• Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
• /
• v.35 no.3
• /
• pp.225-231
• /
• 2015

Improving current pasture productivity by precision management requires practical tools to collect site specific pasture biomass data. Recent developments in unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology provide cost effective and real time applications for site specific data collection. For the mapping of herbage biomass (BM) on a hill pasture, we tested a UAV system with digital cameras (visible and near-infrared (NIR) camera). The field measurements were conducted on the grazing hill pasture at Hanwoo Improvement Office, Seosan City, Chungcheongnam-do Province, Korea on May 17 and June 27, 2014. Plant samples were obtained from 28 sites. A UAV system was used to obtain aerial photos from a height of approximately 50 m (approximately 30 cm spatial resolution). Normalized digital number (DN) values of Red and NIR channels were extracted from the aerial photos and a normalized differential vegetation index using DN ($NDVI_{dn}$) was calculated. The results show that the correlation coefficient between BM and $NDVI_{dn}$ was 0.88. For the precision management of hilly grazing pastures, UAV monitoring systems can be a quick and cost effective tool to obtain site-specific herbage BM data.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
• /
• v.20 no.3
• /
• pp.161-168
• /
• 2000

The experiment was carried out to investigate the effect of extension of grazing duration in late autumn on grass growth in following spring, in order to improve the rate of self-sufficiency for roughage feed. Plant height, total biomass and litter production of herbage were increased when the grazing was finished early in late autumn. The proportions of clover and litter, and amounts of animal intake were decreased, with extended grazing duration in late autumn. But when the grazing was finished late in autumn, the contents of crude protein (CP, %) of herbage were increased, contents of acid detergent fiber (ADF, %), neutral detergent fiber (NDF, %) and crude ash (%) were decreased in pasture after grazing, therefore the contents of total digestible nutrients (TDN, %) and relative feed value (RFV) of herbage were improved. The early end grazing showed that plant height, total biomass and litter production of herbage in following spring were higher than those in late end grazing. However, increased yields were not significantly different among end grazing treatments (0.12-0.15 tonha), except for the final end grazing in late autumn (0.01 tonha). With extended grazing duration in late autumn, the contents of CP of herbage in following spring were increased, contents of ADF, were decreased, and RFV were improved. (Key words : Extension of grazing duration, Plant height, Biomass, Amount of intake, Increased yield, Crude protein, TDN) rll\ulcorner c# qiil x i 9 ~ 1 a% * (College of Natural Resources, Taegu Univ., Kyongsan, 71 2-714, Korea) * $4 4 qiil 34 qq(Co1lege of Liberal Arts & Sciences, Yonsei Univ., Wonju, 220-701, Korea) '* 8 * jL@%ft@ &@%(Faculty of Agriculture, Hokkaido Univ., Sapporo, 060 Japan)

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.14 no.10
• /
• pp.1383-1388
• /
• 2001

To explore the factors restricting animal performance in relation to sward structure under a strip-grazing system, measurements of sward factors, herbage intake and milk production at 3 levels of herbage allowance were made on perennial ryegrass (Latium perenne L.) sward for 3 experimental periods. About 29%, 36% and 52% of the biomass offered was removed by grazing in high $(42kg\;OM{\cdot}day^{-1}{\cdot}head^{-1})$, medium $(30kg\;OM{\cdot}day^{-1}{\cdot}head^{-1})$ and low $(18kg\;OM{\cdot}day^{-1}{\cdot}head^{-1})$ herbage allowance plots. Live leaf material was much more affected by grazing under different herbage allowance levels than dead material or leaf sheath. Grazing with a low herbage allowance decreased the proportion of live lamina by 93% and live lamina density by 96% before grazing. The density of dead material plus sheath was decreased by 17% after grazing at a low allowance, while it slightly increased or remained constant in the plots applied with high and medium allowances, respectively. The highly significant (p<0.01) correlations between herbage allowance and proportion (r=0.94) and density (r=0.91) of live lamina in residual sward after grazing were observed. Daily herbage intakes in the plots with high and medium levels of herbage allowance were not significantly different at $15.3kg\;OM{\cdot}head^{-1}$ in average, whereas with low level it decreased to $13.9kg\;OM{\cdot}head^{-1}$. Daily milk production was significantly (p<0.05) declined from $22.3kg{\cdot}head^{-1}$ (at high herbage allowance) to $19.7kg{\cdot}head^{-1}$ (at low herbage allowance). The data obtained clearly indicated that herbage intake and milk production were highly affected by the characteristics of residual sward, which were closely related to the level of herbage allowance.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
• /
• v.14 no.2
• /
• pp.99-109
• /
• 1994

