@conference {40567,
	title = {The effect of pasture height on herbage intake and ewe production under continuous stocking management during the autumn.},
	booktitle = {Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	volume = {54},
	year = {1994},
	month = {Jan},
	pages = {75-78},
	publisher = {New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	organization = {New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	abstract = {A replicated trial design with ewes continuously stocked on mixed  
ryegrass/white clover pastures at three target sward surface heights (SSH) of 4,  
6 and 8 cm, and 16 ewes per sward treatment (total 96 ewes), was carried out  
from February through to April 1993.  Herbage intake was assessed indirectly  
from faecal output measured using chromium controlled release capsules and  
the <I>in vitro</I> digestibility of herbage samples obtained from oesophageal- 
fistulated sheep run with the ewes.  Intake measurements were taken before and  
after the rams were joined with the ewes. 
 
Pasture measurements for the 4, 6 and 8 cm SSH treatments were: SSH, 4.12 vs  
6.18 vs 7.97 cm (PSE 0.54 cm, P<0.05); mass, 3358 vs 4291 vs 5231 kg  
DM/ha (PSE 389 kg DM/ha, P<0.1); dead mater content, 38.9 vs 26.7 vs 40.4\%  
(PSE 5.8\%, NS); and organic matter digestibility, 68.0 vs 71.9 vs 63.8\% (PSE  
1.21\%, P<0.0001).  Organic Matter (OM) intakes fro the 4, 6 and 8 cm SSH  
treatments were 1.39 vs 1.86 vs 1.06 kg OM/ewe/day (PSE 0.08 kg  
OM/ewe/day, P<0.05) for the pre-mating intake and 1.26 vs 1.34 vs. 1.09 kg  
OM/head/day (PSE 0.06 kg OM/ewe/day, NS) for the mating intake period. 
 
Production responses of the ewes for the 4, 6 and 8 cm SSH treatments were:  
liveweight gain, 72 vs 83 vs. 73 g/day (PSE 5 g/day, NS); and wool growth  
rate, 1.37 vs 1.44 vs 1.42 mg/cm2/day (PSE 0.03 mg/cm2/day, NS).  These  
results suggest that, in the autumn, maximum herbage intake and ewe  
performance on ryegrass - white clover pastures can be obtained at a sward  
height of about 4 cm, and that pasture digestibility and dead matter content in  
the pastures are the major limiting factors at this time of year. },
	issn = {1176-5283},
	author = {Burnham DL and Parker WJ and Morris ST}
}
