OBSERVATIONS ON THE UTILIZATION OF GRASS GRAZED BY YOUNG BEEF CATTLE WITH AND WITHOUT BARLEY SUPPLEMENTATION

A field trial was carried out in which 3 groups of cattle were grazed on a paddock system with and without supplementary barley. The cattle were 6 months old when turned out to grass and were each fed 4 lb/day of barley for one week to prevent any adverse effect from an abrupt change of diet. The trial began on 14 May and continued until 8 October. The mean liveweight gain obtained on the unsupplemented grass was only 0·97 lb/day up to 20 August and owing to the poor growth of the animals a supplement of 4 lb barley/head/day was then introduced. The daily liveweight gain for the remainder of the trial was 1·94 lb. When a supplement of 4 lb barley was provided throughout the trial the mean daily liveweight gain was 1·61 lb. When barley was fed ad lib . intake averaged 12·3 lb/head/day throughout the trial and the mean daily gain was 2·45 lb.
Indoor digestibility and nitrogen retention trials were carried out. The starch equivalents of diets on the three treatments were 63·7, 68·3 and 69·5, respectively. The respective mean daily intakes of dry matter were 11·2, 11·9 and 11·8 lb, and the mean daily retentions of N were 35·0, 35·8 and 33·6g. These results indicate that although the grass was of good nutritive value the poor performance of the animals on grass alone was mainly due to their inability to graze sufficient grass.     

EFFECTS OF COW SLURRY ON HERBAGE PRODUCTION, INTAKE BY CATTLE AND GRAZING BEHAVIOUR

Grassland plots were dressed with different amounts of cow slurry in January or March and grazed by dairy heifers at intervals from late April to August. In the first experiment slurry was applied at levels up to 56 tonnes/ha (22±4 tons/ac) in March. Total herbage DM production was directly proportional to the amount of slurry applied. There was no effect of treatment on percentage herbage utilization. In the second experiment slurry was applied at levels up to 100 t/ha (40 tons/ac) in January or in March. There was no significant effect of time or level of slurry application on herbage production or on animal intake, but the behaviour of the heifers was modified during the first eight weeks after plots had been dressed with 75 or 100 t/ha (30 or 40 tons/ac).     

THE DECOMPOSITION OF CATTLE DUNG AND ITS EFFECT ON PASTURE

A total of 228 separate dung pats voided by lactating dairy cows between May and October on a ryegrass/dover sward were studied for 2 years. The pats were on grazed swards receiving, on average, either 440 or 110 lb N/ac (492 or 123 kg/ha) per year. The mean area of the pats was 0.62 ft² (0.058 m²) with no difference in area between the pats on the two N treatments. On average, the pats on the high- and the low-N treatments crumbled in 63 and 55 days, respectively, and disappeared in 115 and 113 days, respectively. Pats deposited in July disappeared significantly quicker than pats deposited in May. The average area of rejected herbage around the pats was 2.63 and 084 ft² (0.244 and 0.078 m²), respectively, 1–2 months, and 1 year after they were voided; but after 2 years the affected areas were recolonized with ryegrass and clover and were grazed normally. It is concluded that the levels of N fertilizer applied had no differential effects on the breakdown of the dung and on the subsequent recolonization of the affected areas by pasture plants.     

THE INFLUENCE OF TYPE AND LEVEL OF SUPPLEMENTARY FEED ON INTAKE AND PERFORMANCE OF BEEF CATTLE ON PASTURE

Two experiments, each of 6 weeks dehydration, were conducted in 1972. In Expt 1, 24 cattle were grazed in individnal paddocks during July and August and received one of 4 treatments over a 6-weeks period: no supplements; straw ad lib; 3.3 kgj. day sugar-beet pulp; 4.0 kg/day molasses. Mean daily live weight gains were significantly increased by the sugar-beet pulp and molasses supplements; which also increased OM and DOM intake significantly. The increase in total OM intake per kg OM in the supplement was 0.48 for sugar-beet pulp and 0.67 for molasses. In Expt 2, 18 cattle grazed in groups of 3 during November and December. Two groups each received 0.5, 3.5 or 6.5 kg/day sugar-beet pulp over a 6–weeks period. There was no significant difference in live weight gain between treatments, and no significant difference in total intake. Intake from pasture declined with increasing level of supplement, so that the average increase in OM intake per kg OM in the supplement was 0.28. Hie results are discussed in relation to availability of pasture and the effects of the supplements on intake.     

