Management options to decrease phosphorus and sediment losses from irrigated cropland grazed by cattle and sheep

In southern New Zealand, grazing of forage crops is common practice to satisfy feed requirements of animals in winter when pasture growth is limited. This practice has been shown to cause soil physical damage and increased loss of surface water contaminants sediment and phosphorus (P) to water bodies. Strategies to mitigate the loss of sediment and P were trialled on a Pallic soil type (Aeric Fragiaquept) in the North Otago Rolling Downlands of New Zealand. All sites were irrigated and measurements were made of losses in overland and sub‐surface flow from intensive cattle or sheep grazed, winter forage crops, and sheep grazed pasture. Two mitigations (restricted grazing of crop to three hours and the application of aluminium sulphate) were assessed for their potential to decrease contaminant loss from cropland. Volumes of surface runoff and loss of total P, filterable reactive P and sediment showed significant differences (P < 0.05) between the control treatments (i.e. no mitigation) with cattle crop (88 mm surface runoff) > sheep crop (67 mm) > sheep pasture (33 mm). The contribution of irrigation water to overland flow water, as a result of saturation‐excess conditions, varied between treatments with more loss under cattle crop (20% of total) compared with sheep crop (15%) and sheep pasture (11%). These differences are probably an effect of soil physical condition and highlight the importance of accurate irrigation scheduling to keep soil moisture below field capacity. Restricted winter grazing and alum application after grazing significantly (P < 0.05) decreased P losses in surface runoff under cattle (from 1.4 to 0.9 kg P/ha) and sheep (from 1.0 to 0.7 kg/P/ha) grazed crop plots by about 30%. In cattle grazed plots, restricted grazing also decreased suspended sediments (SS) by 60%. The use of restricted grazing is suggested as a means of decreasing P and SS loss from grazed winter forage crops. The use of alum shows some promise for decreasing P losses, but requires further work to determine its long‐term effectiveness and use in other soils and management regimes.     

农牧交错地区沙漠化土地整治与开发利用

本文从自然条件的特点和生产的实际出发，对农牧交错地区沙漠化土地的整治模式与技术及其开发利用的前景作了较为详细的论述。提出这一地区沙漠化土地的整治必须与开发利用相结合；与农牧林业生产的实际相结合。在整治中开发，在开发中整治，才能达到既整治环境又发展生产的目的。     

Effects of pre-feeding of a corn silage-based supplement on the feed intake, milk production and nitrogen utilization of grazing dairy cows

Four Holstein cows were used to determine the effect of timing of the feeding of a corn silage (CS)‐based supplement on the feed intake, milk production and nitrogen utilization of grazing dairy cows. The cows were fed the supplement 2 h before grazing (pre‐grazing) or immediately after grazing (post‐grazing). Cows were grazed for 5 h per day under a rotational grazing system. There was no difference in the herbage and total feed intake between treatments. The milk protein yield for pre‐grazing tended to be higher than that for post‐grazing, whereas the milk yield did not differ between treatments. The total nitrogen intake for pre‐grazing tended to be higher than that for post‐grazing (P = 0.06). There was no difference in the urinary nitrogen output between treatments, whereas the proportion of urinary nitrogen output : total nitrogen intake for pre‐grazing tended to be lower than that for post‐grazing (P = 0.06). The milk nitrogen output and nitrogen retention for pre‐grazing tended to be higher than that for post‐grazing (milk nitrogen, P = 0.06; nitrogen retention, P = 0.05). Nitrogen utilization of grazing dairy cows was improved by feeding a CS‐based supplement before grazing.     

内蒙古北部荒漠草原带的严重荒漠化及其治理

位居干旱气候区的内蒙古高原中北部的荒漠草原地带 ,面临着严重荒漠化的威胁。目前已有 90 %以上的天然草场退化与沙化 ,变成寸草不生的不毛之地。大大扩展了我国北部沙尘暴频繁发生的地带 ,成为北方生态安全最危险的地区。这是多年来盲目增畜 ,超载过牧 ,滥垦乱挖的掠夺式生产经营中又加上干旱气候因素的耦合作用所造成的必然恶果。面对这一严峻形势 ,急需采取果断措施抢救荒漠草原地带的整体生态环境。应立即实行禁牧封育 ,人畜转移 ,调整结构 ,移民扩镇。使荒漠草原地带与农牧交错地带以及城市之间建立起产业化可持续发展的新途径     

中国北方草原畜牧业限制因素以及管理策略分析

根据对内蒙古一个有关草地保护和管理项目的调研,分析了影响草原资源可持续利用和草原畜牧业发展的一些限制因素。调研发现,草原地承包及租赁体制、饲草料生产和供给策略、家畜放牧制度等是影响本地区畜牧业生产体系和草原可持续性的主要因素。基于本研究结果,提出了“春季休牧”(或称之为“延迟放牧”)的生产方式。同时,推荐了一些可缓解冬春季节严重饲草料不足的措施。     

