The influence of soil wetness on utilized output from grassland on commercial farms

Records of grassland productivity have been used for 93 farms in 1975–76 (a dry year) and 117 farms in 1977–78 (a wetter year). The samples were selected to contrast well-drained and poorly/ badly drained farms and were further subdivided into dairy and beef. The number of farms in each of the four subsamples for each year was between 19 and 32. In addition the number of days on which the soil was at meteorological field capacity (field capacity days) on each farm was calculated.
The mean utilized metabolizable energy (UME) output within the dairy sample was 45 GJ ha⁻¹ on both well-drained and poorly/badly drained farms. Within the beef sample the output was 41 GJ ha⁻¹ on well-drained farms and 37 GJ ha⁻¹ on the poorly/badly drained farms.
The correlation between fertilizer N and UME output was stronger on well-drained farms than on the poorly/badly drained farms in the wetter year (r = 0.69 v. 0.16 on dairy farms; r = 0.56 v. − 0.12 on beef farms). In the drier year the converse was found (r=0.15 v . 0.49 on dairy farms; 0.13 v. 0.44 on beef farms). The effect of field capacity days on output was inconsistent; only within the dairy sample in the wetter year did increased wetness appear to reduce output.
It is suggested that soil wetness may have only a small effect on utilized output from grassland on a whole-farm basis because (i) most farms have at least some well-drained land, (ii) much of the utilization damage occurs in relatively short periods in spring and autumn and (iii) despite having utilization problems, badly drained land is capable of growing large quantities of grass.     

Supplementary feeding of forage to grazing dairy cows, 3. The effect of three daytime stocking rates on the performance of cows offered grass silage overnight

Over a 24-week period, three groups of dairy cows were continuously stocked at 8, 10 or 12 cows ha^-1 between morning and afternoon milkings, and overnight were housed and offered grass silage ad libitum. Due to a prolonged drought, sward heights only averaged 4·1 cm.
The increase in daytime stocking rate led to a decline in herbage intake, and increases in silage intake. At the highest stocking rate (12 cows ha^-1), the silage intake failed to compensate for the reduced herbage intake. Consequently the total dry matter and estimated metabolizable energy intakes were lower than for the 8 and 10 cows ha^-1 treatments. Milk yields and milk composition were not significantly affected by treatment but the 12 cows ha^-1 stocking rate gave the lowest milk and milk solids yields.
The utilized metabolizable energy (UME) on the grazed swards was greatest for the 10 cows ha^-1 treatment. The sward cut to provide the silage had a UME level (GJ ha^-1) 32% greater on average than the grazed swards during the same growth period. The total areas utilized for grazing and silage production for 8, 10 and 12 cows ha^-1 were 0·240, 0·224 and 0·215 ha respectively. Fat and protein yields per unit area were greatest for the 10 cows ha^-1 group.     

Herbage growth and utilized output from grassland on dairy farms in southwest England: case studies of five farms, 1982 and 1983. I. Herhage growth

Herbage growth was measured in two contrasting years on five farms representing a range of soil types. On fields cut for conservation in 1982 DM production varied between farms from 12.3 tha^-1 to 14.1 tha^-1 in line with fertilizer N levels, which ranged from 220 to 333 kg ha^-1. In 1983 production was from 10.3 tha^-1 to 12.3 tha^-1; this again corresponded with fertilizer N, except on farm B which had the shallowest soils. On fields used for grazing all farmers used rotational management. Herbage accumulation was measured by trimming to 25 mm and harvesting after 4 weeks. As on conservation fields, herbage accumulation was generally greater on farms using more N, at least up to 300 kg ha-1.
In 1982 growth consistently exceeded predictions based on plot experiments. In 1983 growth was on average less than predicted on grazing fields but slightly more than predicted on cutting fields-We conclude that such predictions of annual production are a valuable aid to farm planning, and need not be reduced to allow for on-farm conditions, although they are least good at low levels of N. Predictions of individual cuts were not satisfactory, with a strong tendency to overestimate first cut and underestimate second cut.
There was no indication that annual herbage production was less on badly drained than on well drained soils. Indeed, in the dry summer of 1983 badly drained land appeared to have an advantage, despite considerable poaching damage in the spring. Furthermore, there was no evidence that production was deficient on swards dominated by Holcus and Agrostis spp.     