THE EFFECT OF NITROGEN AND STOCKING RATE ON THE OUTPUT OF PASTURE GRAZED BY BEEF CATTLE

An experiment was conducted in two successire years to measure the effect of two levels of fertilizer N, 50 and 300 kg/ha (45 and 270 Ib/ac) on the productivity of pastures grazed by young beef cattle. Two stocking rates were imposed at the lower N level and 4 at the higher level. The responses per kg fertilizer N were approximately 1 kg liveweight gain, 20–24 Meal ME and 8–9 kg DM. Maximal yields of about 1000 kg gain/ha (890 Ib/ac) and 19,000 Meal ME/ha (7700 Mcal ME/acre) were recorded. Animal performance was similar on the low and the high N pastures. There was evidence that the chemical quality of pasture was lower on the low N pasture in the first year, but there was no difference in the second year. The numbers of dung pats per ha and the refusal of herbage due to fouling were reduced by Increasing the stocking rate.     

THE INFLUENCE OF SUPPLEMENTARY FEEDING ON THE HERBAGE INTAKE AND GRAZING BEHAVIOUR OF DRY COWS

The herbage intake and grazing behaviour of 4 dry cows on autumn grass receiving 2, 4, 6 or 8 kg concentrates/day, was assessed in a 4×4 Latin Square experiment. Total OM intake increased from 11±5 kg/day with 2 kg concentrates to 13±6 kg/day with 8 kg concentrates. The average supplementary effect was 0±46 kg increase in OM intake/kg OM fed as concentrates. Minutes per day spent grazing decreased from 495 with 2 kg concentrates to 359 with 8 kg. The mean decline was 22 min./kg concentrates or 28 min./kg OM in concentrates eaten. Herbage was eaten at an average rate of 47 min./kg OM.     

A NOTE ON THE ZERO-GRAZING OF BEEF CATTLE

Groups of 8 steers weighing 300–400 kg (660–880 Ib) were rotationally grazed on a ryegrass-dominant pasture for 115 days. The systems compared were zero grazing (Z), field grazing conducted at the same stocking rate (FC), and field grazing conducted at a stocking rate varied with the intention of giving the same liveweight gain per uiimal as zero grazing (FV). Mean daily liveweight gains were: Z, 0.98; FC, 0.78; FV, 0.90 kg/animal (2.2, 1.7 and 20 Ib/animal), and liveweight gains/unit area were in the ratio 100:78:85. Organic-matter intake, measured on four occasions, was, on average, Z, 6.54; FC, 6.18; FV, 687 kg/head daily (14.4, 13.6 and 15.1Ib). From these results it appears that a comparison of zero grazing and field grazing made at the same stocking rate is likely to underestimate the potential of field grazing for beef production from grass.     

THE INFLUENCE OF THE QUANTITY OF HERBAGE OFFERED AND ITS DIGESTIBILITY ON THE AMOUNT EATEN BY GRAZING CATTLE

Six calves, six heifers and six dry cows grazed a mature sward (treatments A and B) and a leafy aftermath (treatment C) in succession. The yields of herbage on the two swards were 7100 lb and 1950 lb DM per acre (7950 kg and 2180 kg per ha), respectively. The amounts of herbage offered daily were 47 lb (21–5 kg) DM per head (treatment A), 70 lb (32 kg) (treatment B), and 60 lb (27 kg) (treatment C), Two estimates of herbage organic–matter intake (O,M,I,) were made on each treatment; records of grazing behaviour were made on treatments B and C, The digestibility of the diet selected on treatment C was higher than that selected on treatments A and B, and the animals ate significantly more O,M, on treatment C, The total grazing times on treatments B and C were similar, but the animals found it more difficult to graze on treatment B
Herbage O.M.I. increased significantly from treatment A to treatment B, even though the quantity of herbage offered per day on treatment A greatly exceeded the amount eaten. The increase in O,M,I, was found to be associated with an increase in faecal 0,M, output, but the digestibility of the diet did not change.     

