Pastoral Farming Systems Research Articles

Impact of climate change and land cover dynamics on nitrate transport to surface waters.

The study investigated the impact of climate and land cover change on water quality. The novel contribution of the study was to investigate the individual and combined impacts of climate and land cover change on water quality with high spatial and temporal resolution in a basin in Turkey. The global circulation model MPI-ESM-MR was dynamically downscaled to 10-km resolution under the RCP8.5 emission scenario. The Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) was used to model stream flow and nitrate loads. The land cover model outputs that were produced by the Land Change Modeler (LCM) were used for these simulation studies. Results revealed that decreasing precipitation intensity driven by climate change could significantly reduce nitrate transport to surface waters. In the 2075-2100 period, nitrate-nitrogen (NO3-N) loads transported to surface water decreased by more than 75%. Furthermore, the transition predominantly from forestry to pastoral farming systems increased loads by about 6%. The study results indicated that fine-resolution land use and climate data lead to better model performance. Environmental managers can also benefit greatly from the LCM-based forecast of land use changes and the SWAT model's attribution of changes in water quality to land use changes.

Implementing plantain (Plantago lanceolata) to mitigate the impact of grazing ruminants on nitrogen losses to the environment: A review

AbstractUrine patches from grazing ruminants contain high concentrations of nitrogen (N) and are the main source of N leaching from grazed pastoral farming systems. While there have been various options identified to substantially reduce N leaching, in general these practices increase the cost of production or reduce production per hectare. In New Zealand, multi‐species pastures were evaluated as a cheaper option that would potentially retain productivity. Early research showed these pastures had lower urinary N excretion from grazing animals and increased plant N uptake, compared with standard New Zealand perennial ryegrass/white clover (PR‐WC) pastures. Further research highlighted the beneficial attributes of the pasture herb narrow‐leaved plantain (Plantago lanceolata; PL), specifically: reduced urine N concentration, reduced urine N excretion, and reduced rate of soil nitrification. Significant reductions (14%–89%) in N leaching were found from cow urine applied to lysimeters with pastures including PL, compared with PR‐WC pasture. Paddock‐scale measurements confirmed the effects of PL, with 20%–60% lower N leaching when PL comprised 30%–40% of the dry matter (DM) of PL‐PR‐WC grazed pastures. There were no negative effects on milk production and composition when feeding PL to dairy cows, but small positive effects on fatty acid profiles. However, weed and pest management, palatability and persistence remain challenging in pastures containing PL on commercial farms. Management options need to be clarified to ensure successful establishment and maintenance of PL. Additionally, the cultivar differences in secondary compounds and their impact on nitrification rate and N leaching need to be better understood.

Nitrate enrichment does not affect enteropathogenic Escherichia coli in aquatic microcosms but may affect other strains present in aquatic habitats.

Eutrophication of the planet’s aquatic systems is increasing at an unprecedented rate. In freshwater systems, nitrate—one of the nutrients responsible for eutrophication—is linked to biodiversity losses and ecosystem degradation. One of the main sources of freshwater nitrate pollution in New Zealand is agriculture. New Zealand’s pastoral farming system relies heavily on the application of chemical fertilisers. These fertilisers in combination with animal urine, also high in nitrogen, result in high rates of nitrogen leaching into adjacent aquatic systems. In addition to nitrogen, livestock waste commonly carries human and animal enteropathogenic bacteria, many of which can survive in freshwater environments. Two strains of enteropathogenic bacteria found in New Zealand cattle, are K99 and Shiga-toxin producing Escherichia coli (STEC). To better understand the effects of ambient nitrate concentrations in the water column on environmental enteropathogenic bacteria survival, a microcosm experiment with three nitrate-nitrogen concentrations (0, 1, and 3 mg NO3-N /L), two enteropathogenic bacterial strains (STEC O26—human, and K99—animal), and two water types (sterile and containing natural microbiota) was run. Both STEC O26 and K99 reached 500 CFU/10 ml in both water types at all three nitrate concentrations within 24 hours and remained at those levels for the full 91 days of the experiment. Although enteropathogenic strains showed no response to water column nitrate concentrations, the survival of background Escherichia coli, imported as part of the in-stream microbiota did, surviving longer in 1 and 3 mg NO3-N/Lconcentrations (P < 0.001). While further work is needed to fully understand how nitrate enrichment and in-stream microbiota may affect the viability of human and animal pathogens in freshwater systems, it is clear that these two New Zealand strains of STEC O26 and K99 can persist in river water for extended periods alongside some natural microbiota.