Costs and Returns of Camels,Cattle and Small Ruminants in Pastoral Herds in Eastern Ethiopia

Two questionnaire surveys (2×44) were conducted among pastoral households, using three grazing management systems. The average number of Tropical Livestock Units (250 kg) was 4.0 per member of the household. Milk production was the most important source of revenue (66% of the total) followed by sale of livestock (17%) and transport (16%). High mortality rates were recorded for all livestock. About 27% of the milk was sold fresh or as butter. Sedentary and transhumant grazing management systems showed similar levels of income, but nomads had a 2.6-fold higher overall net income. The average total gross income from the entire herd amounted to US$ 6382 per household per year. The calculated costs were 29% of the gross returns. The contribution to the total gross revenues of camels, cattle and small ruminants was 58%, 25% and 17%, respectively.     

Bush cover and range condition assessments in relation to landscape and grazing in southern Ethiopia

Progressive growth of bush cover in dry savannahs is responsible for declines in range conditions. In southern Ethiopia, the Booran pastoralists assisted our understanding of spatial patterns of bush cover and range conditions in 54 landscape patch types grouped into six landscape units within an area of 30000 km². The size of landscape patches sampled was 625 m². We assessed the relationships between bush cover, grass cover and bare soil and grazing pressure and soil erosion and changes in range condition. Externally, political conflicts and internally, break down of land use, and official bans on the use of fire promoted bush cover and the decline in range conditions. Bush cover was negatively correlated with grass cover, and positively correlated with bare soil. Grass cover was negatively correlated with bare soil and grazing pressure in most landscape patch types. Grazing pressure was not significantly correlated with bush cover or bare soil, while soil erosion was directly related to bare soil. Soil erosion was absent in 64% of the landscape patch types, and seemingly not a threat to the rangelands. The relationship between bush cover, grass cover, bare soil and soil erosion is complex and related to climate, landscape geology, and patterns of land use. Main threats to range conditions are bush climax, loss of grass cover and unpalatable forbs. Currently, >70% of the landscape patch types are in poor to fair range conditions. Decline in range conditions, unless reversed, will jeopardise the pastoral production system in southern Ethiopia.     

三江源区高寒草甸草场放牧牦牛采食量的测定

试验选用约2．5岁公牦牛8头，在三江源地区玉树县的高寒草甸草场，应用4N盐酸不溶灰分法（4N—AIA）和木质素标记物法测定了不同物候期（青草期和枯黄期）放牧牦牛日采食量及牧草营养成分的消化率。结果表明：2．5岁牦牛在青草期、枯黄期的100kg体重日采食量分别为3．69kg和2．96kg，差异极显著（P〈0.01）；其不同物候期的千物质消化率分别为65．70％、61．72％（P〉0．05），粗蛋白的消化率为62．25％、39．00％（P〈0．01），粗脂肪为49．36％、58．18％（P〈0．05），ADF的消化率为57．88％、62．67％（P〉0．05），NDF的消化率为69．09％、79．38％（P＜0．01）。     

暖季放牧犊牦牛对高寒草甸地区人工草地的影响

为更好地了解青藏高原高寒草甸区暖季放牧条件下人工草地牧草的生长特点,为制定合理放牧制度提供依据,于2001~2003年开展了暖季放牧牦牛对多年生人工草地影响的试验。结果表明:放牧2年后轮牧人工草地播种牧草比例为95.27%,连续放牧人工草地为86.15%,无放牧人工草地为58.01%。轮牧人工草地牧草月风干重最高值3 198.8 kg/hm2,连续放牧人工草地为3 023.2 kg/hm2。放牧可以提高人工草地牧草生长率,轮牧人工草地的牧草生长率高于连续放牧人工草地。放牧还影响着第2年播种牧草的生长,轮牧能促进种子出苗数,播种牧草的鲜重,风干重和种子产量分别达到了5 088.88 kg/hm2,3 053.33 kg/hm2和480 kg/hm2,均高于连续放牧人工草地和无放牧草地,轮牧人工草地杂草鲜草产量最低,为193.33 kg/hm2。适宜的放牧是保持人工草地可持续利用的手段之一。     

农牧交错区枯草期绵羊对补饲物采食行为研究

东北农牧交错区与牧区畜牧业生产不同,其中一个重要的不同点就是农牧交错区具有多种农副产品,这些农副产品在枯草期成为家畜丰富的干物质来源。而这些农副产品由于所含蛋白、纤维、口感等存在很大差异,因而家畜对其有不同的采食行为。对10种东北农牧交错区枯草期最主要的补饲物进行家畜采食行为的试验,为家畜的日常补饲及管理提供参考资料。结果表明:绿豆秸秆、葵盘、葵叶、羊草、玉米叶为补饲物的首选。