Pastures and Forages Test 2

Bite

first level of interaction

Bite mass

bite depth + bite volume

Feeding Station

area in which aimal has acces to without moving front legs

Patch

cluster of feeding stations within one grazing period

Feeding site

cellection of patches in a contiguous area (pasture)

Daily Range

area animals drink rest, and graze

True

We must identify management strategies that alter the forage canopy such that bite mass + grazing time are maximized.

True

Bite mass +daily intake increase with both forage mass and canopy height

Manipulation of grazing in pursuit of a specific objective

-forage production

-forage use efficiency

-plant persistance

-animal production

-grazing pressure

-economic concerns

Grazing

-exerts pulling force on plant

-possible root damage

-uproot immature plants

-selective grazing

-trampling

Grazing intensity

the severity of grazing pressure. Understandin the relationship between grazing intensity toa pasture and animal performance is crucial to a successful enterprise

True

Selecting the correct stocking rate is the most important of all grazing management decisions from the standpoint of veg. livestock, wildlife, and economic return.

Stocking density

number of animals allocated per acre of land at any point in time

Stocking rate

the amount of land allocated to each animal unit for a grazable period of time

Carrying capacity

-max stocking rate possible year after year without inducing damage to the veg of related resources.

-average number of animals that a particular range will sustain over time

True

Grazing intensity as more influence on forage production than any other grazing factor

Heavy stocking rate

removal of >50% of veg growth

Moderate Stocking rate

removal of 35-50% of veg growth

Light stocking rate

removal of 20-35% of veg growth

As grazing intensity increases

• animal productivity decreases

• Productivity per unit area increases

• Max gains per animal and per unit area are not possible concurently

• During drought periods heavy stocking rates can become economically disastrous

• Moderate stocking rates permits less adjustments in animal numbers

• Moderate stocking permits higher levels of forage standing crop throughout the year and more hardy plants

True

High residence time results in less time searching for food

Change in feeding site influence by

• forage quantity and quality

• topography

• distance to water

Components of intake influence by

• greater bite mass, less grazing time

• rumination

• socialize

• rest

Canopy

aboveground portion of the plant and incorporates the distribution and arrangement of the plants

Plant part proportion

• leaf vs stem

• desired: high percentage of leaf and a low percentage of stem

Canopy height

• shorter canopies-bite mass limiting factor

• taller canopies-leaf bulk density limiting factor

Grazers

livestock who’s main diet selection is grasses

Cattle and Sheep

• longer rumen retention time

• max microbe digestion

Cattle

short lips braod muzzles and a callused tongue for protection during tearing of abrasive plant tissue

Sheep

narrower mouths and better suited for diet selection

Browsers

livestock who’s main diet selection is browse

True

large animals are at a disadvantage when grazing shortveg because each bite represents a smaller portion of daily requirements

grazing reduces the competitive stregth of a plant

True

Hoof action /treading affects pasture plants directly through…

• damaging

• serving

• burying

Indirect effects of treading

• soil compaction

• reduced water infiltration

Grazing is not always a bad thing

True

Sprigging

a term for vegetative propagation

The type of herbivore and its grazing pattern can alter the species composition of a grassland

True

As forage diversity increases

• diet selection increases

• nutrition value increases

• less dense canopies, limited intake, poort quality forages

Excretion

non retained nutrients are returned to the soil and plant in concentrated form

Effects of excretion

• nutrient cycling

• pasture growth

• grazing patterns