The objective of this study was to examin some animal and sward factors which determine the daily herbage intake of high yielding dairy cows at different levels of daily herbage allowance. In this paper, the principal data relevent to the changes of sward characteristics after five days of daily strip grazing at three experimental peliods were summarized. The pregrazing herbage mass and extended height increased significantly from 5,047 kg OM/ha and 341 mm in period 1 to 6,877 kg OM/ha and 446 mm in period 3, while there was not a significant difference among herbage allowance treatments(average 6,068 kg OM/ha and 410 mm). The live leaf material in the residual herbage showed a greater reduction than the dead material and leaf sheath in terms of extended height, proportion and density. The decreased rates after grazing were higher when the level of herbage allowance decreased. Live leaves were vertically distributed to 50 cm of sward height before grazing. All live lamina distributed to 25 cm were grazed in the high and medium, and to 20 cm in the low levle of herbage allowance after grazing. The depth of grazing and grazed volume of forage material were heighly affected by the levels of hehage allowance. The biomass after grazing in the high, medium and low daily herbage allowance decreased 35, 36 and 52%, respectively, compared to before grazing level. The highly significant correlations between herbage allowance and extended tiller height(r=0.79), proportion of live lamina(r=0.94) and density of live lamina(r=O.91) after grazing, respectively, were observed.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.32 no.5
• /
• pp.637-647
• /
• 2019

Objective: The study aimed at quantifying seasonal and spatial variations in availability and nutritive value of herbaceous vegetation on native pastures and supplement feedstuffs for domestic ruminants in Western Kenya. Methods: Samples of herbaceous pasture vegetation (n = 75) and local supplement feedstuffs (n = 46) for cattle, sheep, and goats were collected in 20 villages of three geographic zones (Highlands, Mid-slopes, Lowlands) in Lower Nyando, Western Kenya, over four seasons of one year. Concentrations of dry matter (DM), crude ash (CA), ether extract (EE), crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fibre (NDF), gross energy (GE), and minerals were determined. Apparent total tract organic matter digestibility (dOM) was estimated from in vitro gas production and proximate nutrient concentrations or chemical composition alone using published prediction equations. Results: Nutrient, energy, and mineral concentrations were 52 to 168 g CA, 367 to 741 g NDF, 32 to 140 g CP, 6 to 45 g EE, 14.5 to 18.8 MJ GE, 7.0 to 54.2 g potassium, 0.01 to 0.47 g sodium, 136 to 1825 mg iron, and 0.07 to 0.52 mg selenium/kg DM. The dOM was 416 to 650 g/kg organic matter but differed depending on the estimation method. Nutritive value of pasture herbage was superior to most supplement feedstuffs, but its value strongly declined in the driest season. Biomass yields and concentrations of CP and potassium in pasture herbage were highest in the Highlands amongst the three zones. Conclusion: Availability and nutritive value of pasture herbage and supplement feedstuffs greatly vary between seasons and geographical zones, suggesting need for season- and region-specific feeding strategies. Local supplement feedstuffs partly compensate for nutritional deficiencies. However, equations to accurately predict dOM and improved knowledge on nutritional characteristics of tropical ruminant feedstuffs are needed to enhance livestock production in this and similar environments.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.19 no.3
• /
• pp.381-385
• /
• 2006

