bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
PLANT JUICES IN RELATION TO SILAGE FERMENTATION
Authors: Greenhill W. L. 
Published: April 2006

The release of the plant‐cell juices is a prerequisite for a lactic‐acid fermentation in silage. Investigations with plant material at different moisture contents have indicated that above about 2 g water per g dry matter sufficient juice is released from properly ensiled material to permit the onset of fermentation; below this moisture content lactic‐acid production is delayed, if not prevented.When material of suitable moisture content is ensiled at a temperature of 25°C, the onset of fermentation is somewhat slower than at 40°C. However, within these limits, the temperature is not critical, provided that the silage is completely sealed to exclude air. The infiltration of even small amounts of fresh air delays the release of the juices and, especially at the lower temperatures, often results in an undesirable fermentation.A number of miscellaneous treatments, designed to hasten the release of the juices, failed to show any advantages in small‐scale tests.
THEORETICAL ASPECTS OF NITROGEN ECONOMY IN GRAZING EXPERIMENTS
Authors: Davidson R. L. 
Published: April 2006

An hypothesis relating to the circulation of nitrogen between soil, plants and animals in fertilized grassland is presented. It embodies the results of small‐plot experiments and grazing trials on serai grassland in South Africa. Where the value of land is low in comparison with the cost of fertilizer, it is essential that the maximum response be obtained from fertilizer as well as from excretal N. The assumption that 80% of herbage N is returned as excreta, of which 25% is recovered by the grasses in the first season and 25% in the second season, appears to be in accord with liveweight data. Using average values of soil N and fertilizer recovery under local conditions, it is argued that applying 30 lb N per acre (with an initial heavy dressing) should provide higher percentage recoveries of fertilizer N than fixed annual dressings of 60 Ib N per acre. In grazing trials over five years, in which these systems are compared, the apparent recoveries of fertilizer N in animal liveweight were respectively 22.4% and 11.6%.A distinction is drawn between the initial build‐up of nitrogen in circulation and the long term maintenance of a nitrogen level providing maximum recovery of fertilizer N.
STUDIES IN CALF MANAGEMENT
Authors: Chambers D. T. 
Published: April 2006

In 1960 spring‐born calves were reared indoors or at pasture on 3 dairy farms near Hurley. In the following year the experiment was repeated on 3 farms in the nortli‐east and on 2 in the south‐west of England.Several calves died, and this may have been because of inadequate milk feeding. Generally, however, the growth of calves reared at pasture was comparable with that of animals reared indoors. Tfie use of grass enabled substantial savings to be made in the amount of concentrate feedingstuffs and hay fed.
THE BEHAVIOUR OF COCKSFOOT AND PERENNIAL RYEGRASS FAMILIES FROM WESTERN FRANCE GROWN AT ABERYSTWYTH
Authors: Beddows A. R. 
Published: April 2006

Families of Dactytis g/omerata and Lolium perenne derived from ripe inflorescences collected in western France over a range of nearly 7° of latitude were grown at Aberystwyth, 52° N lat. Their growth was examined to determine whether latitude and the habitat of the collected families affected the dates of ear emergence, phml form, and height of the flowering shoots when the grasses were grown at Aberystwyth, Ear emergence was found to be delayed as the latitude of the seed source increased, irrespective of the year of sowing, or, in the case of cocksfoot, irrespective of whether the plants were in their first or second harvest year.Plant growth‐form and panicle height were recorded only for the cocksfoots, and the results indicate that they were influenced by habitat and that they reflected the intensity of biotic control that had operated.The families derived from meadows or road verges tended to contain a higher percentage of erect tall types. When, however, the seeds came from grazed orchards or pastures, there were few or no erect plants, but many with a more or less prostrate habit and shorter panicles.
THE INTAKE AND NUTRITIVE VALUE OF FRESH, FROZEN AND DRIED SORGHUM ALMUM, DIGITARIA DECUMBENS AND PANICUM MAXIMUM
Authors: Minson D. J. 
Published: April 2006