The Patitapu Soil Moisture Network (PTSMN) dataset and its deployment in New Zealand’s hill country

A significant portion of New Zealand’s beef and sheep pastoral farming systems are located in the East Coast hill country of the North Island. In these landscapes, one of the main drivers of pasture growth is the highly variable soil water content. Decision making about fertiliser applications, stock and feed budgeting are guided by pasture growth models which rely on soil water information. However, due to the difficulties related to conventional soil moisture data collection, soil water dynamics are still poorly understood in hill country. To capture spatial and temporal soil moisture variability on diverse terrain positions, a soil moisture monitoring network was established at the field scale. The Patitapu Soil Moisture Network (PTSMN) is composed of twenty multi-sensor probes, collecting data from four consecutive depths at 0.1 m intervals. The paper describes the PTSMN deployment and the strategic selection of sensor locations through an extensive spatial analysis and discusses the challenges associated with the network deployment in an operating hill country farm. Additionally, we demonstrate the non-normal nature of soil moisture distribution and that Year 1 and Year 2 showed similarly shaped density curves in the 0.2 − 0.4 m soil depths indicating temporal stability. Similar magnitudes of temporal stability suggested the PTMSN is a temporally stable network although stability changed with depth. Results indicated that soil moisture variability decreased with depth and that higher mean soil moisture content was associated with low variability. Descending and ascending transition stages, i.e., drying, and rewetting periods resulted in the highest spatial variability. As PTSMN is a member of the International Soil Moisture Network, the calibrated, quality checked 2-year dataset has been made accessible online. The presented soil moisture dataset is expected to contribute to the research of near-surface and root-zone soil water dynamics and to assist with the establishment of future networks.

Climate change shifts agropastoral-pastoral margins in Africa putting food security and livelihoods at risk

Climate is one of the key factors determining the suitability of land for agricultural production and influencing the spatial transition between grazing and cropping-dominated farming systems in Africa. We identified the climate indices that best align with the margin between the Agropastoral and Pastoral Farming Systems in the historical climate (1981–2006). We then used global climate model results to assess how these agropastoral-pastoral margins are likely to shift by 2050 as a consequence of forecasted climate change. We found that the agropastoral-pastoral margin will retreat across Africa resulting in less area climatically suited for productive agropastoral practices. Depending on the climate model, climate index and projections used, the conversion of land currently suitable for agropastoral production to land suitable for pastoral production across the continent leads to a reduction of the current 4.43 M km2 of Agropastoral Farming Systems to between 1.2 M km2 and 3.6 M km2. This reduction of 27%–81% of the Agropastoral zone would threaten food security and livelihoods in those areas. While we did not assess this aspect, the retreat of the agropastoral-pastoral margin may be offset by the conversion of higher rainfall zones to suitability for agropastoral production which would expand the area suitable for the Agropastoral Farming System. Identifying the locations and vulnerability to the climatic shifts along agropastoral-pastoral margins can help policy makers and planners to define strategies for improving the long-term resilience of livelihoods to climate change.

Simulating the extent and depth of spring snow cover for medieval settlements in Iceland and Greenland

Medieval settlements in Iceland and Greenland were vulnerable to changes in spring (April-June) snow cover duration and depth. These would have adversely affected the viability of their pastoral farming systems, but the impact would have been spatially variable. We use a physical-based model of snow distribution and melt to model spring snow cover and depth at a scale relevant to human activities across four sites: southern and northern Iceland, and inner and middle fjord sites in South Greenland, using both present day and simulated climate data from the HadCM3 GCM-model. Our climate scenarios cover the period CE 1000–1500, encompassing a climate shift to cooler conditions. We find that under average present climate conditions the inner fjord site in Greenland has similar spring snow conditions to sites in Iceland, but that the middle fjord site has notably greater snow cover, and as climate cools spring snow cover at this site becomes extensive (>60 days). The largest increase in snow cover duration between current average climate conditions and the coolest climate scenarios (47 days increase) is experienced at our Iceland sites. Inner and middle fjord sites in Greenland diverge in terms of snow cover under all scenarios, a potential driver of the growing importance of marine wild resources and the end of the Norse Greenland settlement.

