Quantifying the influence of sward height, concentrate level and initial milk yield on the milk production and grazing behaviour of continuously stocked dairy cows

Two factorial design experiments were carried out in the spring of 1994 and 1995, each of 6 weeks, to quantify the effects of sward height (SH), concentrate level (CL) and initial milk yield (IMY) on milk production and grazing behaviour of continuously stocked dairy cows. In Experiment 1, forty‐five Holstein Friesian cows were in five groups with initial milk yields of 16·9, 21·1, 28·0, 31·5 and 35·5 kg d^–1, grazed sward heights were 3–5, 5–7 and 7–9 cm (LSH, MSH and HSH respectively), and concentrates were fed at rates of 0, 3 and 6 kg d^–1. In Experiment 2, 48 cows were in two groups with IMY of 21·3 and 35·5 kg d^–1, grazed sward heights were 3–5 and 7–9 cm (LSH and HSH), and concentrates were fed at 0 and 6 kg d^–1 and ad libitum. Multiple regression models were used to quantify the effects of the three variables on milk yield persistency (MYP), estimated herbage dry‐matter (DM) intake (HDMI), grazing time (GT) and rate of DM intake (RI). The partial regression coefficients showed that increased SH led to increased MYP (Experiment 1 P < 0·001, Experiment 2 P < 0·05), increased HDMI (P < 0·01, P < 0·01), increased GT (P < 0·001, P < 0·05) and increased RI (P < 0·001, P < 0·05). Increasing CL led to increased MYP (NS, P < 0·001), decreased HDMI (P < 0·001, P < 0·001), decreased GT (NS, P < 0·001) and decreased RI (P < 0·001, P < 0·001). Higher IMY level of cows decreased MYP (P < 0·001, P < 0·001), increased HDMI (P < 0·001, P < 0·001), increased GT (P < 0·001, P < 0·05) and increased RI (P < 0·05, P < 0·01). The models were highly significant (P < 0·001), and accounted for 0·48–0·87 of the total variance. The partial regression coefficients quantified the extent to which GT and RI by cows respond positively to higher IMY, and negatively to increased CL, but respond differently (GT declines in response to a higher RI) with increasing SH.     

异针茅在不同生境下补偿生长特性及其影响因素的研究

植物的补偿生长受放牧扰动和生境资源的共同影响,但何种条件易于引起植物发生超补偿生长是长期以来争论的问题。在矮嵩草（Kobresia humilis）草甸3种生境（畜圈、牧道、封育）设置扣笼和无扣笼对比样方（不放牧和放牧处理）研究了异针茅（Stipa aliena）的补偿生长特性。结果显示,异针茅分株各部分中除根系在牧道生境为等量补偿外,叶片和花序在畜圈和牧道生境均为低补偿。异针茅的分株密度、高度以及生长分配在封育生境最高。分株各部分的相对生长率在畜圈生境最低,在牧道生境最高。典范对应分析表明,对异针茅补偿生长和相对生长率影响最大的因子是采食率。尽管畜圈生境具有良好的土壤养分和水分条件,但仍不能抵消该生境家畜重度采食和践踏对异针茅的负面影响。研究结果表明,影响异针茅分株种群补偿生长的主要因素是放牧强度,而土壤资源获得性的影响相对较小。     

