Influence of stage of maturity of the sward on the bite mass of lactating ewes

摘要

On continuously stocked ryegrass pastures maintained at a vegetative stage, bite mass of ewes linearly increases with sward surface height (Penning et al, 1991, Grass and Forage Science, 46, 15-28). This relationship probably differs with the grazingmanagement and the stage of maturity of the sward. In tropical complex swards, bite mass of cattle has been actually shown to be more related to leaf density and leaf : stem ratio than to sward surface height (Chacon and Stobbs, 1976, Aust J Agric Res, 27, 709).