SOME EFFECTS OF GRAZING MANAGEMENT ON THE YIELD AND ITS COMPONENTS OF SOME PASTURE GRASSES

A study was made to determine the effects of grazing to a height of 1 in. when the swards reached heights of 3 and 9 in. on the dry matter production, LAI, tillering and rate of leaf production of new and old tillers in the spring–summer and autumn–winter seasons of 3 pasture species growing in association with white and red clovers. In both seasons the herbage yield under 9–1 management was higher than that under 3–1 and was significantly greater in the spring-summer season. Differences in DM production between cocksfoot, tall fescue and Ariki ryegrass failed to reach significance.
Light utilization under the 2 management systems was considered to be inefficient. In the autumn-winter period there was a linear relationship between the LAI and DM production in all treatments.
The rate of leaf production per tiller was significantly higher in cocksfoot than in ryegrass and tall fescue in both seasons.
New tillers had a significantly higher rate of leaf production than old tillers in the spring-summer period, but not in autumn-winter. The numbers of grass tillers and rooted nodes of clover were significantly higher under 3–1 than under 9–1 and were influenced by season.     

THE OUTPUT OF IRISH PASTURES

During the years 1956 and 1957, an attempt was made to assess the output of Irish Pastures using methods proposed by a Sub-Committee of the B.G.S. (9). It was found that the best results were obtained when output was determined on a single field, rather than on the whole farm basis. The yields showed highly significant correlations with both botanical composition and nutrient status of the pastures. The results were in agreement with the findings of others working on similar grasslands. It is suggested that the method might find a useful place in a programme either of advisory work or surveys concerned with grassland improvement.     

荔枝叶瘿蚊的研究

荔枝叶瘿蚊(Mayetiola sp)是国内首次报导的荔枝新害虫。在广州一年发生6代,以幼虫在被害叶上越冬。蛹期11—14天,成虫寿命1—2天,卵期2—4天,幼虫期14—39天。越冬幼虫期可达240余天。成虫产卵于嫩叶背面,幼虫孵出后侵入叶肉并发育形成疱状突起的虫瘿,通常一叶多瘿。幼虫老熟后离瘿入土化蛹,大多数是被蛹,但也有围蛹。本文描述了各期虫态的形态特征。温湿度及荔枝品种对叶瘿蚊种群数量影响极大,“三月红”对其幼虫有高度的生理抗性。目前已发现5种瘿内幼虫的寄生蜂。每年春天,于越冬幼虫离瘿入土或成虫羽化出土前用辛硫磷进行土表施药,对压低第一代虫口密度效果显著;氧化乐果或喹硫磷、杀虫双、杀虫单、敌杀死等与敌百虫混合喷雾对卵及初孵幼虫均有明显的防效。     

A FURTHER INVESTIGATION OF THE EFFECT OF NITROGEN AND STOCKING RATE ON THE PRODUCTIVITY OF PASTURE FOR BEEF CATTLE

The liveweight gain was measured of beef cattle on pastures stocked at 5.9 to 11.8 cattle/ha and receiving 50, 182 or 329 kg N/ha in a 12-week season. N levels and stocking rates were so adjusted that similar yields of herbage per animal were expected. Results showed that similar liveweight gains per animal, averaging 1.03 kg/day, occurred at all N levels. Liveweight gain/ha ranged from 547 to 1037 kg in 12 weeks and the corresponding quantities of metabolizable energy utilized were 9890 and 17590 Meal. The results confinn earlier work (4, 7).     

