放牧苜蓿品种选育研究进展

苜蓿放牧草地以其成本相对低(与干草型苜蓿草地相比)、营养价值高、放牧家畜生产性能优异得到了家畜生产者的青睐。长期以来苜蓿的利用一直是以生产干草为主。多数干草型品种的耐牧性并不好，因此选育耐牧性强的苜蓿品种是育种家的重要目标。国外1990年后推出的耐牧性品种不仅耐牧性强。且抗病虫害能力强、产草量高、适口性好。为此。从放牧型苜蓿品种的特点、选育指标、选育过程及放牧苜蓿品种的评价体系等方面。综述了放牧型苜蓿育种的研究进展，为今后我国放牧型苜蓿品种的选育提供指导。     

放牧苜蓿品种选育研究进展

苜蓿放牧草地以其成本相对低(与干草型苜蓿草地相比)、营养价值高、放牧家畜生产性能优异得到了家畜生产者的青睐.长期以来苜蓿的利用一直是以生产干草为主,多数干草型品种的耐牧性并不好,因此选育耐牧性强的苜蓿品种是育种家的重要目标.国外1990年后推出的耐牧性品种不仅耐牧性强,且抗病虫害能力强、产草量高、适口性好.为此,从放牧型苜蓿品种的特点、选育指标、选育过程及放牧苜蓿品种的评价体系等方面,综述了放牧型苜蓿育种的研究进展,为今后我国放牧型苜蓿品种的选育提供指导.     

不同放牧强度对根蘖型苜蓿＋羊草混播草地和细毛羊生产性能研究（初报）

不同放牧强度对草地生存环境和家畜生产性能的影响是密切相关的。采用3种不同放牧强度(每只羊1000、1333．4、1666．8m^2)对根蘖型苜蓿 羊草混播人工草地，进行分区轮牧试验。研究表明在中、低度放牧强度下，牧草的根蘖(分蘖)率、产草量和细毛羊增重都有明显的增长，对根蘖型苜蓿的耐牧、高产和适应性强等特点有所了解。     

苜蓿与放牧家畜臌胀病研究概况

饲喂新鲜苜蓿Medicago sativa时,家畜患臌胀病的风险很大,因此苜蓿传统上主要用作调制干草,放牧利用较少.就家畜臌胀病的概念、引发的原因及放牧管理中的相应预防方法和紫花苜蓿引起的臌胀病做一简要综述,旨在阐明已知的臌胀病可能起因及防治方法,为容易引起家畜臌胀病的苜蓿及其他相关豆科牧草的合理放牧利用提供指导.     

放牧草地的产量和质量管理

放牧草地的管理一方面是要最大限度地提高牧草产量，另一方面是要最大限度地提高牧草质量，其最终目标就是提高放牧家畜的生产性能。本文根据最新草地研究进展，讨论了影响放牧草地产量和质量的主要因素，以及为了达到期望的家畜生产性能而应遵循的放牧草地产量和质量管理原则。     

我国的苜蓿病害及其综合防治体系

我国已发现36种病原真菌危害苜蓿.在我国已知苜蓿病害中,分布较广且危害较大的有锈病(Uromyces striatus)、霜霉病(Peronospora aestivalis)、褐斑病(Pseudopeziza medicaginis)、白粉病(Erysiphe pisi和Levillula leguminiarum)、夏季黑茎病(Cercospora medicaginis)、黑茎和叶斑病(Phoma medicaginis)、黄斑病(Pyrenopeziza medicaginis)和轮斑病(Stemphylium botryosum)等8种.此外,对镰刀菌腐病(Fusarium spp)、炭疽病(Colletotichum trifolii)以及我国尚未发现的疫霉根腐病(Phytophthora megasperma)、黄萎病(Verticillium albo-atrum)和细菌性凋萎病(Clavibacter michiganense subsp. insidiosum)亦应给予充分的注意.在建立苜蓿病害综合防治体系中,应强调系统的观点和长期的观点.防治苜蓿病害的最有效途径是采取一切措施保证苜蓿旺盛的生长.苜蓿病害综合防治体系的主要内容包括利用抗病品种,不同种或品种的牧草混播,播种前应用杀菌剂处理种子,科学施肥,合理利用草地和早春焚烧苜蓿残茬等.     