人类放牧活动与气候变化对科尔沁沙质草地植物多样性的影响

为了解人类放牧活动和气候变化对我国北方沙质草地植物多样性的影响,笔者于1992-2006年在科尔沁沙地开展了草地放牧和封育试验,分析研究了人类放牧活动和降水、气温变化对草地植物多样性的影响.结果表明,1)放牧干扰对草地物种丰富度和多样性有着明显的影响,随着草地放牧干扰强度的增加,草地物种丰富度和植物多样性呈下降趋势,但只有持续重牧才会导致草地物种丰富度和多样性的明显降低;2)放牧干扰对草地不同生活型多样性和不同经济类群多样性的影响有很大差异,表现为随着放牧强度的增加,一年生植物多样性和禾本科植物多样性明显增加,多年生植物及菊科、藜科和杂类草植物多样性明显下降;3)不同放牧强度下的不同生活型多样性和经济类群多样性对气候变化的反应有很大差异,但除了重牧区菊科植物多样性与降水变化、中牧区杂类草植物多样性与气温变化达到显著相关外,其他相关性均未达到显著水平;4)在草地自然恢复演替过程中,暖湿气候有利于草地物种丰富度和多样性的增加,特别是可以明显促进多年生植物以及菊科、豆科植物多样性的增加,而持续暖干气候可以降低草地的物种丰富度和多样性,但对禾本科和藜科植物多样性的不利影响较小.     

Interactions between leaf lifespan and defoliation frequency in temperate and tropical pastures: a review

In continuously stocked swards or pastures the frequency at which individual tillers and individual leaves are defoliated by ruminant livestock, relative to leaf lifespan of the grass species within the sward, determines the proportion of each leaf defoliated before senescence, and hence the efficiency of harvesting of herbage. In this paper, sets of data obtained in a range of climatic conditions and with a range of grass species are used in order to document this relationship. It is shown that the frequency of defoliation of individual tillers or individual leaves is closely linked to the average stocking density used within a period of time for maintaining a steady state sward or pasture height, herbage mass or leaf area index. Consequently, any decrease in herbage growth rate should lead to a decrease in the efficiency of harvesting of herbage and then to a more than proportional decrease in total herbage consumption by ruminant livestock. These effects will be more important for grass species having short leaf lifespan than for species with long lifespan. In rotational stocking, the link between herbage growth rate and frequency of defoliation of leaves can be broken by controlling the grazing interval, so any decrease in herbage growth would not be systematically associated with a decrease in efficiency of harvesting of herbage. Rotational stocking should be more efficient than continuous stocking in low herbage production conditions, while in high herbage production systems rotational and continuous stocking would have similar efficiency. The implications of these conclusions for the management of swards and pastures to meet different objectives are discussed briefly.     

Relationship of bite mass of cattle to sward structure of four temperate grasses in short‐term grazing sessions

The effect of sward structure of four temperate grass species on the bite mass of cattle was evaluated. Micro‐swards (79 cm × 47 cm; approximately the area of a feeding station) of orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.), quackgrass [Elymus repens (L.) Gould], meadow fescue [Schedonorus pratensis (Huds.) P. Beauv] and reed canarygrass (Phalaris arundinacea L.) were offered to Holstein dairy cows in short‐term grazing sessions in 2006 and 2007 using a 4 × 4 Latin square design. Cows were allowed to take fifty bites in each session. Bite mass was calculated by dividing the adjusted change in weight of the micro‐sward by the number of bites. Sward surface height, bulk density and distribution of herbage dry matter (DM) in the canopy were measured pre‐ and post‐grazing. Sward structure differed among the grass species within years but bite mass (on a fresh or DM basis) was not affected. Higher surface heights and bulk densities in 2006 compared with 2007 (averaged across grass species) resulted in greater bite masses of DM in 2006. Values were 25·7 cm vs. 17·0 cm for surface height; 1219 g m^?3 vs. 926 g m^?3 for bulk density; and 1·05 g DM bite^?1 vs. 0·50 g DM bite^?1 for 2006 and 2007 respectively. Within the context of this study, differences between years in bite mass, associated with greater changes in sward structure, were more important than differences among grass species.     