Sorghum almum, Digitaria decumbens and Panicum maximum were fed in fresh, frozen (−20 C) or dried (85° C) form to 21 wethers in metabolism cages. Neither freezing nor drying had a significant (P>0·05) effect on voluntary intake, dry‐matter digestibility or organic‐matter digestibility. Drying depressed the apparent digestibility of the nitrogen in all grasses but only in the case of D. decumbens was this significant (P<0·05). Freezing also depressed the apparent digestibility of N while both freezing and drying reduced N retention, compared with the fresh feed. None of these differences was significant.Freezing and drying are thus methods of pasture preservation that can be used to study the intake and dry‐matter digestibility of tropical pastures, but both methods may introduce bias into the measurement of N digestibility and retention.
OBSERVATIONS ON THE UTILIZATION OF GRASS GRAZED BY YOUNG BEEF CATTLE WITH AND WITHOUT BARLEY SUPPLEMENTATION
Authors: Forbes T. J. , Raven A. M. , Robinson K. L. 
Published: April 2006

A field trial was carried out in which 3 groups of cattle were grazed on a paddock system with and without supplementary barley. The cattle were 6 months old when turned out to grass and were each fed 4 lb/day of barley for one week to prevent any adverse effect from an abrupt change of diet. The trial began on 14 May and continued until 8 October. The mean liveweight gain obtained on the unsupplemented grass was only 0·97 lb/day up to 20 August and owing to the poor growth of the animals a supplement of 4 lb barley/head/day was then introduced. The daily liveweight gain for the remainder of the trial was 1·94 lb. When a supplement of 4 lb barley was provided throughout the trial the mean daily liveweight gain was 1·61 lb. When barley was fed ad lib. intake averaged 12·3 lb/head/day throughout the trial and the mean daily gain was 2·45 lb.Indoor digestibility and nitrogen retention trials were carried out. The starch equivalents of diets on the three treatments were 63·7, 68·3 and 69·5, respectively. The respective mean daily intakes of dry matter were 11·2, 11·9 and 11·8 lb, and the mean daily retentions of N were 35·0, 35·8 and 33·6g. These results indicate that although the grass was of good nutritive value the poor performance of the animals on grass alone was mainly due to their inability to graze sufficient grass.
THE USE OF LIVEWEIGHT‐GAIN TRIALS FOR PASTURE EVALUATION IN THE TROPICS
Authors: Stobbs T. H. , Joblin A. D. H. 
Published: April 2006

Two methods of measuring the liveweight gain of cattle on sown pastures are described in a 15 ac grazing trial. During the first 12 months of grazing, stocking rate was varied within and between pasture species. In the remaining 21 months, stocking rate was maintained at the same level between all pastures, but varied with the overall seasonal changes in grass availability. The relative merits of the two methods are discussed, and it is concluded that the trial using the same stocking rate on all species offered the more effective and practicable method of comparing pasture production differences of the order 30–50%.The results showed significant improvements in liveweight gain in the latter 21 months of the experiment, resulting from the inclusion of a legume, Centrosema pubescens in a Hyparrhenia rufa sward, and from the use of Hyparrhenia rufa rather than Panicum maximum in association with Centrosema pubescens. The ability of unfertilized ley pastures to produce over 300 lb/ac of liveweight gain in favourable years was clearly demonstrated.
THE USE OF HERBICIDES IN WHITE CLOVER SEED CROPS
Authors: Zaleski A 
Published: April 2006

The effectiveness of 4 herbicides in restoring the dominance of white clover in an old grass/clover sward was tested at Cambridge during 1963–5. The best results were obtained with applications of paraquat at 1 and 1 1/2 Ib/ac at the early stages of clover growth in spring. Both the dominance of white clover and the yield of seed were increased significantly.Dalapon also increased the proportion of clover in the sward but tended to retard flower‐ and seed‐formation. MCPB and WL5792 failed to change the proportion of clover or its seed yield.
IN VITRO AND FAECAL NITROGEN TECHNIQUES FOR PREDICTING THE VOLUNTARY INTAKE OF CHLORIS GAYANA
Authors: Minson D. J. , Milford R. 
Published: April 2006

The voluntary intake by penned sheep, of two Rhodes‐grass varieties (Samford and Callide) cut at 4 stages of maturity was studied. Intake of dry matter was correlated with in vitro digestion of DM after 12 h incubation. The intake of digestible DM was correlated (r=0.99) with the sum of the digestion after 12 and 48 h incubation.Coarsely ground samples (2.5 mm screen) were digested in vitro less rapidly than finely ground samples (0.4 mm screen), especially with the more mature forages. DM digestibility, voluntary intake of DM and digestible DM were also correlated (r>0.96) with faecal nitrogen, although different regression equations applied to the two varieties.
SOME EFFECTS OF SOIL WATER CONDITIONS AND SOIL TEMPERATURE ON THE ROOTS OF GRASSES
Authors: Garwood E. A. 
Published: April 2006