放牧对草地植物群落多样性和草地病害的影响

放牧是合理利用、培育改良草地的重要方式之一。通过不同放牧强度、放牧方式以及家畜采食等提高或降低草地植物病害的发病率和病情指数。草地植被群落多样性包括物种丰富度和寄主植物密度,通过影响寄主植物对周围环境资源的利用以及病原真菌的传播来提高或降低病害的发病率和严重度。同时,不同放牧强度、家畜采食习性、草地生产类型、放牧史以及放牧分布型也分别提高或降低草地植物群落多样性。本文综述放牧对草地植物群落多样性和草地病害的影响,指出在以后的研究工作中把放牧对草地植物群落多样性的影响与草地植物病害的影响结合起来,并在遗传多样性方面加以研究,最终切实可行地通过提升放牧管理达到减轻或防止草地病害发生的目的,实现统一放牧、病害管理以及草地资源可持续利用的目标。     

放牧强度和草地类型对育肥羔羊生产性能的影响

在华北农牧交错带坝上地区 ,研究放牧强度和草地类型对肥育羔羊生产性能的影响。结果表明 ,在育肥期间 ,放牧强度对育肥羔羊个体增重的影响主要与季节有关。试验结束时 ,供试羔羊体重间差异不显著 (P>0 .0 5) ,但是单位面积家畜生产性能之间差异极显著 (P<0 .0 1 ) ,其中以重牧区畜产品产量最高 ,达 1 92 .53kg/hm2× 1 0 8d,中牧和轻牧区分别为 1 81 .6和 1 1 0 .9kg/hm2 × 1 0 8d。杂花苜蓿—扁穗冰草—新麦草草地对羔羊育肥增重效果最为显著 (P<0 .0 5)。放牧强度和草地类型互作对羔羊的增重差异极显著 (P<0 .0 1 )。不同草地类型适宜的放牧强度各异。羔羊干物质和蛋白质日采食量均随着放牧强度的增加而降低     

放牧强度对内蒙古典型草原群落结构和家畜生产性能的影响

认识放牧对草地植物群落结构和家畜生产性能的影响是修复放牧退化草地和制定可持续放牧体系的理论基础。本研究在内蒙古锡林郭勒典型草原开展了基于草地放牧留茬高度的适应性放牧实验,连续4年监测了无牧(NG)、轻牧(LG)、中牧(MG)和重牧(HG)条件下草地植物群落的变化和家畜生产性能,分析其对放牧强度的响应。结果表明：与NG相比,HG显著降低了优势种的相对生物量,提高了伴生种的相对生物量(P<0.05);LG和MG处理下主要提高了优势种的生产力,而在HG处理主要提高了伴生种的生产力;在所研究的典型草原采用适应性放牧方式下,中度放牧可获得最佳的草地植物生产和家畜生产性能。研究为制定合理的草原放牧制度、促进草地群落结构优化和草畜平衡发展提供了理论依据。     

近1O年鹿放牧生态研究进展

从鹿的放牧行为特点、季节动态、生物因素(草地植物和其他家畜)、非生物因素以及劳动生产因素(主要是放牧制度)对鹿放牧行为的影响,鹿放牧对草地植被的影响等方面,总结近10年来国内外在鹿放牧生态领域的研究进展.并对今后值得研究的方面提出建议.     

草地家畜放牧系统草畜平衡调控技术研究

划区轮牧是提高草地家畜系统产出和实现草地畜牧业可持续发展的最佳放牧制度。放牧管理的方针是把草层高度(草地牧草生物量)保持在最利于草地生长、草地质量和家畜采食的范围内。饲料计划依据不同的时期和管理层次分为饲料概算、饲料预算和放牧计划三个水平。饲料供给由草地牧草生长速度、草地生物量和补饲确定,而饲料需求由牧场家畜数量及其生产指标水平决定。实行季节畜牧业的经营管理策略,使草地供给和家畜需求达到季节和全年的动态平衡。系统管理和效益的三个关键是划区围栏、畜群结构和载畜量。     

Grazing methods and stocking rates for direct-seeded alfalfa pastures: I. Plant productivity and animal performance