Herbage yield and animal production from grassland on three commercial dairy farms in South-East England

Yields of grass were measured on three dairy farms in 1981. Farm 1, on free-draining loamy soil over chalk, produced 10.3 t DM ha⁻¹ using 336 kg N ha⁻¹. Farm 2, on poorly-drained loam over Oxford clay, produced 12.8 t DM ha⁻¹ using 354 kg N ha⁻¹. Farm 3, on loam over clay with some free-draining sandy loam, produced 9.5 t DM ha⁻¹ with 169 kg N ha⁻¹. Allowing for differences in soil nitrogen and summer rainfall these yields were quite close to expectations from experimental results, despite considerable poaching damage to some swards.
Animal production records were kept and all livestock were weighed every 6 months, so as to calculate the utilized metabolizable energy (UME) output from grassland on each farm. These were 73, 62 and 59 GJ ha⁻¹ on farms 1, 2 and 3 respectively.
The UME output, expressed as a proportion of the yield of grass (converted to ME), was taken as the 'efficiency of utilization' of grass. This was 70% on farm 1,44% on farm 2 and 58% on farm 3. Results are presented separately for the summer and winter 6 months. Utilization by grazing appeared to be markedly reduced under very wet soil conditions. Major losses occurred in the conservation of grass.
The results begin to establish a valuable base of data from commercial farms.     

Sward composition and output on grassland farms

Records of grassland productivity were kept for 2 years on 136 lowland dairy farms and 131 lowland beef farms. The grassland on each farm was classified according to the proportion of sown (preferred) species. The farms were then ranked on this basis and divided into quarters:
On dairy farms the lowest quarter had 31% sown species and utilized metabolizable energy (UME) output from grass of 40.8 GJ ha⁻¹, whereas the highest quarter had 70% sown species and UME output of 45.6 GJ ha⁻¹. Dairy farmers in the lowest quarter used least fertilizer N and differences in output were no greater than would be expected from differences in N input. On beef farms the lowest quarter had 28% sown species and UME output of 32.3 GJ ha⁻¹, and the highest quarter had 63% sown species and UME output of 45.9 GJ ha⁻¹On these farms differences in fertilizer N could not completely account for differences in output.
It is concluded that on beef farms botanical composition of grassland is a good indicator of its productivity but is not necessarily a prime cause of differences in output. On dairy farms there is little evidence of a direct benefit resulting from a high proportion of sown species. On such farms the need for deliberate manipulation of the botanical composition of grassland by reseeding or chemical means is questioned.     

The utilized metabolizable energy output of grassland on hill farms in Northern Ireland

Forty hill farms in Northern Ireland were surveyed to obtain information on stocking rates and output and to identify factors affecting output. The mean farm area of 194 ha was composed of 155 ha hill land and 39 ha inbye land with a mean stocking rate of 0–7 cow-equivalents ha⁻¹.
On the average farm most of the grassland (88%) was over 20 years old. The preferred species content of the swards averaged 22% over the whole farm and 42% in cut swards. This latter result may be attributed to the relatively high level of fertilizer N applied to these swards (131 kg ha⁻¹) compared to the mean application rate over the whole farm of only 29 kg N ha⁻¹ and 93 kg ha⁻¹ applied to the inbye land.
Output data calculated as utilized metabolizable energy (UME) per unit area for the whole farm and separately for hill and inbye components showed that although only 21% of the farm area was inbye land almost half the annual total metabolizable energy requirements of stock had to be met by grazing inbye. The capacity of herbage to meet stock energy demands was much lower on the hill with supplementary feed having to be provided over the winter.
Calculated output from inbye land was 39 GJ ha⁻¹ compared to 7 GJ ha⁻¹ from the hill and 15 GJ ha⁻¹ from the whole farm. UME output of the whole farm was negatively correlated with farm size (r=−0 55) and positively correlated with stocking rate (r = 0 89), applied N level (r = 0 63)     

Effect of stocking rate in early season on dairy cow performance and sward characteristics

