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Conference paper2016Peer reviewed

Trampling effects on leys from four seed mixtures – ground cover after grazing

Nilsdotter-Linde, Nilla; Salomon, Eva; Adolfsson, Niklas; Spörndly, Eva

Abstract

Pasture swards can easily be damaged by trampling, causing serious problems on many farms. This study evaluated and compared swards made from four seed mixtures regarding resistance to trampling and animal selection at grazing. All mixtures contained cultivars of smooth meadow-grass (Poa pratensis) and red fescue (Festuca rubra) with/without white clover (Trifolium repens) as a base, plus perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) or tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea). The four leys were set up in a randomised block design (three replicates) and rotation-grazed for two seasons. Degree of ground cover was evaluated by spatial analysis of Unmanned Aircraft System photographs after rotations. The ley with clover, ryegrass cv. Foxtrot, smooth meadow-grass and red fescue had more (P<0.05) ground cover (76.1%) than the same mixture without clover (72.2%) or the mixture with tall fescue (72.5%).

Keywords

seed mixture, ground cover, spatial analysis, botanical composition, pasture

Published in

Grassland Science in Europe
2016, volume: 21, pages: 68-70
Title: The multiple roles of grassland in the European bioeconomy : proceedings of the 26th general meeting of the European Grassland Federation Trondheim, Norway 4-8 September 2016
Publisher: Organising Committee of the 26th General Meeting of the European Grassland Federation, Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research

Conference

26th General Meeting of the European Grassland Federation

SLU Authors

UKÄ Subject classification

Agricultural Science
Animal and Dairy Science

Publication identifier

  • ISBN: 978-82-17-01677-9

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/80608