A 4-yr study was conducted to determine the effects of two grazing methods (GM) at two stocking rates (SR) on alfalfa pasture plant productivity and animal performance and to ascertain the effect of grazing systems on subsequent performance of steers fed a high-concentrate diet. Eight pasture plots (.76 ha) were seeded in 1988 with alfalfa (Medicago sativa L. var. WL225) and divided into two blocks of four pastures each. Grazing methods consisted of a traditional four-paddock or an intensive 13-paddock system. Pastures were managed to allow a 36-d rest period with an average grazing season of 110 d. The low and high SR were 5.9 vs 11.7, 5.3 vs 10.5, 5.3 vs 7.9, and 5.3 vs 7.9 steers/ha for years 1989 to 1992, respectively. Following the grazing season, steers were placed in a feedlot and fed a high-concentrate diet (81% high-moisture corn, 14% corn silage, 5% protein-mineral supplement) for an average of 211 d. There was no effect of GM on herbage mass, pasture phase ADG, or live weight gain/hectare. Increasing the number of paddocks was beneficial when herbage mass was limited and stocking rate was above 7.9 steers/ha. Increasing SR above 7.9 steers/ha decreased herbage mass and pasture-phase ADG. As forage allowance increased, pasture-phase ADG increased quadratically (R2 = .82, P < .001), reached a plateau, and then decreased. Previous grazing system did not influence the performance of steers in the feedlot or their carcass characteristics. Optimum SR is dependent on herbage mass produced.     

New Approaches and Tools for Grazing Management

Novel concepts and tools to promote progress in grazing science and management need to incorporate heterogeneity and nonlinear scaling of spatially and temporally distributed ecological interactions such as diet selection, defoliation, and plant growth. Traditional grazing management factors are number of animals, species and category of animals, spatial distribution of forage demand, and temporal distribution of forage demand. These traditional methods have been based on a paradigm that is static, assumes equilibrium conditions, and does not consider scaling issues, neither in time nor in space. Three related issues that can contribute to the progress in the understanding and management of grazing systems are spatial heterogeneity, event-driven dynamics, and scaling effects. Spatial heterogeneity of species and defoliation determine pasture stability by modulating competition and response to heterogeneous defoliation. When pasture species are well mixed, livestock are less able to select their preferred diet. When species are separated into larger and more easily identifiable patches, the selected diet approaches the preferred one. Simultaneously, patchiness in pasture components and redistribution of nutrients by grazing can lend global compositional stability to grass–clover pastures. Grazing at high animal density can be studied using the paradigm of event-driven dynamics. Several mechanisms suggest that grazing systems should have allometric spatial and temporal scaling in addition to the well-recognized allometric scaling of food requirements with body mass. Grazing system performance should scale allometrically with pasture size because both resource distribution and animal movements frequently have fractal properties. As pasture size increases, fewer hierarchical levels of grazing behavior are constrained, and the new spatial patterns introduce nonlinearity in the response to pasture size. Operant conditioning of foraging behavior, conditioned aversions, plant spatial pattern, pasture size and shape, timing and duration of grazing periods, and number of animals are discussed as precision tools to manage grazing systems.     

Evaluation of hay-type and grazing-tolerant alfalfa cultivars in season-long or complementary rotational stocking systems for beef cows

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) persistence and forage and cow-calf production were evaluated on pastures containing smooth bromegrass with or without grazing-tolerant or hay-type alfalfa cultivars rotationally stocked in either a season-long or complementary system. In 1997, six 2.02-ha pastures were seeded with smooth bromegrass, a mixture of a grazing-tolerant alfalfa (Amerigraze variety) and smooth brome-grass, or a mixture of a hay-type alfalfa (Affinity variety) and smooth bromegrass to be used in season-long stocking systems. Four 2.02-ha pastures were seeded with smooth bromegrass on 1.21 ha of each pasture, and mixtures of either the grazing-tolerant or hay-type alfalfa cultivars and smooth bromegrass on the 0.81 ha of each pasture to be used in complementary stocking systems. All 10 pastures were divided into 10 paddocks and rotationally strip-stocked at 1.98 cow-calf units/ha with crossbred cows and calves for 120 and 141 d starting May 18, 1998 (yr 1), and May 6, 1999 (yr 2), respectively. Each year, first harvest forage was harvested as hay from 40% of all 10 pastures, this being the portions of the pasture seeded with the alfalfa-smooth brome-grass mixtures for pastures with the complementary stocking systems. In yr 1 and 2, the remaining 60% of each pasture was grazed for the first 44 and 54 d, and 100% of each pasture was grazed on d 45 to 120 and d 55 to 141, respectively. Proportions of alfalfa in the live dry matter of pastures seeded with the grazing-tolerant and hay-type alfalfa cultivars decreased by 70 and 55% in paddocks stocked season-long and by 60 and 42% in paddocks used for complementary stocking (alfalfa cultivar, P < 0.05; stocking system, P < 0.05) in yr 1, but decreased by 72% across cultivars and stocking systems in yr 2. Total (P < 0.08) forage masses in September of yr 1 and in August of yr 2 were greater in pastures in which alfalfa paddocks were stocked season-long than in those with complementary alfalfa stocking. Grazing of alfalfa in grass mixtures increased calf and total cow/calf weight gains in comparison with grazing of smooth bromegrass, but alfalfa persistence, measured as a proportion of the live dry matter, was not affected by alfalfa cultivar.     

