光强和刈割处理对柠条幼苗补偿生长的影响

在3个光强,100%自然全光照(natural sunlight,NS)、37%NS和16%NS的遮阴条件下,研究了5个刈割强度处理(留茬高度为30、20、10、3cm和不刈割)对柠条(Caragana korshinskii)幼苗补偿生长的影响。结果表明,1)强光照和刈割均促进幼苗刈割后的补偿生长,刈割处理后幼苗的萌条数和萌条基径都在强光下最大,但随着刈割强度的增大呈减小趋势。2)幼苗株高、基径、主根长和侧根数在所有刈割处理均表现为100%NS37%NS16%NS;刈割处理幼苗的株高和基径均小于不刈割对照,且随刈割强度的增大而减小;尽管轻度刈割促进幼苗主根生长和侧根数增加,但二者都随刈割强度的增大而受到抑制。3)强光照有利于幼苗刈割后的生物量积累,但幼苗总生物量在不同光照条件下都随刈割程度的增大逐渐减小,即表现为欠补偿生长;幼苗生物量补偿指数随着光照强度的减弱而增大,在16%NS下不同强度刈割处理间变化不大,表明幼苗刈割后的生物量积累在强光下主要依赖于光合作用新合成的光合产物,而在弱光下主要依赖于根系和残留树桩贮藏的营养物质。研究表明,柠条幼苗刈割后的补偿生长能力随着刈割强度的增大而减小,且表现为欠补偿;强光照对柠条幼苗刈割后的补偿生长具有促进作用。本研究可为柠条的幼苗培育、饲草生产和草地生态系统管理提供参考。     

Restoring Tallgrass Prairie and Grassland Bird Populations in Tall Fescue Pastures With Winter Grazing

Restoration of grasslands dominated by tall fescue (Schedonorus phoenix [Scop.] Holub) to native tallgrass prairie usually requires burning, herbicides, or reseeding. We tested seasonal grazing by livestock in winter, combined with cessation of fertilization, as a restoration tool for modifying the competitive dynamics among herbaceous plants to restore tallgrass prairie communities in southeastern Kansas. In 2004–2005, we compared responses of grassland plants and birds across a chronosequence of pastures that were winter-grazed from 1 yr to 5 yr. We compared winter-grazed pastures to pastures grazed year-round and to local native prairie remnants as starting and endpoints for restoration, respectively. Abundance of native warm-season grasses increased from 2% to 3% mean relative frequency in pastures grazed year-round to 18% to 30% in winter-grazed pastures, and increased with duration of winter-grazing. Native warm-season grasses accounted for 1–6% of total live aboveground biomass in pastures grazed year-round, 1–34% in winter-grazed pastures, and 31–34% in native prairie remnants. Tall fescue abundance and biomass were similar among grazing treatments, with a trend for tall fescue to be less dominant in winter-grazed pastures. Tall fescue made up 9–40% of total aboveground biomass in year-round grazed pastures and 10–25% in winter-grazed pastures. Grassland birds showed variable responses to winter-grazing. Dickcissels (Spiza americana) and Henslow’s sparrows (Ammodramus henslowii) were more abundant in winter-grazed pastures, whereas eastern meadowlarks (Sturnella magna) and grasshopper sparrows (A. savannarum) had similar abundance in pastures grazed year-round and during winter. Winter-grazing of pastures dominated by tall fescue combined with suspension of nitrogen fertilization could be an effective restoration technique that allows use of prairie rangeland while improving habitat for sensitive grassland birds.     

Herbage intake of dairy cows in mixed sequential grazing with breeding ewes as followers

This study aimed to evaluate the hypothesis that mixed sequential grazing of dairy cows and breeding ewes is beneficial. During the seasons of spring–summer 2013 and autumn–winter 2013–2014, 12 (spring–summer) and 16 (autumn–winter) Holstein Friesian cows and 24 gestating (spring–summer) and lactating (autumn–winter) Pelibuey ewes grazed on six (spring–summer) and nine (autumn–winter) paddocks of alfalfa and orchard grass mixed pastures. The treatments “single species cow grazing” (CowG) and “mixed sequential grazing with ewes as followers of cows” (MixG) were evaluated, under a completely randomized design with two replicates per paddock. Herbage mass on offer (HO) and residual herbage mass (RH) were estimated by cutting samples. The estimate of herbage intake (HI) of cows was based on the use of internal and external markers; the apparent HI of ewes was calculated as the difference between HO (RH of cows) and RH. Even though HO was higher in CowG, the HI of cows was higher in MixG during spring–summer and similar in both treatments during autumn–winter, implying that in MixG the effects on the cows HI of higher alfalfa proportion and herbage accumulation rate evolving from lower residual herbage mass in the previous cycle counteracted that of a higher HO in CowG. The HI of ewes was sufficient to enable satisfactory performance as breeding ewes. Thus, the benefits of mixed sequential grazing arose from higher herbage accumulation, positive changes in botanical composition, and the achievement of sheep production without negative effects on the herbage intake of cows.     

