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Stocking intensity and pastoral production: I. Changes in the soil and vegetation of a sown pasture grazed by sheep at different stocking rates

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

J. P. Langlands  and
I. L. Bennett
J. P. Langlands
Affiliation:
G.S.I.R.O., Pastoral Research Laboratory, Armidale, N.S.W., 2350, Australia
I. L. Bennett
Affiliation:
G.S.I.R.O., Pastoral Research Laboratory, Armidale, N.S.W., 2350, Australia
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Summary

A Phalaris tuberosa and Trifolium repens pasture was grazed continuously at stocking rates varying from 2·5 to 37·1 sheep per ha between 1964 and 1969. During this period herbage availability and composition, basal cover, root weight, water infiltration, soil moisture content, bulk density and chemical composition of the soil were measured at intervals.

As stocking rate was increased, herbage availability, root weight, basal cover, soil pore space and the rate of water infiltration declined, and bulk density and the nitrogen and calcium contents of the herbage on offer increased. In periods of below-average rainfall, soil moisture and nitrate levels were greater when herbage was of low availability.

Herbage production was calculated from estimates of herbage consumption and of litter decomposition, and averaged 8·45 t dry matter/ha/year; it was insensitive to changes in stocking rate over the range from 2 to 22 sheep/ha. The ratio, herbage consumption/ pasture production increased by 0'045 per unit increase in stocking rate.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Journal of Agricultural Science , Volume 81 , Issue 2 , October 1973 , pp. 193 - 204
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1973

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