Endophyte-Free Tall Fescue Potential for Pastures on Fertile Clay Loam Soils in Central Louisiana

Although endophyte-free tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) cultivars have been recognized as lacking persistence on droughty, infertile, sandy Coastal Plain soils, they have continued to be recommended for the more fertile and heavier bottomland soils in Louisiana. Two pasture experiments were conducted to assess animal performance on, and persistence of, endophyte-free genotypes on the fertile soil of central Louisiana. In the first experiment, performance of young, growing, crossbred beef cattle on AU-Triumph and Forager tall fescue pastures was compared with that on Marshall annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) using put-and-take stocking over three growing seasons. In the second experiment, year-round stocking and stocking only in the cool season, with and without fall hay harvest, were compared with set-stocked AU-Triumph tall fescue pastures for 2 yr. Individual animal performance on annual ryegrass at 0.74 kg/d was greater than that on the two tall fescue cultivars, which averaged 0.57 kg/d and did not differ from each other. Although animal performance was affected by management of AU-Triumph tall fescue in the first year of grazing, responses in the second year did not differ. Only 2 or 3 yr of productive grazing were obtained from endophyte-free tall fescue in these experiments on central Louisiana clay loam soil. Disease damage from Rhizoctonia solani Kuehn. contributed to stand loss and appeared to hasten deterioration from summer stress and invasion by aggressive warm-season grasses. Results of these experiments and reports from other locations in Louisiana indicate that endophyte-free tall fescue is not sufficiently adapted for use as a pasture plant, even on the more productive Louisiana soils.     

A survey on bloat in southern Australian beef production systems

Frothy bloat, associated predominantly with grazing legume-based pastures, is considered the second most costly disease in beef cattle in southern Australia, costing $84.4 M annually. It frequently results in the sudden death of cattle. In response to concerns from cattle producers, an online survey was conducted in southern Australia in late 2020 to determine the impact of bloat, identify risk factors and determine the efficacy of current preventive measures. For 217 responses, over two-thirds (70%) of producers reported bloat occurring in the previous 12 months, with estimated morbidity and mortality rates of 3.7% and 5.0% respectively. Bloat was associated with clover or clover-dominant paddocks (79%) and was not associated with grass or grass-dominant pastures or low clover pastures (92%) nor grazing crops (27%). For bloat that occurred in the past 12 months, cattle were very commonly grazing on clover or clover-dominant paddocks (90%) and occasionally lucerne-dominated paddocks (7%). Two-thirds of producers reported having preventive measures in place when losses occurred. Bayesian Network analysis confirmed that grazing clover-based pastures for more than 7 days, yearling cattle and the months of July–September were the main risk factors for bloat occurrence, with pasture type (clover) being the most important. Conversely, no clear relationship between weather conditions and bloat occurrence was evident. This survey highlights the known risk of clover-based pastures for causing bloat in cattle, and that losses occur in many cases despite preventive measures being used. This suggests that current methods for preventing bloat in cattle are suboptimal.     

