INFLUENCE OF GRAZING MANAGEMENT FACTORS ON HERBAGE AND ANIMAL PRODUCTION FROM LUCERNE PASTURES

Abstract

ON SOILS with good moisture retention, lucerne pastures at Lincoln have been demonstrated to yield more herbage more reliably than clover-based pastures (O'Connor et aZ., 1968). On light lands lucerne-based pastures are superior to clover-based pastures (Iversen and Calder, 1956; Flay, 1965; Iversen, 1965) . Iversen (1965) demonstrated the beneficial effects to lucerne yield and persistence on light land of "lenient" treatment (involving long spelling duration with short grazing duration) in contrast to "severe" treatment (involving semi-continuous grazing). Iversen (1967) reported similar benefits on a deep soil from such "lenient" treatment in contrast to continuous grazing over the same period from September to May. The work of Vartha (1970) on Wakanui soil at Lincoln has demonstrated that longer spelling duration is beneficial to lucerne in association with grasses where grazing duration was kept short.