Simulated Grazing Trial

In December 2004, the Department of Agriculture established a series of Simulated Grazing Trials. The key objective of the trials was to determine if:-

1. A well managed grazing system (graze and spell) will yield more pasture than a traditional set-stocked pasture (continuous stocking).

2. Also to allow calculations to be made to determine if the increased yield of feed was cost effective.

 The trials looked at 3 levels of grazing management:

• Set-stocked - plots are cut on a weekly basis (back to a height of 3cm) during the growing season.

• Well managed grazing - plots are mown (back to a height of 4.5cm) when the plants reached a stage deemed as optimum for pasture yield and quality (cut several times during the growing season).

• Poorly managed grazing - plots are mown (back to a height of 6cm) when the plants had “over matured” and were losing quality, representing a form better than set-stocking but poorer than well managed grazing (cut several times during the growing season).

The following graph shows the monthly dry matter production from the replicated plots at Fitzroy (Greens). These are the “simulated” plots that are mown weekly by Gordon and have been totalled to give a monthly yield. This shows that grass growth has a general seasonal pattern and that the majority of feed is grown between November and March.

The following graph shows the differences between the treatments:

Simulated Grazing Trial Pictures

Set-stocked (3cm)

Well managed (4.5cm)

Poorly managed (6cm)

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Falkland Islands Government