LUCERNE MANAGEMENT FOR -THE CRITICAL SPRING PERIOD UNDER LIGHT LAND GRAZING

Abstract

Spring is a critical period for unirrigated, light land grazing systems based on lucerne. Three management principles are described, which, on the basis of experimental evidence, can improve lucerne production in spring. These three principles are (1) the transfer of cool season growth through to the early spring, (2) delaying the grazing commencement time on the lucerne in spring as long as possible, and (3) rotationally grazing ewes and lambs over the pre-weaning period. Practical management techniques to aid the implementation of these principles on a farm scale are discussed.