Forage establishment method and sward height of annual ryegrass: Impact on sward structure and grazing behavior of sheep

IF 2.7 2区农林科学 Q1 AGRICULTURE, DAIRY & ANIMAL SCIENCE

Animal Feed Science and Technology Pub Date : 2025-08-07 DOI:10.1016/j.anifeedsci.2025.116468

Delma Fabíola Ferreira da Silva , Vicente José Laamon Pinto Simoes , Diógenes Cecchin Silveira , Rubia Dominschek , Lidiane Fonseca , Carolina Bremm , Anibal de Moraes , Alda Lúcia Gomes Monteiro , Leonardo Silvestri Szymczak , Paulo César de Faccio Carvalho

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

The intensification of specialized agricultural systems, marked by continuous soil disturbance and monoculture, raises concerns about environmental sustainability. Conservation practices, such as no-till and integrated crop-livestock systems, may mitigate these impacts by enhancing soil health and optimizing resource use. However, the effects of forage establishment methods on sward structure and grazing behavior remain poorly understood. This study evaluated how different forage establishment methods (no-till vs. conventional tillage) influence sward structure and the short-term intake rate of Suffolk ewes grazing on annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.). A 2 × 4 factorial experiment was conducted in a randomized complete block design, with two forage establishment methods and four sward heights (8, 16, 24, and 32 cm). Sward structure was assessed by fractionating herbage samples into morphological components (leaf blade, pseudostem + sheath, and dead material), quantifying biomass of other species, and determining herbage mass and bulk density using a 5 cm stratification method. Grazing behavior was recorded using IGER Behavior Recorders, and short-term intake rate (STIR) was estimated via the double-weighing technique. The no‑till system resulted in lower leaf blade and specific herbage mass at shorter sward heights and induced higher bite rates compared to conventional tillage. Under the conditions of this study, a sward height of 18 cm for annual ryegrass was associated with the highest intake rate, regardless of the forage establishment method. When sward height exceeded 21 cm, bite mass decreased, reinforcing the influence of sward structure on intake efficiency. These findings demonstrate that pasture establishment methods influence sward structure and grazing behavior, but they do not compromise STIR. A sward height of 18 cm provided favorable conditions for greater intake efficiency of annual ryegrass. While this value does not represent a definitive optimum, it serves as a reference for guiding grazing management.

查看原文本刊更多论文

一年生黑麦草的饲草设置方法和草地高度对草地结构和绵羊放牧行为的影响

以持续的土壤扰动和单一栽培为特征的专业化农业系统的集约化引起了人们对环境可持续性的关注。免耕和作物-牲畜一体化系统等保护性措施可通过加强土壤健康和优化资源利用来减轻这些影响。然而，饲草设置方式对草地结构和放牧行为的影响尚不清楚。本研究评估了不同牧草设置方式（免耕与常规耕作）对萨福克母羊放牧一年生黑麦草（Lolium multiflorum Lam.）的草地结构和短期取食率的影响。采用随机完全区组设计，采用2 × 4因子试验，采用2种饲草建立方式，4种饲草高度（8、16、24和32 cm）。采用5 cm分层法，将牧草样品分成叶片、假茎+鞘和枯死物等形态组分，定量测定其他物种生物量，测定牧草质量和堆积密度。采用IGER行为记录仪记录放牧行为，采用双称重法估算短期采食量。与常规耕作相比，免耕制度在较短的草地高度上导致较低的叶片和比牧草质量，并导致较高的咬伤率。在本试验条件下，不论饲喂方式如何，一年生黑麦草草高为18 cm时采食量最高。当叶片高度超过21 cm时，咬入质量减小，强化了叶片结构对进气效率的影响。这些结果表明，放牧方式影响草地结构和放牧行为，但不影响STIR。草高为18 cm，为提高一年生黑麦草的采食效率提供了有利条件。虽然这个值并不代表一个确定的最佳值，但它可以作为指导放牧管理的参考。

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来源期刊

Animal Feed Science and Technology 农林科学-奶制品与动物科学

CiteScore

6.00

自引率

6.20%

发文量

266

审稿时长

3 months

期刊介绍： Animal Feed Science and Technology is a unique journal publishing scientific papers of international interest focusing on animal feeds and their feeding. Papers describing research on feed for ruminants and non-ruminants, including poultry, horses, companion animals and aquatic animals, are welcome. The journal covers the following areas: Nutritive value of feeds (e.g., assessment, improvement) Methods of conserving and processing feeds that affect their nutritional value Agronomic and climatic factors influencing the nutritive value of feeds Utilization of feeds and the improvement of such Metabolic, production, reproduction and health responses, as well as potential environmental impacts, of diet inputs and feed technologies (e.g., feeds, feed additives, feed components, mycotoxins) Mathematical models relating directly to animal-feed interactions Analytical and experimental methods for feed evaluation Environmental impacts of feed technologies in animal production.