Factors determining the sward utilisation of winter pasture in cattle feeding

In this review article, factors determining the sward utilisation of winter pasture in cattle feeding were defined and analyzed. The results from literature and own investigations have shown that yield and quality of autumn-saved herbage on winter pasture are determined by pratotechnical measures such as harvest date in winter and pre-utilisation date in summer, botanical composition of sward, and particularly the dominated grass species or community, nitrogen fertilisation and weather conditions in winter. The date of winter harvest as a dominating factor affects the development of dry matter yield as well as the digestibility of organic matter and nutrients concentration in herbage during winter. For the management of winter grazing systems it could be obtained that crude protein and energy concentration of the tested autumn-saved herbage met the requirements of suckler cows or beef cattle until the end of the year if they were pre-utilised in July. The weather conditions during autumn-winter period are important factor determining the accumulation of secondary metabolites formed by field fungi in herbage of winter pasture.     

Invertebrate Community Response to a Shifting Mosaic of Habitat

Grazing management has focused largely on promoting vegetation homogeneity through uniform distribution of grazing to minimize area in a pasture that is either heavily disturbed or undisturbed. An alternative management model that couples grazing and fire (i.e., patch burning) to promote heterogeneity argues that grazing and fire interact through a series of positive and negative feedbacks to cause a shifting mosaic of vegetation composition and structure across the landscape. We compared patch burning with traditional homogeneity-based management in tallgrass prairie to determine the influence of the two treatments on the aboveground invertebrate community. Patch burning resulted in a temporal flush of invertebrate biomass in patches transitional between unburned and patches burned in the current year. Total invertebrate mass was about 50% greater in these transitional patches within patch-burned pastures as compared to pastures under traditional, homogeneity-based management. Moreover, the mosaic of patches in patch-burned pastures contained a wider range of invertebrate biomass and greater abundance of some invertebrate orders than did the traditionally managed pastures. Patch burning provides habitat that meets requirements for a broad range of invertebrate species, suggesting the potential for patch burning to benefit other native animal assemblages in the food chain.     

Seasonal Patterns of Forage Availability in the Fescue Grasslands Under Contrasting Grazing Histories

Grazing by large herbivores has been shown to condition vegetation in a manner that improves grassland quality for subsequent herbivory. Fescue grasslands evolved with disturbance from fire and winter grazing by bison but are now grazed primarily by cattle during summer. We examined the effect of long-term summer grazing on the seasonal forage production and quality of fescue grasslands in an examination of the hypothesis that long-term grazing had conditioned fescue grasslands to benefit livestock. This hypothesis was examined by comparing, between grazed and ungrazed plots, the biomass and composition of herbage components, concentrations of nitrogen (N) and acid detergent fiber (ADF) therein, and the ability of major plant types to maintain their biomass and quality throughout the growing season. The study was conducted in southern Alberta at five sites that had long-term exclosures (20+ yr) on grasslands that had been moderately grazed. Grazing had no effect on the N concentration of associated grasses, but grasses had lower N concentration than forbs. Concentrations of ADF followed a reciprocal trend to N. Grazing increased the mass of forbs from about 10% to 20% as a proportion of total biomass, which in turn, was not affected by grazing history. However, this grazing-induced shift to a higher quality vegetation type was not sufficient to affect total mass of N or total digestible nutrients at the community level. Rather than changes in current growth and quality, the predominant effect of summer grazing was in reducing litter mass, which also had the potential for affecting forage production and selection by herbivores. Finally, grazing reduced the relative contribution of rough fescue to total biomass by about 30%, and despite no significant effect on the potential to support summer grazing, this change could reduce the quality of these grasslands for winter grazing.     

