Establishment and production from thinned mature deciduous-forest silvopastures in Appalachia |
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Authors: | C M Feldhake J P S Neel D P Belesky |
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Institution: | (1) USDA-ARS, Appalachian Farming Systems Research Center, 1224 Airport Rd, Beaver, WV 25813-9423, USA |
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Abstract: | Small Appalachian hill farms may benefit economically by expanding grazing lands into some of their under-utilized forested
acreages. Our objective was to study the forage production potential of forest to silvopasture conversion. We thinned a white
oak dominated mature second growth forested area establishing two orchardgrass-perennial ryegrass-white clover silvopasture
replications for comparison with two nearby open pasture replications. After thinning trees, silvopastures were limed, fertilized
and seeded. Sheep were fed hay and corn scattered across the area to facilitate removal of residual understory vegetation,
disruption of litter layer and incorporation of applied materials into surface soil. Each area was divided into multiple paddocks
and rotationally grazed by sheep. Two 1 m2 herbage mass samples were taken from each paddock prior to animal grazing. There was no significant difference in soil moisture
between silvopastures and open pastures however, there was adequate rainfall to prevent drought all 3 years. The two silvopastures
received 42 and 51% of total daily incident PAR compared to the open field. Total dry forage mass yield from open pasture
over the 3 years averaged 11,200 kg ha−1 y−1 and from silvopasture 6,640 kg ha−1 y−1. Silvopastures, however, had a higher PAR use efficiency (PARUE) than open pasture. Hill farms could increase grazing acreages
without sacrificing all benefits from trees on the landscape by converting some areas to silvopasture. |
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