Date of Award
Spring 2011
Project Type
Thesis
Program or Major
Natural Resources
Degree Name
Master of Science
First Advisor
John Aber
Abstract
Pasture-based animal management in the Northeast U.S. relies on the ability to efficiently estimate pasture production and animal intake. Accuracy and precision of a rising plate meter, NDVI meter, and height measurements for estimating pasture biomass were compared relative to hand-clipped samples. Pasture measurements were used to describe biomass accumulation, lactating dairy herd intakes, and re-growth patterns for intensively rotated pastures. Pastures were measured from May-September, 2009 at the UNH Organic Dairy Research Facility in Lee, NH. The rising plate meter provided the most robust estimates of biomass (R²=0.58, SEE=2.73). Forty-seven paddocks were measured for 82 total grazing events; grazing periods were 12-hours on 0.15 ha paddocks (0.37 acres). Biomass accumulation was comparable to expected values for rotationally grazed Northeast pastures (5663 kg/ha and 7101 kg/ha). Herbage utilization efficiency (86%) was higher than recommended values for maximizing animal productivity. Overgrazing pastures slowed the re-growth of adequate biomass for grazing.
Recommended Citation
Green, Ashley, "Herbage mass accumulation in an intensive rotational grazing system at UNH's Organic Dairy Research Facility" (2011). Master's Theses and Capstones. 633.
https://scholars.unh.edu/thesis/633