Effects of 34 Years of Experimentally Manipulated Burn Seasons and Frequencies on Prairie Plant Composition

Historically, tallgrass prairie burns occurred at many seasons and frequencies. Currently, tallgrass prescribed burns often occur annually in the spring, usually for cattle forage production. Altering burning season and frequency is known to affect plant composition and biomass production, but researchers are still uncertain how burning season and frequency interact. We present the long-term effects of a factorial combination of different burn seasons (spring, summer, autumn, or variable [rotated through seasons]) and frequencies (annual or quadrennial) on the plant composition and biomass production of an ungrazed, restored tallgrass prairie in eastern Nebraska, United States. The experimental plots were established in 1978 and visually surveyed for baseline data in 1979 and 1981. Experimental burn treatments were begun in 1982. Plots were visually surveyed until 2011 with the following results: 1) annual spring and summer burns increased C₄ graminoid abundance; 2) annual autumn burns increased forb abundance; 3) burn season had little effect on plant composition for quadrennial burns; and 4) variable season burns generally led to plant composition that was intermediate between annual spring/summer and annual autumn burns. We also clipped biomass to estimate aboveground annual net primary production (ANPP) in 2015, a year in which both annual and quadrennial burns occurred. Total ANPP did not differ significantly between burn frequencies nor between spring and autumn burns (772 g m^? 2 average) but was lower in summer burns (541 g m^? 2). ANPP results were similar to visual surveys, with significantly higher C₄ graminoid ANPP in spring than autumn burns and significantly lower forb and C₃ graminoid ANPP in spring than autumn burns. Overall, these results suggest autumn burns can increase forb and C₃ graminoid abundance, without strongly affecting total ANPP relative to spring burns. Future studies should compare plant and livestock production between spring and autumn burns in grazed fields.     

Prairie Dog (Cynomys ludovicianus) Influence on Forage Quantity and Quality in a Grazed Grassland-Shrubland Ecotone

Black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus) have high dietary overlap with livestock, which can cause forage-centric conflicts between agriculture and conservation. Research suggests prairie dogs can enhance forage quality, but trade-offs between quality and quantity throughout the growing season remain unclear, as well as the degree to which increased forage quality is caused by altered species composition versus altered plant physiology. To assess the effects of prairie dog herbivory on forage in a northern mixed-grass prairie, we collected samples on prairie dog colonies and at sites without prairie dogs during June, July, and August 2016 - 2017 for forage quality, and August 2015 - 2017 for herbaceous biomass. To isolate mechanisms affecting forage quality, we collected both composite samples of all herbaceous species and samples of western wheatgrass (Pascopyrum smithii [Rydb.] Á. Löve). Across years and plant sample types, crude protein, phosphorus, and fat were 12-44% greater and neutral detergent fiber was 6-10% lower on prairie dog colonies than at sites without prairie dogs. The effects of prairie dogs on forage quality persisted throughout the season for western wheatgrass samples (all treatment*time p-values ≥ 0.4). Across years, aboveground herbaceous biomass did not differ significantly between prairie dog colonies and sites without prairie dogs (on-colony: 933 ± 156 kg/ha, off-colony: 982 ± 117 kg/ha). The effects of prairie dogs on herbaceous biomass were significantly influenced by spring precipitation. In years with dry springs, herbaceous biomass was lower on colonies than sites without prairie dogs and this pattern was reversed in years with wet springs. Our results demonstrate season-long enhanced forage quality on prairie dog colonies, indicating that multiple mechanisms are shaping forage quality in this system, including altered species composition, phenological growth stage, and soil condition. Across years, enhanced forage quality may help to offset reductions in forage quantity for agricultural producers.     

