Principles of forage management

Danny Donaghy
Professor of Dairy Production Systems

VII Central American Dairy Congress, Costa Rica, 10-11 October 2018
Source of map: geology.com
34oS

47oS
Source of map: reliefmaps carnabynz
2016/2017 data, source: DairyNZ, Facts and Figures for New Zealand Dairy Farmers, 2017.

Number of herds 11,748

Average herd size 414 cows
Average farm size 147 ha
Average cows per ha 2.8
Total number of milking 4.8 million
cows

Total milk processed 21 billion litres (1.8 billion kg

milksolids)
 Grazing management goals

• production
• persistence
• high quality

• high consumption by stock

 Grazing management goals

• production
• persistence
• high quality

• high consumption by stock

Similar management can optimise all four

goals
 Grazing management

Rotational grazing allows pastures to

‘rest’, and out-yield pastures that are set
stocked
 Grazing management

Rotational grazing allows pastures to

‘rest’, and out-yield pastures that are set
stocked

However, poor rotations - too fast, or too

slow - give a worse result than set
stocking
 Grazing management

Grazing management determines plant

energy levels
 Grazing management

Grazing management determines plant

energy levels

Rotation - how much energy we allow the

plant to accumulate
 Grazing management

Grazing management determines plant

energy levels

Rotation - how much energy we allow the

plant to accumulate

Residual - how much energy storage we

allow
 Plant energy reserves

Carbohydrates from sunlight, nitrogen

from soil
 Plant energy reserves

Carbohydrates from sunlight, nitrogen

from soil

Majority stored in plant base

 Plant energy reserves

Carbohydrates from sunlight, nitrogen

from soil

Majority stored in plant base

Vital for regrowth, for survival and for

long-term persistence
 Location of energy reserves

Bunch Stoloniferous Taproot

Ryegrass Kikuyu Lucerne
Fescue Star grass Red clover
Mombasa grass Brachiaria Chicory
Napier grass White clover
Source of picture: Canadian
Source of pictures: Food and Agriculture Organisation Wildlife Federation
How plants allocate energy
Donaghy & Fulkerson (1998)
 How plants allocate energy
Donaghy & Fulkerson (1998)

1. Maintenance
 How plants allocate energy
Donaghy & Fulkerson (1998)

1. Maintenance

2. Production
- leaves
- roots
- tillers
 How plants allocate energy
Donaghy & Fulkerson (1998)

1. Maintenance

2. Production
- leaves
- roots
- tillers

3. Storage
 How plants allocate energy
Donaghy & Fulkerson (1998)

1. Maintenance If your management

results in low energy
2. Production levels, plants will:
- leaves
- roots • not have surplus to
- tillers store
• have few tillers
3. Storage • have shallow roots
 Grazing management

Using ryegrass as a case study

Principles apply to all forages - grass,

legume, or forb
Base grazing rotation on leaf regrowth
stage:
• ryegrass is a ‘3-leaf’ plant

Donaghy (1998)
Base grazing rotation on leaf regrowth
stage:
• ryegrass is a ‘3-leaf’ plant
• ‘leaf stage’ reflects plant energy levels, and is
the best method to set rotation

Donaghy (1998)
Leaf regrowth stage - pasture production and persistence

McCarthy et al. (2015);

based on Donaghy
(1998); Fulkerson and
Donaghy (2001)
 Leaf regrowth stage - quality (metabolisable energy)

Donaghy, Lee and Roche (unpub); Pembleton et al. (2017)

Leaf regrowth stage - quality (fibre)
Fibre levels
affected by:
• stem formation -
reproduction and
shading
• height of pasture -
pre- and post-
grazing

Donaghy (unpub); Pembleton et al. (2017)

Leaf regrowth stage - quality (fibre)
Fibre levels
affected by:
• stem formation -
reproduction and
shading
• height of pasture -
pre- and post-
grazing
• stress - heat, dry,
low soil fertility
• senescence -
definite increase
after 3 leaves
Donaghy (unpub); Pembleton et al. (2017)
 Leaf regrowth stage - quality (minerals)

Fulkerson and Donaghy (2001); Fulkerson et al. (1998); Donaghy (unpub); Pembleton et al. (2017)
 Using leaf regrowth stage

Not a system but a grazing tool

 Using leaf regrowth stage

Not a system but a grazing tool

Can be used multiple ways:

• diagnose pasture health and potential yield
 Using leaf regrowth stage

Not a system but a grazing tool

Can be used multiple ways:

• diagnose pasture health and potential yield
• assess pasture performance and quality
 Using leaf regrowth stage

Not a system but a grazing tool

Can be used multiple ways:

• diagnose pasture health and potential yield
• assess pasture performance and quality
• forward plan rotation length
 Using leaf regrowth stage

It is a ‘use by date’ for pastures: the 2 to 3-

leaf stage is when ryegrass is ‘ready’ to be
grazed
 Using leaf regrowth stage

It is a ‘use by date’ for pastures: the 2 to 3-

leaf stage is when ryegrass is ‘ready’ to be
grazed

Use leaf regrowth stage and dry matter

yield together:
• leaf stage - set the rotation - when pasture is
ready
 Using leaf regrowth stage

It is a ‘use by date’ for pastures: the 2 to 3-

leaf stage is when ryegrass is ‘ready’ to be
grazed

Use leaf regrowth stage and dry matter

yield together:
• leaf stage - set the rotation - when pasture is
ready
• dry matter - allocate the feed - how much is
there for my animals to eat?
Base grazing residual on height: determined
by where energy is stored, and avoiding
shading

Source of picture: Canadian Wildlife

Source of pictures: Food and Agriculture Organisation Federation
Base grazing residual on height: determined
by where energy is stored, and avoiding
shading

Ideal height is 4-5cm for most temperate

species, and higher (15-25cm) for larger
tropical grasses

Source of picture: Canadian Wildlife

Source of pictures: Food and Agriculture Organisation Federation
Low residual - some plants adapt by
becoming more prostrate

5cm residual 2.5cm residual

winter wheat
 High residual - shading causes more stem
and aerial tillering

Aerial tillers due

to shading - will
not survive

Normal tillers from

ground level - will
survive
 How residual and rotation interact - implications for
grazing management

Based on Donaghy and Clarke (2016); Roche et al. (2017)

Use supplements profitably:
• to extend rotation length
• to maintain residuals
• to increase pasture eaten
 Grazing management summary

Grazing rotation Post-grazing residual

Species
(leaves) height (cm)

Ryegrass 2-3 4-5

Tall fescue 2-3 4-5
Cocksfoot 3-4 4-5
Brome grasses 3-4 4-5
Phalaris 3-4 4-5
Kikuyu 4-5 4-5
Rhodes grass 4-5 7-8
Muchas gracias!!