Effect of stocking rate and grazing frequency on a Siratro (Macroptilium atropurpureum)/Setaria anceps cv. Nandi pasture

Abstract

Five stocking rates, ranging from 0.8 to 2.8 beasts ha-1, and three frequencies of grazing were imposed on a five-year-old Siratro (Macroptilium atropurpureum)/Setaria anceps cv. Nandi pasture at Samford, south-east Queensland. The three grazing frequencies involved grazing for four days every three, six or nine weeks. Plots were individually grazed from 1972 to 1976 and the residual effect of treatments was measured over a grazing-free period in 1977. Within the three week grazing frequency both Siratro yield and total yield declined markedly with increased stocking rate, with an increased invasion of prostrate species such as blue couch (Digitaria didactyla). The decline in Siratro yield at higher stocking rates was less marked in the nine week system where there was much less invasion of prostrate species. However, it is suggested that the value of rotational grazing with a long rest period as a means of maintaining Siratro productivity could be largely at stocking rates where the pasture is overgrazed in terms of animal performance. Siratro density and seedling regeneration were largely unaffected by treatment and there was a good recovery of Siratro in the heavily grazed treatments during the grazing-free period at the end of the experiment. However, Siratro soil seed reserves declined with increased stocking rate and there was a much greater decline in flowering and seeding. On this basis it is predicted that if grazing treatments had been continued the heavily grazed pastures would eventually have reached the stage where Siratro would not recover with spelling.