The effect of irrigation on the weight of roots and on the vertical distribution of roots by weight in the soil profile under grass and grass/clover swards was examined in several field experiments.The weight of root material was less under irrigated swards than under those which were subject only to natural rainfall; it is postulated that this occurred because dead roots decayed more rapidly in the irrigated swards. There was little evidence to suggest that irrigation had any major effect on the vertical distribution by weight of roots within the soil profile.There was a significant interaction between nitrogen and irrigation; in the un‐irrigated swards, root weight decreased with increased N but on the irrigated swards the highest root weight was at an intermediate level of applied N.
THE EFFECTS OF TYPE OF CUTTER AND HEIGHT OF CUTTING ON THE RECOVERY OF FOUR GRASS VARIETIES
Authors: Black W. J. M. , Alexander J. R. B. 
Published: April 2006

S23 and S24 Lolium perenne and S37 and S143 Dactylis glomerata were cut to heights of 1 1/2 and 4 1/2 in. in a replicated experiment, using: a flail harvester, a reciprocating mower, and a reciprocating mower followed by a flail harvester to collect the wilted grass.At the short cutting height there was a marked depression of regrowth of all grasses following the use of the flail harvester (P<0.01), compared with the other mowing treatments. No such effect was observed at the higher level of cutting. Close cutting with a flail forage harvester was shown to be detrimental to regrowth, but the reasons for this effect are not clear.
SYSTEMATIC TESTING OF QUALITY IN GRASS VARIETIES
Authors: Dent J. W. , Aldrich D. T. A. , Silvey V. 
Published: April 2006

The degree of precision obtained In the quality testing of grass varieties under two systems of management was examined (1) in a single cut, (2) under a system of proportionate bulking of produce from individual cuts during a season, and (3) after pooling two seasons’ data from two centres.Crude protein, crude fibre, soluble carbohydrate, and in vitro digestible dry matter were determined. The components of variance were analysed and in the data from single cuts varietal differences in digestibility of 2.10 were significant (P=0.05). Using data from two seasons at two centres, a high degree of precision was obtained for all attributes in a grazing management system and varietal differences in digestibility of 1.25% were significant.Variation due to location and season was greater in hay cuts taken 10 days after ear emergence. In both systems varieties differed more in soluble carbohydrate content than in the other chemical components.
HEATHER REGENERATION FOLLOWING BURNING: A SURVEY
Authors: Grant Sheila A. 
Published: April 2006

A survey of heather regeneration following muirburn was undertaken over a range of sites and community types covering a wide area. The sites were all spring burned and a small grazing exclosure was erected on each after burning. Botanical analyses, height measurements and observations on grazing effects were made annually thereafter in late summer or early autumn.Several factors were found to be of importance in influencing heather regeneration, and the data collected are discussed from the standpoint of: the actual firing process, plant characteristics, biotic factors, site characteristics, and climatic factors.All factors may operate at any one site and may interact one with another. At many sites one factor may be of over–riding importance for a particular year of burning, but the same factor may not be of similar importance in subsequent years.
LIME AND PHOSPHATE TREATMENTS FOR RECLAMATION OF HEATHER MOORLAND
Authors: Bennett R. J. , Russell R. D. , Watkin J. E. 
Published: April 2006

The use of lime and phosphates in reclaiming heather moorland was investigated in two experiments.Large initial dressings of hme resulted in a rapid rise in pH. An initial dressing of 9 tons CaCO3/ac resulted in a more rapid rise to pH 6 than did 6 tons/ac and the soil was maintained above pH 6 for a longer period. Three annual dressings of 3 tons/ac gave a slower rise in pH and a longer period above pH 6. Split treatments, half before and half after the first ploughing, gave no long–term advantage where a programme of pioneer cropping was being followed.Basic slag and North African phosphate were as effective as superphosphate for root crops at low pH values. Basic slag was as effective as superphosphate for grassland establishment and gave a greater rise in soil phosphate. North African phosphate was virtually worthless as a source of phosphate for establishing grasses and clovers, and gave a negligible rise in soil phosphate.Given adequate supphes of lime and phosphate, frequent small apphcations of N over the first 2 or 3 years are vital to the success of a reclamation programme under the conditions described.
GRASSLAND RESEARCH ON BLANKET PEAT IN IRELAND
Authors: OToole M. A. 
Published: April 2006