This study examined the influence of re-growth periods on chemical composition, biomass production, nutritive value and digestion kinetics of Setaria sphacelata (SS) and Cenchrus ciliaris (CC) in ruminally cannulated buffalo bulls. Two re-growth intervals i.e. clipping every month ($CI_1$) and clipping after every two months ($CI_2$) were compared with the control (clipped after 4 months). Mean values of leaf to stem ratio in SS and CC grasses were decreased (p<0.05) with increasing re-growth interval. The lowest leaf to stem ratio was recorded in control plots of both grasses. In both grasses, increasing growth period increased the concentrations of dry matter (DM), neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and organic matter (OM) and decreased crude protein (CP). Mean dry herbage, OM and CP yields of SS and CC were increased (p<0.05) with increasing re-growth interval. Ruminal DM and NDF digestibilities of SS and CC were decreased (p<0.05) with increasing interval. Ruminal rate of DM and NDF disappearance was higher while the ruminal lag time of these nutrients was lower with monthly than with bi-monthly clipping interval. The results from present study imply that SS and CC clipped after every two months is more beneficial than when clipped every month or every four months in terms of optimal biomass with adequate nutritional value for buffaloes.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.19 no.2
• /
• pp.176-180
• /
• 2006

This study was carried out to establish clipping interval of Pennisetum orientale (PO) and Panicum antidotale (PA) to get maximum biomass production with optimal nutritional value for Nili buffaloes. Two clipping intervals i.e. $CI_1$, and $CI_2$ (clipped after every one and two months, respectively) were studied for both grasses. The data on various parameters were compared with PO and PA each clipped at 4 months of age (control). Leaf to stem ratio in both PO and PA declined with increasing clipping interval. Concentration of dry matter (DM) and organic matter (OM) increased (p<0.05) whereas crude protein contents decreased with increasing clipping interval in both grasses. Crude protein and dry herbage yields in PO and PA increased (p<0.05) with increasing clipping interval. The DM and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) digestibilities of PO and PA in ruminally cannulated buffalo bulls decreased (p<0.05) due to more lignification with increasing clipping interval. Ruminal extent of digestion, rate of disappearance of DM and neutral detergent fiber of PO and PA decreased in buffaloes while ruminal lag time of these nutrients increased significantly (p<0.05) with increasing clipping interval. The results from the study imply that two month clipping interval for both PO and PA grasses favored higher biomass with greater nutritional value for Nili buffaloes and sustained grass vigor.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
• /
• v.96 no.2
• /
• pp.151-159
• /
• 2007

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of thinning on changes in stand characteristics and understory vegetation in a silvopasture practiced Japanese larch plantation in the Research Forest of Kangwon National University, Korea. Three different thinning intensities (64%, 35%, and control) were applied. Before and after thinning, the understory plant species increased its number from 48 (7 tree species, 7 shrubs species, 28 herbaceous species, and 6 woody climbers) to 100 (11 tree species, 15 shrub species, 67 herbaceous species, and 7 woody climbers). Thinning made plants invade easily on the forest floor, and plot A (325 stems/ha) had much higher number of undersory species than those Of plot B (575 stems/ha) and control plot (1,150 stems/ha). In three years after thinning, understory aboveground biomass (kg/ha) of herbs were 523 for control, 1,230 for plot B, and 1,288 for plot A. The canopy coverage had remarkable influence on the understory biomass production, resulting in relatively small amount of herbage production on control plot. The differences were statistically significant between thinned plots and unthinned plot, but there were no significant differences among the thinned plots (p<0.05).

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.19 no.7
• /
• pp.978-983
• /
• 2006

