Abstract
The response of kleingrass standing crop, tissue fluxes and tiller dynamics, and the response of livestock gains and intake to early-season grazing treatments were investigated a t McGregor, Texas. The study evaluated the growth and production responses of kleingrass under early-season grazing to develop improved grazing management strategies. Specific objectives included: a) Identifying phenological development and rate of spring growth of kleingrass; b) Quantifying the growth characteristics of kleingrass measured at the tiller and sward levels; c) Testing quantitative hypothesis addressing growth and senescence of kleingrass under different early-season grazing treatments at the tiller and sward level; and d) Monitoring animal gains and intake, and relating them to plant growth response. The carrying capacity of kleingrass pastures increased by utilizing annual grasses as an alternative to herbicides for the control of these species. The 14-day delay, medium intensity grazing allowed a good harvest of annual grasses before they reached maturation, reducing competition from annual grasses. This maximized animal production and produced a low utilization of kleingrass at the beginning of the study when it was growing exponentially and increased utilization when it was growing linearly, reducing senescence losses. Since utilization of both annual grasses and kleingrass was adequate, average daily gains and gains per hectare were also optimized. The 14-day delay low intensity and all 30-day delay treatments resulted in under utilization of annual grasses, increasing competition from annual grasses and selective grazing of kleingrass. The low intensity treatments produced high average daily gains but low gains per hectare. The 30-day delay treatments resulted in low average daily gains and low gains per hectare. The high intensity and the 0-day delay treatments greatly reduced annual grasses, and thus competition, but imposed such severe grazing on kleingrass that standing crop was reduced. The high intensity treatments produced the lowest average daily gains. The medium intensity treatments produced the highest gains per hectare. The non-delay treatments produced high average daily gains and high gains per hectare.
Aizpuru-Garcia, Eduardo (1989). Kleingrass growth and utilization under early-season grazing. Texas A&M University. Texas A&M University. Libraries. Available electronically from
https : / /hdl .handle .net /1969 .1 /DISSERTATIONS -1043595.