Grassland management

Text А

The chief object of good pasture maintenance ic to provide green succulent feed for livestock during the enti­re grossing season. The dry matter of immature grasses is higher in protein and vitamins and is more digestible th'ua the dry matter of mature grasses harvested for hay.

There exist several kinds of pastures, the two main, groups being natural pastures and' cultivated ones. Natu­ral pastures are uncultivated lands occupied wholly, or

jaainly by native types of forage plants. The main aim of establishing cultivated pastures is to grow those gras­ses and.legiimes which are able to provide more feed of better quality than the plants found in native pastures.

Two types of cultivated pastures appear to be most common: permanent and annual pastures. The former are made up of perennial grasses and legumes or of self-seeding annuals, or of both. They remain unplowed for long peri­ods (five years or more). The latter are seeded each year to take the place- of permanent pastures wholly or in part. One knot's such pastures usually to include crops like rye, oats, barley, Sudan grass, ryegrass, soybeans, and rape.

Mixtures of grasses and legumes have been found to be more productive- than seedirees of grasses and legumes grown alons. If grown together, grasses and legumes are mutually beneficial. Grasses tend to protect legumes dur­ing winter, while legumes benefit grasses by providing them with sitrogen.

When choosing the seeding mixture to be grown, the farmer should consider the purpose for which it is to be used as well as the soil and climatic conditions prevail­ing in tho locality. ТЬиз, for some regions mixture of rec clover and timothy has been found tc be more popular than that of alfalfa and brome grass.

Since most of the plant species used for permanent pastures have small seeds, it is necessary to prepare a firm seedbed for the closer contact between the seed and soil particles to be established. It is the use of good

seeds of small-seeded grasses and legumes that is important in providine f>od pasture coverage relatively free of weeds. The seod should bo drilled rather than broadcasted on a new seedbed. Special drills fcr seeding grasses and legumes have attachments which open furrows, apply fertilizer, and cover the fertilizer with the soil.

The type and quantity of fertiliser applied Ъ.аз а marked effect on the composition of a pasture. Superphos­phate is known to have a stimulating eff3ct on the jqrowxh of all species, especially legumes, while nitrogenous fertilizers stimulate tho growth of grasses.

Pasture maintenance or improvement may be brought about^ by reseeding, fertilization, and good gracing pro­gramme.'

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