The characterization of irrigated Midmar Italian ryegrass in the South Eastern Transvaal Highveld using slaughter lambs

Abstract

Reports the results of a study conducted to characterize the seasonal growth rate and changes in the quality of herbage, animal production and grazing capacity of Midmar Italian ryegrass in the South Eastern Transvaal Highveld under continuous grazing; Four levels of available dry matter (DM) were maintained on a continuously grazed irrigated Midmar Italian ryegrass ( Lolium multiflorum Lam. ) Pasture by means of a put-and-take grazing procedure. The pasture was stocked with three successive sets of weaned lambs in winter, spring and early summer respectively. The relation between average daily gains (ADG) and available DM was positively linear. At equivalent levels of available DM, gains were greater in spring than in either the winter and summer periods (P Keywords: Animal production; average daily gain; Continuous grazing; crude protein content; Dry matter; ermelo district; Grazing capacity; growth rate; Herbage availability; italian ryegrass; Lolium multiflorum ; Midmar Italian ryegrass; organic matter; Seasonal growth rates; Slaughter lambs; south africa; stocking rates; Transvaal Highveld Journal of the Grassland Society of Southern Africa.