Effects of grazing management on herbage production and botanical composition of ‘Grasslands Nui’ ryegrass—paspalum—white clover pasture 2. Effect of closing up pasture for silage and hay

Abstract

Abstract Net herbage increments (NHI) and botanical composition were measured for 3 years on pasture grazed rotationally by cattle and subjected to the following treatments: no conservation of herbage; annual silage cut; and annual hay cut. While pasture was being rotationally grazed, i.e., outside the 9 weeks closing-up period, haying led to a progressive decline in NHI. A similar trend, but much less marked, was observed on the silage treatment. The main causes for the decline in NHI in the hay paddocks are thought to be the formation of reproductive tissue and the high temperatures and light intensities at and following harvest. Ensiling depressed the proportion of paspalum in the sward, whereas haying depressed both paspalum and ryegrass.