87. The impact of internal parasitism on milk production and udder health of dairy goats in low-input pastoral farming systems

87. The impact of internal parasitism on milk production and udder health of dairy goats in low-input pastoral farming systems

Implementing the livelihood resilience framework: An indicator-based model for assessing mountain pastoral farming systems

CONTEXTOngoing decreases in family farms and livestock numbers in European mountain areas are linked to multiple interconnected challenges. The continuity of such farms concerns society at large since they also act as landscape stewards, and their management influences the provision of ecosystem services.The livelihood resilience lens provides a means of examining how farm households respond and build their capacity to persist, to adapt to changes and shocks, and eventually transform what is understood as farming. While an increasing number of studies address livelihood resilience in different parts of the world, its link with livelihood strategies and how these enhance or erode livelihood resilience dimensions is still missing. OBJECTIVEWe built and applied an indicator-based framework to characterize the livelihood strategies of mountain livestock farming households in the Catalan Pyrenees (Spain) considering local historical trends, to assess how these strategies contribute to their adaptive capacity. METHODSWe combined sustainable rural livelihoods and livelihood resilience frameworks and operationalized them to: group farm households with similar livelihood strategies based on their income-generating activities; asses the influence of capital assets and context on the adoption of strategies; and relate these strategies with their performance in three dimensions of adaptive capacity, namely capacity for learning and adaptation, self-organization, and diversity. Information was gathered surveying a sample of 103 farm households. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONSWe identified five livelihood strategies showing different degrees of adaptive capacity. Farm households either intensified production (21.3% of the sample) or pursued various diversification pathways based on additional off-farm work (28.6%), rural-tourism activities (22.7%), or added-value production (13.3%). Pensioners (11.8%) had a low endowment of assets and presented the lowest estimates in several dimensions of adaptive capacity. In contrast, diversification into rural tourism scored higher in adaptive capacity, showing greater proactive capacity, farmer organization, and multiple income sources. SIGNIFICANCEWe explored the multidimensional issues that influence and are influenced by the livelihood strategies and their adaptive capacity at the farm household level. Our work highlights the relevance of including income-generating activities in addition to structural, technical, and socioeconomic variables in characterizing farming systems. It demonstrates the role of farmer involvement in formal and informal social cooperation networks in the sustainability and adaptive capacity of their households. To be successful, diversification strategies may require certain prerequisites in the farms, while strategies based on off-farm activities, although they support improved financial performance of the farm household, could also contribute to the displacement of agriculture from mountain areas.

Agricultural Transformations – NZ pastoral farming systems past, present and future

There are increasing calls for agriculture in NZ to be transformed. The signals from Wellington, especially, suggest that government investors in the primary sector (MPI, MBIE) do not consider that ‘business as usual’ will deliver the improvements in environmentalperformance demanded by the voting public. The Crown Research Institute whose primary focus is pastoral agriculture – AgResearch – has adopted a strapline: ‘Driving prosperity by transforming agriculture? But what does this transformation actually mean?

Heterogeneity of Resilience of Livelihood Strategies in Pastoral and Agropastoral Farming Systems of Rural Semi-arid to Arid Areas in Morocco

A large proportion of rural households, particularly in the dry land areas, representative for more than 10% of the world's land surface and up to 80% in Morocco, depend for their livelihoods on livestock. They exploit livestock's capacity to live in very harsh environments using herd-mobility at multiple scale level. Understanding the multiple contributions of livestock to the household and national economy raises complex research issues and challenges linked with the multitude of goods and services derived from livestock, their interactions with other family activities, and the local and national context. The objective of our research was therefore to analyse the diversity and assess the resilience of livelihood strategies of farming households oriented to livestock using a set of data collected in the dry land areas (oases and mountainous zones) of Morocco and discuss the livelihood outcome indicators. To achieve this, we have realized a cross-sectional analysis of livelihoods and adaptive capacity, to select a set of pertinent indicators. These indicators have been developed using an adapted version of the Rural Household Multi-Indicator Survey (RHoMIS) toolkit for pastoral and agropastoral household systems. Our results highlight the critical importance of livelihood diversification (off-farm diversification, livestock diversification, and crop diversification) in building household resilience and the livelihood outcomes. While livelihood strategies undoubtedly contribute to livelihood outcomes, there is also a critical iterative process, i.e., livelihood outcomes also influence the livelihood strategies at the farming households. The present work proposes an aggregated indicator of livelihood outcomes allowing us to capture the heterogeneity of living conditions of agropastoral systems by considering the main drivers of this system, i.e., mobility, livestock species, and physiological stage composition of the herd. This approach could constitute a valuable contribution to help fill the knowledge gaps that do not allow policy makers in developing contextualized rural development policies and instruments in these very harsh environments.