A comparison was made of stocking rates of 4·7, 5·6 and 6·4 cows ha^-1 during the first 7 weeks (period 1) of the grazing season. Each group of British Friesian cows was continuously stocked on a day and a night field. In the subsequent periods 2 and 3 (each lasting 7 weeks) the three groups were maintained at the same stocking rate within periods (4·2 and 31 cows ha^-1, respectively). The differential stocking rates were achieved by the addition and removal of cows.
The stocking rates applied in period I had no significant effects on milk yield, milk composition, liveweight change or condition score, in any period. Milk production ha^-1 over the three periods totalled 12390,13 978 and 14986 kg, and the estimated utilized metabolizable energy totalled 773, 81·5 and 86·6 GJ ha^-1 for low, medium and high stocking rates, respectively.
Increased stocking rate in period I was associated with a decrease in sward height in periods 1 and 2. This led to an increase in herbage metabolizable energy, and crude protein contents, and to an increase in tiller population density. The lowest stocking rate gave greater live individual tiller weights throughout the experiment and a longer interval between defoliation of individual tillers in period 1.
The results indicate that high stocking rates in the spring are not necessarily detrimental to overall summer performance of spring calving dairy cows. However, high stocking rates in the early season ensure a high level of herbage utilization and milk output ha^-1 in that period. Although this practice leads to a reduced sward height in mid season, the sward has less rejected area, a higher tiller population density and a higher digestibility than swards stocked at a lower level.     

Assessment of contrasting perennial ryegrasses, with and without white clover, under continuous sheep stocking in the uplands. 5. Herbage production, quality and intake in years 4–6

Herbage characteristics were studied over years 4–6 (1988–90) in three perennial ryegrass ( Lolium perenne L.) varieties as grass-only (200 kg N ha^-1) and grass/clover ( Trifolium repens L.) swards which received 75kg N ha^-1 in 1988 and 0kg N ha^-1 in 1989 and 1990 when continuously stocked with sheep. Mean total annual herbage production of Aurora, a very early flowering variety, was 11% more than that of late-flowering Aberystwyth S23 due to 21% higher growth as grass/clover pasture. The grass/clover sward of Meltra, a tetraploid late-flowering variety, out-yielded S23/clover by 17%. Herbage production of grass/clover was 86% of that of grass only in 1988 but only 54% of the grass-only swards averaged for 1989 and 1990.
In vitro organic matter digestibility (OMD) of Meltra was 38g kg^-1 OM and 27g kg^-1 OM higher than that of S23 and Aurora respectively. OMD of grass/clover was 15g kg^-1 OM higher than that of grass only during the post-weaning period. Herbage intake was positively correlated with OMD of herbage.
The herbage attributes were related to lamb performance reported previously. Lamb output was positively correlated with intake of digestible organic matter.
Differences between the three varieties in herbage characteristics were greater as grass/clover than as grass-only swards, reflecting their compatibility with white clover. In this respect Meltra was the best and S23 the poorest variety.     

Further experiences of beef production on permanent pasture in 1976–78

Between 1976 and 1978 a further 154 beef animals were grazed in separate groups on Alberts and Far field at Begbroke Hill, the former being a paddock system and the latter being set-stocked. Each year part of Alberts received complete fertilizer (147–180 kg ha^-1 N) and part did not. All of Far field received complete fertilizer (140–190 kg ha^-1 N). Drought caused a reduction in output in 1976, but in 1977 and 1978 total production of live weight was 9·07 and 8·74 t respectively from 11·65 ha grassland. Calculations of corrected outputs show that maxima of 829 kg ha^-1 in Alberts and 908 kg ha^-1 in Far field were achieved from fertilized grass. The highest output in Alberts represented 929 livestock unit grazing days per ha or 87·9 GJ ha^-1 in 1978.     

The potential for control of the soft rush (Juncus effusus) in grass pasture by grazing goats

Two experiments were conducted to examine the effect of inter-tussock grass height and stocking rate on the utilization of the rush ( Juncus effusus ) by grazing goats. In the first experiment, on rush-infested Festuca rubralTrifolium repens pasture, the utilization of rushes by goats grazing at a sward height of 3–4cm or 5–6cm was compared with that occurring on plots grazed by sheep at a sward height of 3–4 cm. Sheep grazed minimal amounts of rush. In contrast, it was estimated that 90% and 75% of current seasons growth of rush was grazed by goats at sward heights of 3–4 and 5–6 cm respectively during the first year. With continued goat grazing at 5–6cm there was a dramatic reduction in the cover and vigour of the rushes, and at a sward height of 3–4cm established tussocks were eliminated from the pasture.
The second experiment compared the utilization of rushes invading predominantly Agrostis swards stocked with goals at 10, 20 or 30 ha^-1 and in which inter-tussock sward height was maintained at 4–5cm on all treatments, by adding or subtracting sheep. On one site rush utilization increased with the increase in stocking rate of goats and rush tussocks were eliminated within 3 years at 30 goats ha^-1. On another, there was no difference between plots stocked at 20 or 30 goats ha^-1 and viable tussocks remained. The influence of the composition and productivity of the inter-tussock herbage and the proportion of rush in the biomass are discussed.
Goats can be used lo control rushes in grassland but high stocking levels and low inter-tussock pasture heights are required to promote adequate levels of utilization.     