Forages from grazing lands comprise conventional feed resources for ruminants in the tropical region. A study was conducted to assess fodder productivity and nutritive potential of deferred forages of six silvopastoral traditional fodder banks in central northwest Tanzania, traditionally known as Ngitiri. The grazing lands were dominated by low quality increaser grass species: Eragrostis spp., Aristida spp., Urochloa spp., Rottboellia exaltata, Cenchrus spp., Cynodon spp. and Chloris spp., and forbs species. The grazing lands had low vegetative basal cover that varied (p<0.05) from 34.7 to 75%, and low forage biomass productivity that varied (p<0.05) from 0.76 to 3.69 tones (t) dry matter (DM)/ha. The forages contained low crude protein (CP) that varied (p<0.05) from 16 to 27 g/kg DM; and had high fibre contents, which varied (p<0.05) from 702-725, 497-573 and 119-225 g/kg DM for neutral detergent fibre (NDF), acid detergent fibre (ADF) and acid detergent lignin (ADL), respectively. The forages were poorly degraded in sacco, and showed low DM degradability (DMD) characteristics of 74, 473 and 576 g/kg DM for DM washing losses (a), slowly degradable feed fraction (b) and potential degradability, (a+b), respectively; and low DMD at 48 h incubation, which varied from 317-345 g/kg DM, and contained low metabolizable energy (ME), (4.2-4.36 MJ/kg DM). The herbage forages would not meet protein and energy requirements for maintenance and production, which could be reflected through low animal productivity. Further work is needed to assess animal productivity (growth, milk, draft force) from conserved forages in traditional fodder banks in the dry season.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.24 no.6
• /
• pp.766-773
• /
• 2011

The objective of the present study was to examine whether yaks possess any adaptive mechanisms of nitrogen (N) metabolism to survive in the harsh foraging environment of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. A grazing experiment on native alpine meadows was conducted to determine availability of herbage biomass and body weight (BW) change of yaks over the year, followed by two indoor feeding trials to investigate adaptation mechanisms of N metabolism in yaks fed at similar intake level to grazing conditions. Three castrated males of each of three genotypes; yak (Bos grunniens), indigenous cattle (Bos taurus) and their crossbred - cattleyak (Bos taurus male${\times}$Bos grunniens female), were used in the housed trials. Results showed that: i) Monthly herbage biomass production and daily grazing intakes by yaks over the year ranged from 220 to 4,664 kg DM per ha, and 1.90 to 8.50 kg DM, respectively. For about seven months each year, yaks suffer from malnutrition as a result of inadequate pasture conditions; ii) Urinary N excretion and N retention by yaks were significantly affected by feeding level, and yaks had a lower (p<0.05) average daily urinary N excretion (0.39 g/kg $BW^{0.75}$) and a greater (p<0.05) N retention (-0.09 g/kg $BW^{0.75}$) than indigenous cattle (0.47 and -0.16 g/kg $BW^{0.75}$, respectively). Fasting daily urinary N excretion was greater (p<0.05) for indigenous cattle than yaks (353 vs. 248 mg/kg $BW^{0.75}$). Purine derivative N excretion and purine derivative N index (PNI) increased with increasing feeding level, while the value of PNI was greater (p<0.05) for yaks and cattleyak (0.11 and 0.12, respectively) than for indigenous cattle (0.09) during the feeding trials. These results suggest that yaks could rely, in part, on the recycling of N to adapt to the harsh forage environment on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau.), were used in the housed trials. Results showed that: i) Monthly herbage biomass production and daily grazing intakes by yaks over the year ranged from 220 to 4,664 kg DM per ha, and 1.90 to 8.50 kg DM, respectively. For about seven months each year, yaks suffer from malnutrition as a result of inadequate pasture conditions; ii) Urinary N excretion and N retention by yaks were significantly affected by feeding level, and yaks had a lower (p<0.05) average daily urinary N excretion (0.39 g/kg $BW^{0.75}$) and a greater (p<0.05) N retention (-0.09 g/kg $BW^{0.75}$) than indigenous cattle (0.47 and -0.16 g/kg $BW^{0.75}$, respectively). Fasting daily urinary N excretion was greater (p<0.05) for indigenous cattle than yaks (353 vs. 248 mg/kg $BW^{0.75}$). Purine derivative N excretion and purine derivative N index (PNI) increased with increasing feeding level, while the value of PNI was greater (p<0.05) for yaks and cattleyak (0.11 and 0.12, respectively) than for indigenous cattle (0.09) during the feeding trials. These results suggest that yaks could rely, in part, on the recycling of N to adapt to the harsh forage environment on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau.