The utilization of irrigated pastures by dairy cows. I. A comparison of rotational and strip grazing

Abstract

1. An experiment was carried out from 1 August 1953 to 31 July 1955 to compare strip grazing with rotational grazing on the basis of the total animal production obtained from dairy cattle on irrigated pasture.2. The same overall stocking rate was used for both treatments. Herbage surplus to grazing requirements at any time was conserved as hay and fed back to the appropriate group of cows at the end of the grazing season.3. The aim was to manage the area under each technique as efficiently as the technique permitted.4. The average production from the rotationally grazed group during the main pasture season of 260 days was 8740 lb. milk per acre (including 354 lb. of butterfatand 766 lb. of solids-not-fat) and from the strip-grazed group 8867 lb. milk per acre (including 358 lb. of butterfat and 766 lb. of solidsnotfat).The average weight of pasture nutrients utilized per annum by the rotationally grazed group was 5887 lb. starch equivalent per acre and by the stripgrazed group 5896 lb. starch equivalent per acre.None of the treatment differences in animal production was significant.5. The differences between the results of this experiment and those obtained by other workers are discussed.