Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-g8jcs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-04T09:31:19.410Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Response of grass swards to fertilizer N under cutting or grazing

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

M. V. Jackson  and
T. E. Williams
M. V. Jackson
Affiliation:
Agricultural Development and Advisory Service, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Block 3, Government Buildings, Burghill Road, Wesibury-on-Trym, Bristol, BS10 6NJ
T. E. Williams
Affiliation:
The Grassland Research Institute, Hurley, Maidenhead, Berkshire, SL6 5LR
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

An experiment was conducted at six widely separated centres in England and Wales for 4 years to compare the response of a perennial ryegrass (cv. S. 23) sward to fertilizer N at input rates of 200, 400 and 600 kg N/ha under cutting-only or grazing-only management systems. Under both managements the yield response to N varied substantially and was always greater under cutting than grazing and the response was greater in the first than in subsequent years. Under cutting, significant responses were obtained from 200 to 400 kg N/ha at all sites and in all years but very few sites responded significantly from 400 to 600 kg N/ha after the first year. Under grazing there was on average of all sites (but not at every site) a significant response from 200 to 400 kg N/ha only in the first year. In subsequent years no single site gave a worthwhile response in each year. Under grazing no site showed a significant response from 400 to 600 kg N/ha.

At the lowest application of nitrogen, 200 kg N/ha, dry-matter yields under grazing were greater than those under cutting on eight of the possible 24 centre-year occasions. At the two higher rates of applied nitrogen dry-matter yields under cutting were consistently greater than those under grazing.

With smaller responses to applied nitrogen on grazed than on cut swards maximum yields were achieved under grazing with an input of about 200 kg N/ha less than under cutting management. The results suggest that cutting experiments cannot be used to predict herbage yields and responses to fertilizer nitrogen under grazing conditions.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Journal of Agricultural Science , Volume 92 , Issue 3 , June 1979 , pp. 549 - 562
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1979

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Abmitage, E. R. & Templeman, W. G. (1964). Response of grassland to nitrogenous fertilizer in the West of England. Journal of the British Grassland Society 19, 291–297.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bastiman, B. (1969). Intensive paddock grazing. Agricultural Development and Advisory Service, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Great House Experimental Husbandry Farm, Farm Advisory Committee Report GH/69/11.Google Scholar
Brockman, J. S. (1971). The difference in yield between cut and grazed swards. Journal of the British Grassland Society 26, 192.Google Scholar
Brockman, J. S. (1972). The nitrogen supply to grassland. Fisons Grassland Research: A Report to the Farmer, pp. 5–8.Google Scholar
Bryant, H. T. & Blaser, R. E. (1961). Yields and stands of orchardgrass compared under clipping and grazing intensities. Agronomy Journal 3, 9–11.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Edmond, D. B. (1966). The influence of animal treading on pasture growth. Proceedings 10th International Grassland Congress, Helsinki, pp. 453–458.Google Scholar
Green, J. O. & Cowling, D. W. (1960). The nitrogen nutrition of grassland. Proceedings 8th International Grassland Congress, Reading, pp. 126–129.Google Scholar
Hoogerkamp, M. & Minderhoud, J. W. (1966). Herbage production of permanent grassland, resown grassland, and leys, with special reference to the ‘years of depression’. Proceedings 10th International Grassland Congress, Helsinki, pp. 282–287.Google Scholar
Hunt, I. V. (1966). The effect of age of sward on the yield and response of grass species to fertilizer nitrogen. Proceedings 10th International Grassland Congress, Helsinki, pp. 249–254.Google Scholar
Jackson, M. V. (1970). National grassland manuring experiments. Annual Report Grassland Research Institute 1969, pp. 159–161.Google Scholar
Jackson, M. V. (1973). National Grassland Manuring Experiments. Annual Report Grassland Research Institute 1972, pp. 147–150.Google Scholar
Morrison, J., Jackson, M. V. & Williams, T. E. (1974). Variation in the response of grass to fertilizer N in relation to environment. Proceedings No. 142 of the Fertilizer Society. The Role of Nitrogen in Grassland Productivity, pp. 28–38. London.Google Scholar
Morrison, J. & Jackson, M. V. (1976). The response of grass to fertilizer nitrogen: The influence of climate and soil. Span 19, 34–37.Google Scholar
Ormrod, J. F. (1969). What does it all mean? NAAS Liaison Officer, Grassland Research Institute, Newsletter 1969, No. 1, 17–20.Google Scholar
Richards, I. R., Wolton, K. M. & Ivins, J. D. (1976). A note on the effect of sheep grazing on the yield of grass swards. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 87, 337–340.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rossiter, J. (1973). National grassland manuring experiments: The botanical composition of swards. Grassland Research Institute.Google Scholar
Sears, P. D. (1953a). Pasture growth and soil fertility. 1. The influence of red and white clovers, superphosphate, lime and sheep grazing, on pasture yields and botanical composition. New Zealand Journal of Science and Technology, Section A 35, Supplement, 1–29.Google Scholar
Sears, P. D. (1953b). Pasture growth and soil fertility: VII. General discussion of the experimental results, and of their application to farming practice in New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Science and Technology, Section A 35, 221–236.Google Scholar
Watkin, B. R. (1954). The animal factor and levels of nitrogen. Journal of the British Grassland Society 9, 35–46.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wheeler, J. L. (1958). The effect of sheep excreta and nitrogenous fertilizer on the botanical composition and production of a ley. Journal of the British Grassland Society 13, 196–202.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wolton, K. M. (1963). An investigation into the simulation of nutrient returns by the grazing animal in grassland experimentation. Journal of the British Grassland Society 18, 213–219.CrossRefGoogle Scholar