Effect of regrowth interval on the productivity of swards defoliated by cutting and grazing

Over three grazing seasons (1984-1986) a sward of perennial ryegrass, cv. Talbot, which received a total of 336 kg N ha^-1 each season, was cut or grazed with ewes at 3- or 4-week intervals on a rotational basis.
Sward productivity was higher under cutting than under grazing irrespective of the interval between defoliations. Under cutting, mean herbage organic matter (OM) yields over both intervals were 8·66, 9·62 and 8·17 t ha-¹ in 1984, 1985 and 1986 respectively while under grazing the corresponding yields were 7·65, 8·63 and 7·50 t ha^-1. The mean annual yield of herbage defoliated at 3-week intervals was 7·50, 8·64 and 7 ·20 t OM ha^-1 compared with 8·80, 9·60 and 8·46 t OM ha^-1 for swards defoliated at 4-week intervals in the three years respectively.
The nitrogen (N) content of both the available and the residual herbage was consistently higher under grazing than under cutting. Available herbage contained 31·3 and 27·7 g N kg OM^-1 and residual herbage 26·1 and 22·7 g N kg OM^-1 under grazing and cutting respectively.
The mean yield of N under cutting was 284 kg ha^-1 compared with 304 kg ha^-1 under grazing. Defoliation interval had no effect on N yield, the overall mean yield being 294 kg ha^-1 under both 3- and 4-week defoliation intervals. The effect of the treatments on tiller population was slight and inconclusive.
The process of grazing reduced yield probably as a result of damage to the sward through trampling; the positive effect of excretal N on yield was minimal on account of the short grazing periods.     

A comparison of the output from permanent swards containing clover or receiving nitrogen fertilizer when continuously grazed by ewes and lambs

A 2-year experiment was designed to compare the output from a permanent grass sward, either containing clover (GC) or receiving 200kg N ha^-1 (GN), when continuously grazed by sheep stocked at 12 and 15 ewes ha^-1 on GC and 15 and 18 ewes ha^-1 on GN. Sward surface height (SSH) was controlled within designated guidelines by adjusting the size of the grazing area with an electrified ‘buffer’ fence; the herbage surplus to grazing requirement was cut and conserved. A dried grass supplement was offered to the sheep during periods of low herbage availability. The experiment was carried out during 1989 and 1990. No silage was made on GC15 in either year compared with 28 and 90kg DM ewe-¹ on GN15 in 1989 and 1990 respectively; supplementation was consistently and significantly greater on GC15 than on GN15. Clover proportion was generally higher on GC12 than GC15 (significant (P <0·01) in September 1989) and reached a maximum level of 14%on GC12 in August 1990. Herbage organic matter digestibility was little affected by the inclusion of clover in the sward. Differences in lamb growth rate were not significant and, at the common stocking rate, there was no difference in lamb output between GC and GN. In 1990, GC12 and GN15 treatments proved to be successful after weaning in balancing the increasing nutritional requirements of the ewes during the period prior to mating, the requirements of a declining lamb population as the lambs satisfied the criteria for slaughter and were sold, and a continuing need to conserve surplus herbage. The metabolizable energy requirements of the ewes and lambs over 2 years were 75·8 and 74· 7 GJ ha-¹ for GC15 and GN15 respectively, and the differences in total utilized metabolizable energy output of the two systems were due to the amounts of herbage conserved and supplement consumed. The 2-year mean total UME output on GC15 was 80% of that on GN 15 (67·8 and 84·4 GJ ha^-1 for GC15 and GN15 respectively) and the experiment provided further evidence that grass/white clover swards with no fertilizer N applied are capable of producing about 80% of the total output of grass swards receiving 200 kg N ha^-1.     