The results from 10 years of grassland research at the Peatland Experimental Station, Glenamoy, are summarized.Grass and legume species were introduced by surface seeding, without cultivation or by direct seeding after rotavation, depending on the specific situation. The rate of establishment was dependent on pretreatment and the management of grazing animals before and after sowing.The most suitable species were Trifolium repens, Lolium perenne, Festuca arumlinacea, Festuca rubra and Holcus lanatus.A level of fertility suited to the introduced species must be reached initially and subsequently maintained. The requirements (per/ac) for Ca, P, K, N, Cu and Co were: 2240 lb (1016 kg) ground limestone, 36 lb (16 kg) P, 112 lb (51 kg) K, 20 lb (9 kg) N, 20 lb (9 kg) CuSO4 and 2 lb (0–91 kg) CoSO4 at sowing, with 27 lb (12–25 kg) P and 56 lb (254 kg) K annually.Dry–matter yields of 6000 lb/ac (6720 kg/ha) were obtained from grass–clover swards without fertilizer N, and approximately twice this quantity where 400 lb N/ac (448 kg/ha) had been applied annually. A liveweight gain of 526 lb/ac (589–12 kg/ha) and a starch equivalent output of 2946 lb (3299–5 kg) were obtained with sheep. The relationship between these results and those on peat soils abroad are discussed.
HEAD EMERGENCE IN FORAGE GRASSES IN RELATION TO FEBRUARY–MAY TEMPERATURES AND THE PREDICTING OF EARLY OR LATE SPRINGS
Authors: Beddows A. R. 
Published: April 2006

The date of the spring appearance of inflorescences in herbage plants has been studied at the Welsh Plant Breeding Station, Aberystwyth (Lat. 52”N.), and data collected between 1926–64 examined for Lolium, Dactytis and Phleum. The seasonal variation in mean date of emergence showed a range in perennial ryegrass of 14 to 29 days, in Italian ryegrass 14 to 20. in cocksfoot 18 to 25, and in timothy 14 to 19 days. Inflorescence initiation under field conditions is a response to increasing photoperiod, but the rate of development and the date of appearance is controlled by the weather, especially temperature. There is a negative correlation between accumulated temperature and head emergence. The mean emergence date provides a good index of the year by year heading sequence of the different cuuivars. A study of the air and soil temperatures between February and May showed that the accumulated temperature above 42°F for March, and the number of times that the soil temperature at 4 in. deep reached and exceeded 42T provide a means for predicting the degree of earliness or lateness of spring in relation to head emergence in grasses.Observations on the phenology of flowering plants and especially fruit trees can also be used for prediction. This second method is simpler and more direct and it has the further advantage of providing a slightly earlier forecast.
SOME COMPARISONS OF INCLINED POINT QUADRAT AND AIRFLOW PLANIMETER METHODS FOR MEASURING LEAF‐AREA INDEX OF GRASS SWARDS
Authors: Thomas W. D. , Lazenb A. 
Published: April 2006

The leaf‐area indices (LAI) of simulated swards of three populations of Festuca arundinacea Schreb. were estimated by use of an inclined point quadrat and an air‐flow planimeter.Both for comparisons of leaf areas before defoliation, and for comparisons of leaf areas removed by defoliation, very highly significant relationships were found between estimates by the two methods. In five out of six cases the airflow‐planimeter estimates of leaf area became greater than those from the inclined point quadrat as sward leaf area increased.It is suggested that the major factor responsible for departure from complete agreement between the methods is a difference in leaf areas actually measured by the two methods; in addition, there was some indication of operator error with the inclined point quadrat. The results indicated that these factors were not greatly influenced by leaf canopy arrangement.
A MANAGEMENT STUDY OF A BIRDSFOOT TREFOIL STRAIN TRIAL
Authors: Twamley B. E. 
Published: April 2006

A study of birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus L.) variety trial management was conducted with three variables, variety, stubble height and harvest date. The range in maturity for the three varieties used was 12‐14 days. All plots were harvested thrice per season. The harvest dates for the two management regimes imposed differed by about two weeks for the first cut, by about one week for the second and were identical for the third cut. Stubble heights were two and six inches (5.08 and 15.24 cm).Late‐cut material outyielded that cut early, but suffered more winter damage. Material cut at a stubble height of two inches (5.08 cm) outyielded that cut at six inches (15.24 cm), but it also suffered more winter‐killing. The ranking of varieties varied with management.Alternative management schemes, designed to provide maximum yields and survival consistent with good‐quality forage, are proposed and discussed.
FERTILE TILLER PRODUCTION AND SEED YIELD IN MEADOW FESCUE (FESTUCA PRATENSIS L.)
Authors: Lewis J. 
Published: April 2006