Using Monte Carlo Simulations to Achieve the Best Response From Nitrogen on Grazed Pasture Under a Legislated Nitrogen Cap in New Zealand: A Review

Highlights The benefits of split applications (or more applications at lower application rates) of N fertilizer on pasture have often been espoused without the support of statistical evidence. Provides some clarity on the benefits of split applications of N fertilizer. Explains why low application rates work in situations where accurate spreading is not required. Abstract. Pastoral and crop farming systems have traditionally used the application of nitrogen (N) to achieve an optimal economic production response. This nitrogen response is estimated from an exponential function that approaches an asymptote, which is typical of most fertilizer response curves. The optimal economic N response is often achieved when application rates are greater than plant utilization rates, often resulting in leaching, nitrogen run-off, and volatilization of nitrogenous compounds. These losses can have an impact on freshwater quality and contribute to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. In New Zealand, urine from N-fertilized pasture grazed by dairy cattle has been shown to be the most problematic source of N losses. As part of New Zealand’s National Environmental Standards (NES), a synthetic N cap of 190 kgN ha-1yr-1 on grazed pasture and crops has been implemented to reduce nutrient enrichment of fresh water. This study reviewed the use of multiple split applications of N to improve N fertilizer use efficiency and pasture response and used Monte Carlo simulations to demonstrate improved response to split N applications rather than a single optimal application based on economic response. In addition, spreading accuracy also became less important as all the low-application variation occurred along the steepest part of the response curve where this variation results in added yield. Keywords: Dairy cattle, Fertilizer cap, Monte Carlo simulations, Nitrogen use efficiency, Nutrient management.

Agriculture and forestry impact assessment for tephra fall hazard

Developing approaches to assess the impact of tephra fall to agricultural and forestry systems is essential for informing effective disaster risk management strategies. Fragility functions are commonly used as the vulnerability model within a loss assessment framework and represent the relationship between a given hazard intensity measure (e.g., tephra thickness) and the probability of impacts occurring. Impacts are represented here using an impact state (IS), which categorises qualitative and quantitative statements into a numeric scale. This study presents IS schemes for pastoral, horticultural, and forestry systems, and a suite of fragility functions estimating the probability of each IS occurring for 13 sub-sectors. Temporal vulnerability is accounted for by a ‘seasonality coefficient,’ and a ‘chemical toxicity coefficient’ is included to incorporate the increased vulnerability of pastoral farming systems when tephra is high in fluoride. The fragility functions are then used to demonstrate a deterministic impact assessment with current New Zealand exposure.

Emergent Properties of Land Systems: Nonlinear Dynamics of Scottish Farming Systems from 1867 to 2020

Dynamics of arable and pastoral farming systems in Scotland over the period 1867–2020 are documented using time series analysis methods, including for nonlinear dynamical systems. Results show arable and pastoral farming, at a national scale, are dynamic over a range of timescales, with medium- and short-term dynamics associated with endogenous system forces and exogenous factors, respectively. Medium-term dynamics provide evidence of endogenous systems-level feedbacks between farming sectors responding to change in world and national cereal prices as an economic driver, and act to dampen impacts of exogenous shocks and events (weather, disease). Regime shifts are identified in national cereal prices. Results show change and dynamics as emergent properties of system interactions. Changes in dynamics and strength of endogenous dampening over the duration of the study are associated with dynamical changes from major governmental policy decisions that altered the boundary conditions for interdependencies of arable and pastoral farming.