Evaluation of a liquid formulation of monensin to control bloat in pasture-fed milking cows

AIM: To evaluate the effectiveness of a liquid formulation of monensin in reducing bloat score in milking cows grazing pasture. METHODS: A Friesian x Jersey crossbred herd which had been genetically selected for high bloat susceptibility since 1973 was used in this study. Two trials were conducted, each involving two groups of 15 cows, randomly allocated to Treated or Control groups. Trial 1 involved twice-daily administration of a novel liquid formulation of monensin given to Treated cows at morning and afternoon milkings. Trial 2 involved once-daily administration of the same product to Treated cows at the morning milking only. Control cows received no preventative treatment. The total daily dose of monensin in each trial was 300 mg per cow, given in a total volume of 100 ml of liquid. Animals were scored for bloat twice-daily whilst grazing on white-clover/ryegrass or red-clover pastures. The scoring system used a scale of 0, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, or 3, representing scores of increasing bloat severity as assessed by palpation of abdominal pressure on the left and right sides of the cow. RESULTS: In Trial 1, severe bloat was recorded at 9 out of 23 scoring sessions. Twelve Control cows required therapeutic treatment for bloat on at least one day, compared to 3 cows in the Treated group (p=0.003). In Trial 2, severe bloat in 3 of 9 scoring sessions led to 8/15 Control animals requiring therapeutic treatment compared to 1/14 cows in the Treated group (p=0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Oral drenching with the liquid formulation of monensin tested was effective in reducing bloat score in milking cows grazed on pasture.     

Grazing methods and stocking rates for direct-seeded alfalfa pastures: II. Pasture quality and diet selection

A 2-yr study was conducted to determine the effects of two grazing methods (GM) and two stocking rates (SR) on alfalfa (Medicago sativa L. var. WL225) pasture quality and diet selection by Holstein steers. Eight pasture plots (.76 ha) were seeded in 1988 and divided into two blocks of four pastures each. Pastures were managed to allow a 36-d rest period with an average grazing season of 105 d. Before steers entered the next paddock, canopy heights (CH) of alfalfa plants were determined and pasture-forage samples were collected. Forage samples were analyzed for DM, OM, CP, and in vitro OM digestibility (IVOMD). At 12-d intervals beginning with the second grazing cycle, extrusa samples were collected from steers with esophageal fistulas. Extrusa samples were frozen, freeze-dried, and analyzed for OM, CP, IVOMD, in situ ruminal DM degradation, and ruminal undegradable protein. There were no effects of GM on alfalfa CH or pasture DM, OM, CP, and IVOMD. Increasing the SR increased pasture CP content in both years and increased DM, OM, and IVOMD in the 2nd yr. There was no effect of GM or SR on the quality of forage selected by esophageally fistulated steers. Esophageally fistulated steers selected forage that had greater OM, CP, and IVOMD than the average nutrient content of the forage. Although forage quality was greater when stocking rates were increased, the quantity of forage available per animal may have limited gains.     

Notes on viability of hydatid cysts and eggs

dAim: To evaluate the effectiveness of a liquid formulation of monensin in reducing bloat score in milking cows grazing pasture.

dMethods: AFriesian x Jersey crossbred herd which had been genetically selected for high bloat susceptibility since 1973 was used in this study. Two trials were conducted, each involving two groups of 15 cows, randomly allocated toTreated or Control groups.Trial 1 involved twice-daily administration of a novel liquid formulation of monensin given toTreated cows at morning and afternoon milkings. Trial 2 involved once-daily administration of the same product toTreated cows at the morning milking only. Control cows received no preven tative treatment. The total daily dose of monensin in each trial was 300 mgper cow, given in a total volume of 100 ml of liquid. Animals were scored for bloat twice-daily whilst grazing on white-clover/ryegrass or red-clover pastures. The scoring system used a scale of 0, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, or 3, representing scores of increasing bloat severity as assessed by palpation of abdominal pressure on the left and right sides of the cow.

dResults: In Trial 1, severe bloat was recorded at 9 out of 23 scoring sessions.Twelve Control cows required therapeutic treatment for bloat on at least one day, compared to 3 cows in theTreated group (p=0.003). In Trial 2, severe bloat in 3 of 9 scoring sessions led to 8/15 Control animals requiring therapeutic treatment compared to 1/14 cows in theTreated group (p=0.02).

dConclusions: Oral drenching with the liquid formulation of monensin tested was effective in reducing bloat score in milking cows grazed on pasture.