availability. No significant difference was detected between the four treatments in total lamb liveweight production as a result of better individual growth rates on the grass/clover swards.

In both years wide variations were recorded between treatments at different periods within the grazing season. Red fescue swards maintained superior lamb production in early spring and late autumn, but were inferior to ryegrass in mid-summer.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Journal of Agricultural Science , Volume 84 , Issue 2 , April 1975 , pp. 265 - 272
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1975

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