Vegetation Production Responses to October Grazing in the Nebraska Sandhills

Understanding the long-term effect of summer grazing date and fall stocking rate on herbage production is critical to extending the grazing season in the Nebraska Sandhills. A study was conducted from 1997 to 2002 at the Gudmundsen Sandhills Laboratory located near Whitman, Nebraska, to determine the herbage production response to summer grazing date and October stocking rate on two different sites. Site 1 was dominated by warm-season grasses and site 2 was dominated by cool-season graminoids. At each site, three 0.37-ha pastures were constructed in each of four blocks before application of summer grazing treatments. Pastures in each block were grazed at 0.5 animal-unit months (AUM) · ha^?1 in June or July, or were deferred from summer grazing. Following summer grazing treatments, October stocking rate treatments (no grazing or 1.0, 2.0, or 3.0 AUM · ha^?1) were applied to subunits of each summer grazing date pasture during mid-October. Vegetation was sampled in each pasture in mid-June and mid-August and sorted by functional group to determine the effect of 5 yr of grazing treatments on herbage production and residual herbage. Herbage production was not affected by summer or October grazing treatments on the warm-season grass–dominated site. Increasing October stocking rate, however, reduced cool-season graminoid production and subsequent herbage production 25% by year 5 of the study. Residual herbage at both sites at the end of the October grazing periods explained as much as 16% to 34% of subsequent year’s herbage production. Grazing managers in the Nebraska Sandhills can extend the grazing season by lightly stocking pastures in the summer to facilitate additional fall grazing. Heavy stocking in October over several years on cool-season–, but not warm-season–, dominated sites will reduce production of cool-season graminoids on these sites.     

Performance and dietary preferences of white‐tailed deer grazing chicory,birdsfoot trefoil or alfalfa in north central Alberta

Little information exists on the performance of deer on alternative forage species in northern temperate environments during summer and fall, the period of inherent maximum growth in deer. In performance and choice experiments, we compared live weight gain (g/kg^0.75/day), absolute [kg/ha dry matter (DM)] and relative (% DM) herbage utilization, relative preference index (RPI) as well as plant community visitation of white‐tailed deer grazing alfalfa (Medicago sativa), birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus) or chicory (Cichorium intybus) in north central Alberta, Canada. Herbage phytomass and quality was also measured on the grazed pastures. Alfalfa had higher dry matter yields and crude protein concentrations than chicory and trefoil. Chicory had lower neutral detergent fiber concentrations than the other forages. Tannin concentrations were greatest in birds foot trefoil (nearly 55 g/kg DM), well above those in the other forages (<5 g/kg DM). Live weight gain was similar among deer feeding within the paddocks seeded to birds foot trefoil and chicory, and more than two times higher (p < 0.05) than deer feeding in paddocks seeded to alfalfa. Deer spent more grazing time (about 40%) on chicory pastures than on alfalfa and birds foot trefoil pastures. RPI values were greatest for birds foot trefoil at 2.11, intermediate for chicory at 1.40, and lowest for alfalfa at <0.60. Absolute herbage utilization remained similar (p > 0.05) among the three forage species. In contrast, relative herbage utilization was greater from birds foot trefoil (52% DM) than chicory (40% DM) or alfalfa (25% DM). These results suggest that the use of alfalfa with other alternative forages may prove beneficial to deer production, rather than using alfalfa pasture alone.     

The Effect of Herbicide Application During the Winter on Forage Production,Animal Performance,and Grain Yield of Winter Wheat

Winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is used for both forage and grain production throughout the U.S. Southern Great Plains region. Management practices to increase grain yield may affect winter forage production and as a result, animal performance. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of applying herbicides in the winter to control broad leaf weeds on winter and spring forage production, animal performance, and subsequent grain yield. Four 8-ha wheat pastures at each of two locations were established under no-till practices each fall, then randomly assigned within location to receive one of the following four treatments: 1) no winter herbicides, 2) chlorsulfuron, 3) chlorsulfuron plus metsulfuron, or 4) triasulfuron. Herbicides were applied in December (yr 1) or January (yr 2) combined with 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D). Stocker steers were used as grazers to determine animal performance during winter (December to March) and spring (March to May) grazing periods. Animal performance and beef production per ha were not (P>0.10) affected by the application of herbicides. Animal productivity was related to climatic conditions, which affected both the energy required by the animal for maintenance and the amount of forage produced. Winter and spring forage production was not affected (P>0.10) by herbicide application. The amount of nonwheat biomass present at grain harvest was lower (P<0.03), the harvest index was higher (P<0.01), and the number of seed head was higher (P<0.01) for herbicide-treated plots than for control plots. Among the herbicides used, triasulfuron increased the number of seed heads and grain yield. Applying herbicides to winter wheat in the winter to control broadleaf weeds did not affect forage or animal production but did increase harvest index.     

