Effect of high-intensity rotational grazing on the growth of cattle grazing buffel pasture in the Northern Territory and on soil carbon sequestration
T. Schatz
A C , D. Ffoulkes A , P. Shotton B and M. Hearnden A
A NT Department of Primary Industry and Resources, Berrimah Farm, GPO Box 3000, Darwin, NT 0801, Australia.
B NT Department of Primary Industry and Resources, Douglas Daly Research Farm, PMB 105, Winnellie, NT 0822, Australia.
C Corresponding author. Email: tim.schatz@nt.gov.au
Animal Production Science 60(15) 1814-1821 https://doi.org/10.1071/AN19552
Submitted: 24 September 2019 Accepted: 19 March 2020 Published: 2 June 2020
Abstract
Context: Scientific and anecdotal reports conflict on the effects of intensive rotational grazing (IRG) on cattle growth, and very limited objective data are available from cattle grazing in northern Australia that producers can use to decide whether to adopt IRG.
Aims: This study aimed to compare liveweight gain and sequestration of soil organic carbon when cattle grazed buffel grass (Cenchrus ciliaris L.) under either continuous grazing (CG) or IRG.
Methods: In each year of this 9-year study, a cohort of Brahman and Brahman-cross weaners was randomly allocated to IRG and CG treatments. They grazed predominantly buffel pasture at Douglas Daly Research Farm from shortly after weaning for about a year, at which time they were replaced by the next year’s group, and the average liveweight gains of the treatments over the post-weaning year were compared each year for 9 years. Soil organic carbon was measured in the topsoil (0–30 cm) twice each year for 5 years (2009–14) and changes in carbon stocks over time were compared between treatments.
Key results: In each year of this study, the growth of cattle grazing buffel pasture was lower under IRG than CG. In each year, liveweight gain was lower (P < 0.05) per head and per hectare under IRG. Topsoil soil organic carbon stocks did not increase in the IRG treatment over the 5 years of this study.
Conclusions: This study found that cattle growth, both per head and per hectare, was lower under IRG than CG, and that IRG did not result in any increase in soil organic carbon over time.
Implications: The lower per head and per area production from the IRG system, combined with the extra infrastructure and operating costs for IRG systems, make it unlikely that adoption of IRG would improve the profitability of cattle-grazing operations on similar pasture systems in northern Australia. However, the findings of this study may not apply to other pasture systems and environments.
Additional keywords: cattle growth.
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