Multi‐scale analysis of soil erosion dynamics in Kwazulu‐Natal,South Africa

For a case study area in the Okhombe catchment in the province of KwaZulu‐Natal, South Africa, a multi‐scale analysis of soil erosion dynamics was performed. At sub‐catchment level, the dynamics of erosional features were investigated by means of aerial photographs. At site level, the changes in soil physical and chemical properties were investigated by means of a fence‐line contrast study. Attention was paid to both surface and subsurface erosion phenomena. The number of erosional features in the study area in 2000 was not substantially different from the number of features in 1945. At sub‐catchment level, an increase in the number of gullies was observed from 1975 to 2000 but this followed a substantial inactivation of most erosional features from 1962 to 1975. Increases in erosional activity in 1962 compared to 1945 were mainly related to abandoned cultivated fields. At site level, a significant decrease in soil C/N ratio was observed within the fenced site within three years. For the same site, total carbon, saturated hydraulic conductivity and bulk density were not significantly different for the topsoil inside the fenced area compared with outside. Subsurface erosion phenomena mainly occur in the communal grazing areas and are mostly related to transitions between permeable and less permeable layers. The complex relationships between soil erosion, land use change and climate might further be understood by involving local people in the development, monitoring and evaluation of alternative types of land use, which is also likely to facilitate future steps in controlled grazing management. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

用荧光染色法研究山羊瘤胃原虫对细菌吞噬速率的初报

 【目的】采用荧光染色标记细菌（fluorescence labeled bacteria,FLB）技术,研究山羊瘤胃中原虫对细菌的吞噬速率。【方法】利用4只装有永久性瘤胃瘘管的徐淮山羊,采集瘤胃液以获取瘤胃原虫和细菌。试验设置清洗原虫祛除瘤胃自由细菌的荧光全标组（WFLB）及未清洗原虫保留瘤胃自由细菌荧光标记组（FLB）。【结果】WFLB组和FLB组的吞噬速率分别为398.4 cells/(cell•h)和230.4 cells/(cell•h),换算为细菌N为：2.15 pg N/(cell•h)/和1.24 pg N/(cell•h)。【结论】每天每头羊由原虫在瘤胃内循环中带出的细菌N损失在WFLB组和FLB组分别估计为103.2 mg N/(d•头)、59.5 mg N/(d•头),或者细菌蛋白损失为0.645 g/(d•头)和0.372 g/(d•头)。结果同时表明,荧光染色标记技术可以应用于瘤胃原虫对细菌吞噬速率的研究。     

优良热带牧草在云南元谋干热河谷区域试验研究

对15个热带优良牧草在云南元谋干热河谷进行区域试验研究。结果表明：参试的15个种质生长正常,生长季节产量高,耐热耐旱,是适应本区种植的优良牧草;牧草生物产量排在前3位的品种为杂交臂形草、热研8号坚尼草和热引19号坚尼草,产量分别是20.172、18.587和16.962t/hm2;15个种质生产性能排在前5位的依次为：研8号坚尼草、9号坚尼草、热研11号黑籽雀稗、9610雀稗、FSP2雀稗和10号狗尾草,它们品质优良,可在云南干热河谷区推广应用。     

Ground-dwelling beetle community in beech forests of Sado Island,Japan: comparison with the mainland

Island ecosystems differ from mainland ecosystems in their long-term isolation. On Sado Island, Japan, cattle grazing in the past gradually changed forests into grasslands, thereby altering the diversity of indigenous insects. We compared ground-dwelling beetle diversity on Sado Island to that on the nearby mainland. Contrary to previous reports, the island isolation effect resulted in lower γ and β diversity than on the mainland, because of the low species richness of beetles with low dispersal abilities. Few flightless beetles could invade Sado Island, even when the beech forests on the island were relatively adjacent to those on the mainland. Such a history of ecosystem formation could be the general pattern for continental-island mountain forests that were never connected to those of the mainland. We did not observe low α diversity of ground-dwelling beetles, suggesting that the cattle grazing history of the island has not changed environmental conditions for ground-dwelling beetles enough to reduce their diversity. In addition, cattle grazing increases the abundance of merdivorous insects by increasing the abundance of their food resource. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.