Growth performance of stocker calves backgrounded on sod-seeded winter annuals or hay and grain

Economically viable options for retaining ownership of spring-born calves through a winter backgrounding program are somewhat limited in the southeastern United States. Although sod-seeded winter annual forages produce less forage than those same forages planted using conventional tillage practices, sod-seeded winter annual forages have the potential to provide a low-cost, rapid-gain, ecologically and economically viable option for retaining ownership of fall-weaned calves. A study was conducted during the winters of 1998, 1999, and 2000 using 180 crossbred calves (261 +/- 2.8 kg initial BW; n = 60 each year) to compare sod-seeded winter annual forages with conventional hay and supplement backgrounding programs in southeast Arkansas. Calves were provided bermudagrass hay (ad libitum) and a grain sorghum-based supplement (2.7 kg/d) on 1-ha dormant bermudagrass pastures or were grazed on 2-ha pastures of bermudagrass/dallisgrass overseeded with 1) annual ryegrass, 2) wheat plus annual ryegrass, or 3) rye plus annual ryegrass at a set stocking rate of 2.5 calves/ha. Calves grazed from mid-December until mid-April but were fed bermudagrass hay during times of low forage mass. Mean CP and IVDMD concentrations were 19.0 and 71.1%, respectively, across sampling dates and winter annual forages, but three-way interactions among forage treatments, year, and sampling date were detected (P < 0.01) for forage mass, concentrations of CP, and IVDMD. The IVDMD of rye plus ryegrass was greater (P < 0.05) than that of ryegrass in yr 2. A forage treatment x sampling date interaction was detected for forage CP in yr 1 (P < 0.05) and 2 (P = 0.05) but not in yr 3 (P = 0.40). Forage mass did not differ (P > or = 0.22) among winter annual treatments on any sampling date. During the first 2 yr, calves fed hay plus supplement gained less (P < 0.05) BW than calves that grazed winter annual forages; gains did not differ (P > or = 0.23) among winter annual treatments. During the 3rd yr, undesirable environmental conditions limited growth of the winter annual forages; total gain did not differ (P = 0.66) among the four treatments. Winter annual forages offer potential to provide high-quality forage for calves retained until spring, but consistent forage production and quality are a concern when sod-seeding techniques are used.     

高寒山区白三叶／多年生黑麦草放牧草地植物组分季节动态研究

将高寒山区白三叶／多年生黑麦草放牧草地植物组分分成白三叶、多年生黑麦草、单子叶杂草、阔叶杂草和死物质5种进行季节动态研究，进而对该草地牧草季节供给质量进行评价，找出生产管理上的不足并加以改进。该草地多年生黑麦草占据绝对优势，但豆科牧草含量不足；冬春季节死物质含量过高，夏秋季节利用强度不足。草地供给的牧草质量9月最高，播种牧草含量达79．90％，12月最差为44．68％；而可利用牧草含量最高为8月的97．04％，12月最低为45．55％。     

Influence of sward height, daily timing of concentrate supplementation, and restricted time for grazing on forage utilization by lactating beef cows

To establish the effect of sward height, concentrate feeding time, and restricted time for grazing on forage utilization by grazing cattle, 32 crossbred beef (24 Angus and eight Hereford) cows (632 kg BW) and calves (104 kg BW) were grouped by weight and calving date. They were assigned randomly to two sward height treatments (4 to 8 or 8 to 12 cm), replicated four times. The herbage comprised mainly Kentucky bluegrass, orchardgrass, some forbs, and white clover. The cows were restricted to 12 h/d grazing (0700 to 1900) or unrestricted to 24 h/d grazing and fed a concentrate supplement (4.1 kg DM.cow(-1).d(-1), approximately 0.65% of BW or 33% of total DMI) either at 0700 or 1800. The experiment was repeated over three 15-d periods in May, June/July, and August 2000. The herbage on high sward height pasture was higher (P = 0.06) in NDF and ADF and lower (P < 0.01) in CP than low sward height herbage. For cows restricted to 12 h/d grazing, supplementing at 0700 as opposed 1800 resulted in greater (P = 0.04) forage DMI (8.6 vs. 8.1 kg/d), whereas cows that were unrestricted showed little change (8.2 kg/d at 0700 vs. 8.4 kg/d at 1800). Supplementing at 1800 as opposed to 0700 resulted in greater (P = 0.03) herbage DM digestibility (67.7 vs. 64.5%) for cows on high sward height, whereas cows on low sward height exhibited minimal differences (65.4% at 1800 vs. 66.3% at 0700). Cows restricted to 12 h/d grazing and supplemented at 0700 as opposed to 1800 resulted in greater (P = 0.06) digestible DMI (5.0 vs. 4.7 kg/d), whereas unrestricted cows exhibited the opposite response (4.6 kg/d digestible DMI at 0700 vs. 4.9 kg/d at 1800). Supplementing at 1800 as opposed to 0700 increased the time spent grazing to a greater (P = 0.09) extent for restricted than for unrestricted cows. When forage availability or grazing time was limiting (due to a low forage allowance and restricted access to forage, respectively) supplementing concentrates at 0700 resulted in greater forage utilization and intake rate because of increased forage DMI, DM digestibility, and digestible DMI. However, when forage or grazing time was not limiting, supplementing concentrates at 1800 resulted in greater forage utilization because of increased forage DM digestibility.     

