Module 3: D Principles and Practices in Selection and use of pastures

List the principles and practices in the selection and use of species and cultivars

1. Soil and climate limitations
2. Role of different species
3. Mixes - aggressive vs passive
4. Mixes - Grazing management requirements
5. Productivity vs Persistence
6. Nutrition vs Tolerance
7. Height and Grazing Pressure
8. Hardseededness
9. Flowering and production
10. Summer residues
11. Establishment and Grazing
12. Persistency
13. Growth speeds and Grazing
14. Rotational grazing
15. Elevated growth points

Soil and climate limitations

Can't overcome: Change plant to suit environment
Can overcome: Change environment to suit the plants

Role of different species

- Permanent Pasture: Livestock production
- Special-purpose Pasture: Livestock production
- Restorative Pasture: After grain crops
- Amelioration of degraded or toxic soils

Permanent Pasture Grass Species

- Perennial ryegrass
- Hybrid ryegrass
- Phalaris
- Cocksfoot
- Tall fescue

Special Purpose Pasture Grass Species

- Italian ryegrass
- Hybrid ryegrass
- Prairie Grass

Pastures Grown Rotation with Crops Grass Species

Wimmera ryegrass

Soil Limitation Amelioration Grass Species

- Tall wheatgrass
- Puccinellia

Permanent Pasture Legume Species

- Sub clover
- White clover
- Lucerne
- Caucasian clover

Special Purpose Pasture Legume Species

- Red clover
- Balansa clover
- Persian clover
- Arrowleaf clover
- Serradella
- Birdsfoot trefoil
- Chicory
- Plantain

Pastures Grown Rotation with Crops Legume Species

- Sub clover
- Lucerne
- Annual medic species

Soil Limitation Amelioration Legume Species

- Strawberry clover
- Balansa clover
- Caucasian clover
- Greater lotus

Mixes - aggressive vs passive

Don't mix aggressive, fast-establishing species (ryegrasses) and slow-establishing species (tall fescue): Will outcompete

Mixes - Grazing management requirements

Not doing it leads to:
- Trade-off in overall management
- Domination of one species over another

Compatible mixed species

- Perennial ryegrass and White clover
- Phalaris and Sub clover

Hardseededness

- High and low temperature break down seed coating \= germination
- Different species have different low and high temperatures

Summer residues

Too much: Not enough space and light for germinating plants
Too little: No ground cover

Establishment and Grazing

- Autumn \= establishing \= short roots \= pulled out
- Grazing carefully