The effect of defoliation and date of nitrogen application in the spring to seed crops of meadow fescue, S215 and S53, were compared in two harvest years, in drills spaced at 18 in. S215 tillers were generally more robust than S53 tillers, and S215 produced a higher number of fertile shoots as the result of a higher conversion rate of over wintering to fertile tillers. N applied early and absence of defoliation gave the highest ratio of seed heads to over wintering tillers.Seed‐ and straw‐yields were depressed by April and May defoliations; May cutting had a particularly drastic effect on both varieties. S53 yields in all treatments were generally inferior to those of the hay variety, S215.Head lengths and spikelet numbers were higher and 1000‐seed weight lower in S53 than in S215.
THE USE OF LIVEWEIGHT‐GAIN TRIALS FOR PASTURE EVALUATION IN THE TROPICS
Authors: Stobbs T. H. 
Published: April 2006

A 21‐acre grazing trial which ran continuously for three years to evaluate grass and grass/legume pasture with and without inorganic fertilizers is described. Techniques for conducting grazing trials where large treatment differences are expected and the interpretation of results from these trials are discussed. Good practical management of stock and pastures was shown to be necessary in these grazing trials and where it was only possible to establish one true replicate some measure of statistical control was achieved by comparing regression coefficients of cumulative animal production.The results showed that up to 475 1b liveweight gain/acre per annum (532.48 kg/ha) could be obtained from pastures grazed by small East African Zebu steers. The addition of the legumes Stylosanthes gracilis and Centrosema pubescens to grass mixtures gave significant and economic increases in liveweight gain. Grass/legume swards receiving phosphorus and sulphur produced liveweight gains equivalent to the animai production from grass swards receiving 140 1b N/ac per annum (156.94 kg/ha).
COMPARATIVE FEEDING VALUE OF SILAGES MADE FROM WILTED AND UNWILTED GRASS AND GRASS/CLOVER HERBAGE
Authors: Alder F. E. , McLeodr D. St L. , Gibbs B. G. 
Published: April 2006

Silage was made from wilted and unwilted grass in May 1965, 1966 and 1967. The silage was made in sealed silos, but these were not evacuated and additives were not used.The silages were fed as follows: in 1965 to milking dairy cows and 1‐year‐old beef steers; in 1966 to steers coming into the experiment at 3, 9 and 15 months of age; in 1967 to weaned steer calves, with or without rolled barley (1 or 2 kg/head per day). In all years the silages were of high in vivo digestibility. The intake of wilted silage was higher than that of unwilted silage. There was no significant difference between the milk yields of cows fed on wilted and unwilted silage only. Liveweight gains were higher with wilted silage in 1965 and 1966, but not in 1967. In 1966 gains increased with age of animal and in 1967 gains were higher at successively higher levels of concentrate feeding.
THE PROFITABLE USE OF GRASSLAND IN MILK PRODUCTION
Authors: Wynne A. J. 
Published: April 2006

The most profitable use of grass in feeding a dairy herd is considered. Provided that the quality of the grass and grass products is sufficiently high for it to be used for part of the production ration, it is possible either to maintain a larger herd by buying concentrates, or to keep a smaller herd, feed less concentrates and use part of the grass for production. The potential herd size will depend both on the level of concentrate feeding and on the milk yield of the herd.When account is taken of the extra costs involved with larger herds (labour, capital charges and some variable costs) the optimum system depends on the level of milk yield. For herds yielding below 900 gallons average, the most profitable system is that which obtains the maximum production from grass. With herds of over 1000 gallons average it is more profitable to use concentrates for the production ration and to keep the maximum number of cows.
THE INTENSIFICATION OF SINGLE‐SUCKLED CALF REARING FOR BEEF PRODUCTION*
Authors: Flecchia P. 
Published: April 2006

ABSTRACTTraditionally single suckling is an extensive enterprise which has heen confined largely to the hill‐ and marginal‐areas of the country.In 1965 a single‐suckler herd was estahlished at Henley Manor in an attempt to justify economically the existence of the enterprise on intensively managed lowland grass. Over the four years since then gross margins have increased from ±21 to ±34 per acre, and the indications are that these results can he further improved upon, thus suggesting that the suckler herd could have an increasing role to play in British agriculture.