Steers performance in dwarf elephant grass pastures alone or mixed with Arachis pintoi

The inclusion of legumes in pasture reduces the need for mineral nitrogen applications and the pollution of groundwater; however, the agronomic and animal husbandry advantages with tropical legumes are still little known. The objective of this study was to quantify the effect of the use of forage peanut (Arachis pintoi cv. Amarillo) in dwarf elephant grass pastures (Pennisetum purpureum cv. BRS Kurumi) on forage intake and animal performance. The experimental treatments were dwarf elephant grass fertilized with 200 kg?N/ha, and dwarf elephant grass mixed with forage peanut without mineral fertilizers. The animals used for the experiment were 12 Charolais steers (body weight (BW)?=?288?±?5.2 kg) divided into four lots (two per treatment). Pastures were managed under intermittent stocking with an herbage allowance of 5.4 kg dry matter of green leaves/100 kg BW. Dry matter intake (mean?=?2.44 % BW), the average daily gain (mean?=?0.76 kg), and the stocking rate (mean?=?3.8 AU/ha) were similar between the studied pastures, but decreased drastically in last grazing cycle with the same herbage allowance. The presence of peanut in dwarf elephant grass pastures was enough to sustain the stocking rate, but did not allow increasing forage intake and animal performance.     

Mefluidide treatment of tall fescue pastures: forage quality

Spring application of a plant growth regulator, mefluidide, to tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) pastures grazed from May to September reduced (P less than .05) available DM and digestible OM per hectare by 51 and 41%, respectively, compared to untreated pastures. However, seasonal averages for N, Ca and P content and in vitro OM disappearance (OMD) were greater (P less than .05) and NDF was lower (P less than .05) in tall fescue from mefluidide-treated pastures than in untreated pastures. Compared to hand-clipped samples, esophageal extrusa of tall fescue was 63% higher (P less than .05) in N (2.7 vs 1.7%) and 26% lower (P less than .05) in NDF (52.6 vs 69.9%) than hand-clipped tall fescue samples, regardless of treatment. Extrusa and hand-clipped herbage samples were similar (P greater than .10) in OMD during May and September, but OMD of extrusa was greater (P less than .05) during June, July and August compared to clipped samples. As a consequence of preventing stem elongation and seedhead formation earlier in the growing season, mefluidide treatment of tall fescue maintained forage quality at a higher level during midsummer.     

刈割后氮肥施用对饲料油菜地上部产量及品质的影响

为进一步在湖北地区冬闲田推广饲料油菜(Brassica campestris)的种植,以饲料油菜1315为试验材料,在湖北省冬闲田研究刈割后氮肥施用对饲料油菜地上部产量及品质的影响。结果表明,第1次刈割后,施用氮肥能显著增加饲料油菜地上部产量(P0.05),与不施氮肥处理(N_0)相比,施用17.25kg·hm~(-2)(N_1)和34.5kg·hm~(-2)(N_2)饲料油菜干草产量分别增加了50.0%和75.0%,粗灰分产量分别提高了45.7%和53.2%,粗纤维产量分别提高了50.7%和90.4%,粗蛋白产量分别提高了84.5%和159.3%,粗脂肪产量分别提高了53.9%和83.8%,可溶性糖产量分别提高了64.7%和68.5%,提升了饲料油菜的生产水平。综合考虑,在湖北地区冬闲田种植饲料油菜,为了提高油菜产量和品质,建议在第1次刈割后追施30kg·hm~(-2)。     