Influence of structure and composition of ryegrass and prairie grass-white clover swards on the grazed horizon and diet harvested by sheep

Diet selection from ryegass-and prairie grass-white clover swards, vertically stratified into three horizons (A > 6 cm, B 3–6 cm, C > 3 cm), was studied using oesophageally fistulated sheep during summer and autumn. Animals grazed for 3-day periods. Apparent herbage intake was calculated from total herbage disappearance. The composition of each horizon and of the diet selected was measured daily.
Herbage mass (DM ha^-1) and sward height (cm) prior to grazing were not significantly different between swards in each season, and were 2·0 and 20 in summer and 1·6 and 10 in autumn. In summer, 36% and 5% of the green grass leaf (GGL) for prairie grass and ryegrass, respectively, was distributed in horizons A and B. In autumn 39% and 29% of GGL occurred above 3 cm for prairie grass and ryegrass, respectively. GGL distribution determined which sward horizons were grazed. Sheep grazed horizon C (0–3 cm) of summer ryegrass pasture, and the surface canopy (>3 cm) of all other swards.
In summer, apparent intake achieved by sheep grazing prairie grass swards was 87% higher than that achieved on ryegrass swards. In autumn a greater GGL distribution above 3 cm with prairie     

The herbage intake and performance of set-stocked suckler cows and calves

Groups of eight Hereford × Friesian cows and their South Devon cross calves were set stocked over a 24-week grazing season at 3·23 (low), 3·21 (medium) or 4·24 (high) cows ha^-1 together with their calves. For the first 8 weeks only two-thirds of the total area was grazed. Increasing the stocking rate from low to medium reduced daily milk yield and cow and calf liveweight gains by 1·2, 0·24 and 0·29 kg d^-1 respectively, and from medium to high by 1·2, 0·24 and 0·23 kg d^-1. The main sward factor influencing faecal output and herbage intake was the quantity of organic matter on the pastures but the digestibility of the herbage selected also exerted a significant effect on the intake of cows. Major depressions in the herbage intake of cows occurred once the average sward height fell below 7 cm. Output of calf live weight was 628, 658 and 743 kg ha^-1 for the 3 stocking rates from low to high, and for cows 246, 179 and 30 kg ha^-1. It was concluded that decisions on pasture management should be taken in relation to the cow rather than the calf on set-stocked swards.     

Herbage potassium levels in a permanent pasture under grazing

Herbage potassium levels were measured in 1986 in a permanent pasture under continuous grazing with cattle and receiving 200 kg N ha⁻¹. In April, before grazing started, K concentration in the herbage was relatively uniform across the pasture, with a value of 1·9 ± 0·038% K in the herbage dry matter. In July, a significantly lower concentration of herbage K was found in the grazed areas of the pasture (1·8 ± 0·10%) compared with the level (2·4 ± 0·088%) found in the rejected areas of the sward. The difference between the grazed and rejected areas was similar in September, with 1·6 ± 0·087% and 2·2 ± 0·172% K, respectively, in the herbage dry matter. This result suggests that herbage growth in the grazed areas might have been limited by K supply and highlights the need for more information on the K requirements of grazed grassland.     

Supplementary feeding of forage to grazing dairy cows

For three 8-week periods of the grazing season 48 spring-calving cows were continuously stocked at either a high or a low rate (average 4.9 and 4.3 cows ha⁻¹ respectively) which declined through the season. Within each stocking rate group half the cows were allowed access to hay for 45 min after morning milking; the other half received no hay.
Total dry matter (DM) intakes were increased by offering hay, and intakes of hay were greater at the high stocking rate and during prolonged periods of inclement weather. However, there were times when, because of low herbage height and adverse weather, offering hay once daily could not prevent a decline in total DM intake. Grazing time was reduced and ruminating time increased by offering hay, but the rate of biting at pasture was unaffected. Hay DM was eaten at twice the rate of intake of herbage DM.
Offering hay increased milk yield in early season and liveweight gain in late season. The benefits of offering hay were greatest for the higher yielding cows. There were no significant effects on milk composition.
Stocking rate had only small effects on herbage height, but stocking at the higher rate tended to reduce herbage DM intake and reduced live-weight gain in late season. Levels of utilized metabolizable energy from grazed herbage were high (average 106 GJ ha⁻¹) but were reduced by feeding hay and stocking at the lower rate.     