Local breeds and pastoral farming on the North Mediterranean shore: a univocal coevolution? An example of dairy sheep farming systems in Corsica (France) and Thessaly (Greece)

Using local resources for ruminant feeding is a way to achieve agroecological production in pastoral farming systems. In North Mediterranean countries, sheep farming systems have evolved towards more intensive systems in lowland and hilly areas, whereas remote and rough pastureland is abandoned and local breeds are rarely maintained; rather, they are progressively replaced by highly productive breeds and their crosses. Using the examples of Corsica (France) and Thessaly (Greece), two dairy sheep farming territories developing intensive farming systems that differ in the livestock breeds they use, we explored the hypothesis that the use of local breeds may not be systematically related to the maintenance of pastoral practices in Mediterranean dairy sheep farming systems. For this purpose, three data sets based on interviews with sheep farmers of local breeds and crossbred flocks were analysed in two study areas. The results demonstrated that local breeds’ adaptive abilities can be used in crossbred flocks or purebred flocks to maintain a feeding system based on pastoral components. However, other drivers also appear to lead into the declining use of local pastoral resources. Apart from the use of local breeds, year-to-year adjustments of replacement and culling rates sometimes have to be applied in order to address the inter-annual variations of the fodder on offer. This paper provides an original approach to studying the link between local breeds and the pastoral components of farming systems by combining synchronic and diachronic analyses of the practices in crossbred and purebred flocks composed of local breeds.

Quantifying contaminant losses to water from pastoral landuses in New Zealand I. Development of a spatial framework for assessing losses at a farm scale

ABSTRACT Assessing the effectiveness of mitigation measures for reducing contaminant losses to water from pastoral farming systems is a challenging task. Two important factors that contribute to this challenge are (i) the considerable spatial variability in landscape vulnerabilities to contaminant loss and (ii) differing land use pressures created by contrasting land management practices that are employed on farms. An approach is described that benchmarks nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and sediment discharges for representative dairy and sheep-beef farming types (hereafter referred to as ‘typologies’) that differ according to inherent landscape vulnerability features or land use pressures created by some key management practices. Landscape vulnerabilities can be defined as the soil, topography and climate factors that are known to influence the inherent risk of contaminant transport to water, whereas land use pressures reflect the diverse set of farm inputs and feed, stock and soil management practices that determine contaminant sources. The analysis was constructed using land use pressure information for the year 2015 contained within Dairybase records held by DairyNZ and farm class surveys reported by Beef + Lamb NZ. Published information sources and expert opinion from rural professionals were also used to define land use pressures for typologies in 1995.

Seroprevalence of brucellosis in small ruminants and related risk behaviours among humans in different husbandry systems in Mali

Mali has a high pastoral potential with diverse coexisting production systems ranging from traditional (nomadic, transhumant, sedentary) to commercial (fattening and dairy production) production systems. Each of those systems is characterised by close interactions between animals and humans, increasing the potential risk of transmission of zoonotic diseases. The nature of contact network suggests that the risks may vary according to species, production systems and behaviors. However, the study of the link between small ruminants and zoonotic diseases has received limited attention in Mali. The objective of this study was to assess brucellosis seroprevalence and determine how the husbandry systems and human behaviour expose animal and human to infection risk. A cross-sectional study using cluster sampling was conducted in three regions in Mali. Blood was collected from 860 small ruminants. The sera obtained were analysed using both Rose Bengal and cELISA tests. In addition, 119 farmers were interviewed using a structured questionnaire in order to identify the characteristics of farms as well as the risk behaviors of respondents. Husbandry systems were dominated by agro-pastoral systems followed by pastoral systems. The commercial farms (peri-urban and urban) represent a small proportion. Small ruminant individual seroprevalence was 4.1% [2.8-5.6% (95% CI)]. Herd seroprevalence was estimated at 25.2% [17.7-33.9% (95% CI)]. Peri-urban farming system was more affected with seroprevalence of 38.1% [18.1-61.5 (95% CI)], followed by pastoral farming system (24.3% [11.7-41.2 (95% CI)]). Identified risk behaviors of brucellosis transmission to animals were: exchange of reproductive males (30.2%); improper disposal of placentas in the farms (31.1%); and keeping aborted females in the herd (69.7%). For humans, risk factors were: close and prolonged contact with animals (51.2%); consumption of unpasteurized dairy products (26.9%); and assisting female animals during delivery without any protection (40.3%). This study observed a high seroprevalence of brucellosis in small ruminants and also identified risky practices that allow cross transmission between the two populations. This calls for control strategy using a multi-sectoral and multidimensional approach.

