New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research abstracts
Production of Lotus corniculatus L. under
grazing in a dryland farming environment
C. A. Ramírez-Restrepo1*
P. D. Kemp2†
T. N. Barry1
N. López-Villalobos1
1Institute of Veterinary
Animal and Biomedical Science
Massey University
Palmerston North, New Zealand
2Institute of Natural Resources
Massey University
Palmerston North, New Zealand
*Present address: Rumen,
Nutrition and
Welfare Group, AgResearch Limited, Grasslands Research Centre, Tennent
Drive, Private Bag 11 008, Palmerston North, New Zealand.
carlos.ramirez@agresearch.co.nz
†Author
for correspondence.
p.kemp@massey.ac.nz
Abstract A 3-year
experiment (from November 2000 to October 2003) was conducted at Massey
University’s Riverside Farm, in the Wairarapa on the East
Coast of the lower North Island, New Zealand. The study compared, under
grazing conditions, the seasonal and annual herbage accumulation rate,
and the seasonal dynamics of ungrazed net herbage accumulation rate of Lotus
corniculatus L. (birdsfoot trefoil; cv. ‘Grasslands
Goldie’) relative to perennial ryegrass (Lolium
perenne)/white clover (Trifolium repens)
dominant pasture. Prediction equations to estimate standing dry matter
(DM) in L. corniculatus and pasture from the rising
plate meter (RPM) and sward surface height using the sward stick (SS)
were also generated. Lotus corniculatus and pasture
growing in a moderate fertility and low pH soil (pH 5.35) accumulated
similar total herbage masses (24.3 versus 24.1 t DM ha–1)
over the 3 years, with the DM production being greater for L.
corniculatus than for pasture during 2000/01, particularly
during summer/autumn drought conditions. The net herbage accumulation
rates from ungrazed areas of L. corniculatus and
pasture were similar. Pasture and L. corniculatus
ungrazed net herbage accumulation rate was at maximum at a herbage mass
of 9.9 t DM ha–1
(60.23 ± 16.94 kg DM ha–1
day–1)
and 5.8 t DM ha–1 (15.69
± 13.25 kg DM ha–1
day–1),
respectively, during the spring/summer period. The ungrazed
net herbage accumulation rate was lowest, possibly due to severe
moisture deficits, during the summer season. Monthly and seasonal
variation in the calibration regressions fitted to estimate herbage
mass of L. corniculatus non-destructively
suggested a combination of destructive and non-destructive methods are
needed to assess herbage mass. It was concluded that Lotus
corniculatus L. (birdsfoot trefoil; cv.
‘Grasslands Goldie’) has the potential to increase
the performance of a sheep farming system based on perennial
ryegrass/white clover pasture owing to its ability to grow in acidic
soils, its tolerance of regular low summer/autumn rainfall, its
seasonality of feed supply, its high feeding value and its moderate and
beneficial concentration of condensed tannins (CT).
Keywords Lotus
corniculatus L.; perennial ryegrass/white clover pasture;
herbage mass; sward surface height; dryland farming systems
A04056; Received 26 May 2004; accepted 17 November 2005;
Online publication date 9 March 2006
New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research, 2006, Vol. 49:
89–100
0028–8233/06/4901–0089 © The
Royal Society of New Zealand 2006
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