THE EFFECT OF NITROGEN, STOCKING RATE AND FREQUENCY OF GRAZING BY BEEF CATTLE ON THE OUTPUT OF PASTURE

Two successive grazing experiments were conducted over 12 weeks on perennial ryegrass pastures with 50 and 44 young cattle to study the effect of N fertilizer when applied at a daily rate of 1 or 3 kg N/ha. At each level of N two stocking rates differing hy 20% were imposed. At the liigher N level and stocking rate, three frequencies of grazing were imposed. At the stocking rates imposed N tended to reduce the daily liveweight gain per head, but increased the total liveweight gain per ha by from 0.79 to 1.58 kg/kg N. A 20% increase in stocking rate depressed gain per head in both years. In the first year it did not improve gain/ha, hut in the second year gain/ha was increased by 12–17%. There was a tendency for performance per animal and per ha to increase as the grazing cycle was lengthened. In 1969 the highest yield in the whole season was 1880 grazing days and 1260 kg gain/ha. The overall response to N fertilizer was similar to that recorded in other reports, but it is possible that a lack of K had limited pasture growth.     

中国油菜杂种优势利用研究概况

本文介绍了中国杂交油菜的研究历史及目前的进展情况。1990年中国的杂交油菜种植面积已达40多万公顷。4个杂交组合已通过省区域试验和品种审定。目前参加全国区域试验的杂交组合有18个。同时还分别介绍了中国在选育天然杂种、自交不亲和系杂种、化学杀雄杂种、核不育杂种、细胞质雄性不育杂种以及应用基础研究的情况。对当前杂交油菜的研究重点也进行了讨论。     

SOME EFFECTS OF SOIL-WATER CONDITIONS AND SOIL TEMPERATURE ON THE ROOTS OF GRASSES AND CLOVER

The effects of soil water conditions and soil temperatures on the growth of grass and clover roots and on the number of new adventitious roots were examined in the field and in glasshouse experiments.
Although significantly more new roots were produced when swards were irrigated during extremely dry periods, the effect was small, In general, irrigation appeared to have little effect on the seasonal pattern of production of new roots from the base of the plant.
High soil temperatures affected root growth. Branching of roots was increased by high temperatures, but the number of new roots formed at the base of the tillers was decreased, and the mean diameter of the roots was decreased. A multiple regression analysis of the number of new roots beneath a unit area of sward with soil-water conditions and soil temperatures at the time of sampling gave a significant inverse relationship with soil temperature. No relationship could be demonstrated     

THE EFFECT OF NITROGEN, STOCKING RATE AND GRAZING METHOD ON THE OUTPUT OF PASTURE GRAZED BY BEEF CATTLE

An experiment was conducted in 1971 and 1972 to study the effects of two levels of fertilizer N (50 and 504 kg/ha) on the productivity of pastures grazed by young beef cattle. Two stocking rates were imposed at the lower N level and three at the higher. In addition to rotational grazing, set-stocking and an integrated grazing-conservation system were included. The responses/kg N were approximately 1 kg live-weight gain, 19–24 Meal ME and 8–9 kg DM. Maximum yields of 1200–1300 kg live-weight gain/ha and 25,000–27,000 Meal ME/ha were recorded. Productivity of set-stocked pasture was similar to rotational grazing at the high N level, but lower at low N. The integrated system yielded comparable results to high-N rotational grazing. Performances and herbage intakes per animal reflected the stocking rates imposed.     

芒果果实生长发育及脱落的研究

芒果在座果后经过约95天的生长达到成熟,果实在整个生长过程呈慢—快—慢的生长规律。其生理落果主要发生在座果后70天内。果实的过氧化物酶和IAA氧化酶活性以及可溶性蛋白质和总可溶性糖的含量均随果实的生长而提高,至80—85天时达到高峰,尔后降低。败育果的过氧化物酶、IAA氧化酶活性和脯氨酸含量高于正常果,可溶性蛋白质、总可溶性糖低于正常果,随着果实的生长,这种差异愈加显著。