Application of circular economy principles to pastoral farming: development of an assessment framework

Context Circular economy principles are being adopted to design out waste, use resources more efficiently and maintain ecosystem health. Aims This study developed a framework to assess the ‘circularity’ of pastoral farms, using a New Zealand dairy farm as a case study. Methods Key resource inputs and environmental impacts to assess for the farming system were determined. Nitrogen and phosphorus flows were assessed using the OVERSEER® model, to then determine their circularity on the basis of the material circularity indicator. Life-cycle assessment was used to determine the carbon footprint and fossil fuel depletion associated with the farm. Single-use plastic disposal was calculated on the basis of farm purchases and end-points of packaging. Key results MCI circularity scores were 0.46 for nitrogen, 0.48 for phosphorus and total circularity 0.46, which could be improved by focusing on reducing the high rates of mineral fertiliser use and large losses of nitrogen to water and the atmosphere. Although the farm’s cradle-to-farm-gate fossil fuel resource depletion footprint (1.16 MJ/kg fat- and protein-corrected milk) was low compared with other New Zealand and European dairy farms, its carbon footprint of 0.85 kg carbon dioxide-equivalent/kg fat and protein corrected milk was high for New Zealand, with enteric methane emissions and inputs of supplementary feeds being the major sources. Plastic waste was a minor source of waste compared with nutrients, but the key sources were identified. Conclusions and implications This framework could be used and adapted to assess the circularity of nutrients in pastoral farming systems and help identify key areas to reduce the depletion of critical resources and negative environmental impacts. Further development and testing are required for a range of farming systems.

Application of circular economy principles to New Zealand pastoral farming systems

Global food production is under pressure to produce more from limited resources, with further expectations to reduce waste and pollution and improve social outcomes. Circular economy principles aim to design out waste and pollution, minimise the use of nonrenewable external inputs and increase the lifespan of products and materials. Waste sources on New Zealand farms and options to reduce waste and improve circularity were reviewed. Waste reduction should begin with systems design, while recycling should be at the bottom of the hierarchy. On-farm resource use efficiency has been widely studied, but there are also opportunities to repurpose waste and integrate systems. The use of organic waste products as fertiliser and supplementary feed occurs to some extent, as does use of excess dairy calves in the beef industry, but they present both opportunities and challenges. More farm waste recycling opportunities are becoming available, with new products available from waste processing, such as plastic fence posts. Circular strategies in New Zealand agriculture require more analysis to determine economic, social, cultural and environmental outcomes.

Cover Image, Volume 49, Issue 4

On the cover: Researchers in New Zealand studied whether fluorine from superphosphate fertilizer has a negative impact on clover, a legume species widely used in New Zealand pastoral farm systems. See Thangavelautham Geretharan et al., “Fluorine and white clover: Assessing fluorine's impact on Rhizobium leguminosarum,” https://doi.org/10.1002/jeq2.20089. Photo by James Hanly. image

Functional Traits, Morphology, and Herbage Production of Vernalised and Non-Vernalised Chicory cv. Choice (Cichorium intybus L.) in Response to Defoliation Frequency and Height.

Chicory (Cichorium intybus L.) used in pastoral systems has the attributes required of a forage species to reduce animal urinary nitrogen loading to soil, increase milk production, and enhance milk fatty acid profile to improve pastoral farm systems for matching increasing global demand for dairy products and environmental standards of livestock systems. Greater adoption of chicory requires confidence in management decisions that can control risks to farm production, namely bolting after vernalisation or a decline in persistence of chicory swards, which have slowed its adoption in pastoral systems. We, therefore, measured functional traits, morphology and herbage production of chicory under irrigated field conditions before and after vernalisation in Canterbury, New Zealand. The experimental site was laid out in a complete randomized block design with four replications where two regrowth intervals and two defoliation heights were applied. Regrowth interval had a stronger influence over functional traits and herbage production than defoliation height, with more pronounced effects after vernalisation. Plants managed under shorter regrowth intervals had narrower roots with lower concentration of sugars than plants under longer intervals, which might compromise their longevity. In addition, plants managed under shorter intervals remained mostly vegetative with heavier and longer leaves, though with reduced photosynthetic capacity than those managed under longer intervals. The thermal time to initiate stem elongation in plants managed under longer intervals was ~274 growing degree-days, with a mean stem elongation rate increasing linearly at 1.4 ± 0.08 mm/growing degree-days. The key outcomes of this research quantify the growing degree-days to initiate stem elongation post vernalisation, which provides management directive for timing of defoliation of chicory in order to maintain feed quality for grazing livestock. Alternating frequent and infrequent defoliation regimes might be used to optimise vegetative growth, root reserves, and pasture persistence.