Effect of winter grazing date on yield components of Lolium perenne (L.)/Trifolium repens (L.) hill pasture

Perennial ryegrass/white clover pastures were grazed at different times in the winter to study the effect of time of grazing on subsequent plant growth. In 1983–84, 1984–85, and 1985–86, pastures were grazed to a residual of 400 kg dry matter ha^-1 by sheep once in early December (D), January (J), February (F), March (M), or April (A) and compared with an ungrazed control (C). Rates of herbage accumulation on C in the winter were low, averaging 6, -9, and 2 kg dry matter ha^-1 in December, January, and February, respectively. Little forage production occurred during the month immediately following winter grazing. Herbage accumulation rate then increased sufficiently to replace the forage removed from winter-grazed paddocks by early spring. By May, herbage mass on grazed treatments was similar to C except for D and A which averaged 20 and 47% less forage than C, respectively (P<0·01). Herbage accumulation rates of D were unique among winter grazing treatments in never exceeding those of C. By May 1986, D yielded less perennial ryegrass compared with C (P<0·05). Grazing reduced the number of leaves per ryegrass tiller for 1 to 2 months following grazing. By May, J, F and M had numerically more tillers m^-2 and more leaves per tiller than C. Similar May yields of J, F, M, and C resulted from fewer but larger and slightly less leafy tillers of ungrazed compared with winter grazed plants.     

Supplementary forage for grazing sheep. 2. Effects on weaned lambs

In two experiments weaned entire ram lambs were offered either pasture alone or pasture plus ad libitum conserved forage for 7–12 weeks during the finishing period. Herbage height was maintained at 3·2 cm on both treatments by manipulation of stocking rate in the twenty-four plots (twelve per treatment) used for the experiment. In experiment 1 silage, which was of lower metabolizable energy (ME) and crude protein (CP) content than the grazed herbage, was consumed at an average of 194 g DM head⁻¹ d⁻¹, providing approximately 40% of total DM intake requirements. In experiment 2 a strawmix, containing (g k g ⁻¹ freshweight) 450 g barley straw, 300 g concentrate and 250 g molasses and again with a lower ME and CP content than the grazed herbage, was consumed at an average of 57 g DM head⁻¹ d⁻¹, providing approximately 11% of total DM intake requirements. In both experiments stocking rate was increased by 20–25% by providing forage, but lamb growth rate was not affected.     

Defoliation and productivity of a phalaris-subterranean clover sward, and the influence of grazing experience on sheep intake

Swards of Phalaris aquatica-Trifolium subterraneum were subjected to four defoliation treatments—zero, low (11 sheep ha⁻¹) and high (22 sheep ha⁻¹) stocking rates, and weekly cutting. At high stocking rate the annual grass Hordeum leporinum dominated while clover was dominant at low and zero stocking rates. Weekly cutting suppressed species other than clover and so failed to simulate grazing.
There were similarities in net herbage production between zero and lightly grazed swards and between heavily grazed and repeatedly cut swards. Net herbage production decreased in the order undisturbed sward < lightly grazed sward < heavily grazed sward < repeatedly cut sward.
When sheep grazed swards where herbage mass was low their daily consumption of herbage, and therefore liveweight change, depended on their recent grazing experience. Sheep accustomed to swards where herbage mass was low ate more because they grazed for much longer each day than unaccustomed sheep, although they selected a diet of similar digestibility.     

Organic and inorganic fertilization compared in a natural Mediterranean grassland

The effect of goat slurry on species composition and herbage production as compared to inorganic fertilizer was studied in a natural grassland dominated by warm and cool season perennial grasses in Macedonia, Greece. Goat slurry was applied in early spring every 1 or 2 years at a rate of 40 t ha^-1 being equivalent to about 160 kg N ha^-1 and 100 kg, P₂O₅ ha^-1. Inorganic fertilizer was also broadcast in early spring at a rate of 80 kg N ha^-1 and 100 kg P₂O₅ ha^-1 every 2 years. Measurements of the basal cover of the dominant species or groups of species and herbage yields were taken for 6 years at the end of the growing period in June, while in the seventh year the experiment was grazed with goats. It was found that goat slurry improved species composition more than the inorganic fertilizer by depressing the less palatable warm season grasses and favouring the subdominant cool season grasses and legumes. Goat slurry significantly increased herbage yields in most of the years. It is suggested that the optimum rate of goat slurry is 40 t ha^-1 every 2 years as this encourages plants most preferred by goats.