Fire,Defoliation, and Competing Species Alter Aristida purpurea Biomass,Tiller, and Axillary Bud Production

Aristida purpurea (purple threeawn) is a competitive native perennial grass with monoculturistic tendencies and poor palatability. We examined effects of fire, defoliation, and interspecific/intraspecific planting for 1) threeawn responses in the presence of threeawn, Bouteloua gracilis, or Pascopyrum smithii, and 2) B. gracilis and P. smithii response with threeawn. Biomass, aboveground production, tillers, and axillary buds were analyzed following two fire and four clipping treatments applied to three species–pair combinations in a completely randomized factorial design with nine replications. Fire killed 36% of threeawn. Fire reduced surviving threeawn biomass 61% and reduced production 27%. Threeawn production was greatest when neither plant was clipped and least when competing species were moderately clipped, or when both plants were severely clipped. Tiller counts of burned threeawn were similar among clipping treatments, and less than non-clipped or moderately clipped plants not burned. Fire decreased threeawn axillary buds on average by 25%. Moderately clipped plants had greater production than those from other clipping treatments across species. Average threeawn percentage of pot biomass was greater with B. gracilis (46 ± 3% SE) than P. smithii (38 ± 3% SE). Fire reduced threeawn from 60 ± 3% to 23 ± 3% of pot biomass, indicating good potential for rapid reductions in threeawn dominance and restoration of plant diversity with fire.     

Vegetation Responses to Fixed Stocking Densities in Highly Variable Montane Pastures in the Chinese Altay

Variability in aboveground herbaceous biomass and its quality were studied in response to three different stocking densities during a 2-yr grazing experiment with sheep on a montane summer pasture in the Chinese Altay. We determined herbaceous cover and aboveground biomass in 16 paddocks of 0.25 ha each. Vegetation cover showed high spatial variation, prompting us to implement a randomized block design. Forage intake of one male sheep per paddock was quantified four times per grazing season by collection of total feces and estimation of diet digestibility. Sheep weight was recorded every 3 wk. Aboveground herbaceous dry mass (DM) was characterized by pronounced annual variation. Biomass quality declined with progressing season and increasing sheep density. Daily organic matter intake per sheep ranged from 0.7 to 1.4 kg, which was paralleled by a biomass removal of 710 ? 1 560 kg DM/ha at densities of 8 ? 24 sheep/ha. At 8 sheep/ha, animals gained weight throughout each grazing period, whereas weight losses of 40 ? 100 g/d occurred at higher densities. These results challenge the presently followed concept of a fixed stocking density for summer pastures in Altay Prefecture, Xinjian, China. Such practice may result in low herbage allowances and thus deficient sheep nutrition in one year, as well as underutilization of forage resources in another. Flexible adjustment of stocking densities is also advisable for montane pastures where spatiotemporal variability, although less pronounced than in desert steppes of the Altay foothills, is nonetheless highly relevant.     

Nutrition of goats as influenced by thinning and clearing of deciduous woodland in northeastern Brazil

Nutritive composition of diets and forage intake of goats utilizing pastures of cleared, two levels of thinned (25% and 55% canopy cover) and undisturbed (control) tropical woodland were compared on a seasonal basis. Esophageally fistulated goats were used to collect dietary samples for chemical analysis. Total fecal collections were used to estimate organic matter intake (OMI) and digestible energy intake (DEI). Forage availability during the wet season was more than threefold higher (P less than .1) on treated than on control pastures. Although available forage was similar (P greater than .1) for all treatments by the middle of the dry season, available forage on the control pastures was limited mostly to dry tree leaves. Goats selected diets 4% higher (P less than .1) in neutral detergent fiber on the control pastures than on the treated pastures; otherwise, diets selected by the goats on the various pastures were similar in terms of crude protein, lignin and in vitro organic matter digestibility. However, OMI and DEI were 23 and 31% higher (P less than .1), respectively, on the treated pastures than on the control pastures. There were no differences among the cleared and thinned treatments. Excessively wet conditions during the rainy season adversely affected goat performance. High populations of biting insects and wet field conditions reduced foraging time and diet selection. The generally higher levels of available forage on the cleared and thinned pastures did not result in the goats' selecting diets higher in nutritive value on the treated pastures than on the control pastures. Instead, the increased forage availability for the treated pastures allowed the goats to attain higher intake of forage.