Publications
NIBIOs employees contribute to several hundred scientific articles and research reports every year. You can browse or search in our collection which contains references and links to these publications as well as other research and dissemination activities. The collection is continously updated with new and historical material.
2016
Authors
Z. Kruma L. Tomsone T. Kince R. Galoburda S. Senhofa M. Sabovics E. Straumite Ievina SturiteAbstract
No abstract has been registered
Abstract
No abstract has been registered
Abstract
Large areas of cultivated grasslands have been abandoned in Norway and are no longer used for production. Knowing that access to spring and autumn pastures is a limiting factor for sheep farmers, this study aims at testing the effect of introducing abandoned farmland into sheep production. One sheep ock with 83(88) ewes (lambs) in 2014 and 77 (106) ewes (lambs) in 2015 was each year assigned to three treatments: (1) control; common farm procedure with a short spring grazing period before summer grazing on range pasture; (2) spring extended; a four-week extended spring grazing period on abandoned cultivated grassland before summer grazing on range pasture; (3) whole season grazing on abandoned cultivated grassland. Weight gain from spring to autumn, slaughter weight and carcass value were signicantly (P<0.05) higher in lambs assigned to treatment 2, with four weeks extended spring grazing period (255 g day-1, 15.7 kg, 699 NOK), compared to treatment 1 (229 g day-1, 14.3 kg, 615 NOK) and treatment 3 (206 g day-1, 13.2 kg, 548 NOK). !e use of abandoned cultivated grassland for extended spring grazing improved weight gain and slaughter weight, while whole season grazing on abandoned grassland was the least productive option tested.
Abstract
Large areas of cultivated grasslands have been abandoned in Norway and are no longer used for production. Knowing that access to spring and autumn pastures is a limiting factor for sheep farmers, this study aims at testing the effect of introducing abandoned farmland into sheep production. One sheep ock with 83(88) ewes (lambs) in 2014 and 77 (106) ewes (lambs) in 2015 was each year assigned to three treatments: (1) control; common farm procedure with a short spring grazing period before summer grazing on range pasture; (2) spring extended; a four-week extended spring grazing period on abandoned cultivated grassland before summer grazing on range pasture; (3) whole season grazing on abandoned cultivated grassland. Weight gain from spring to autumn, slaughter weight and carcass value were signicantly (P<0.05) higher in lambs assigned to treatment 2, with four weeks extended spring grazing period (255 g day-1, 15.7 kg, 699 NOK), compared to treatment 1 (229 g day-1, 14.3 kg, 615 NOK) and treatment 3 (206 g day-1, 13.2 kg, 548 NOK). !e use of abandoned cultivated grassland for extended spring grazing improved weight gain and slaughter weight, while whole season grazing on abandoned grassland was the least productive option tested.
Abstract
No abstract has been registered
Abstract
Large areas of cultivated grasslands are annually abandoned and no longer used for production in Norway. Such areas will over time be encroached by shrubs and trees. Knowing that access to spring and autumn pastures is a limiting factor for sheep farmers, we tested the effect of grazing abandoned grassland on sheep production. We also assessed herbage production by looking at plant community development, pasture production, herbage quality and pasture utilization by sheep and heifers. The experiment was run for two consecutive years; 2014 and 2015. The sheep production was assessed by studying one sheep flock with 83(88) ewes(lambs) in 2014 and 77(106) ewes(lambs) in 2015, which was assigned each year with respect to age of ewe and number of lambs born to three treatments: 1) control; common farm procedure with short spring grazing period before summer grazing on range pasture, 2) spring extended; 4 weeks extended spring grazing period on abandoned cultivated grassland before summer grazing on range pasture, 3) whole season grazing on abandoned grassland. Assessment of herbage production was done by sheep grazing the whole area for one month in spring and autumn. During the summer, the area was assigned to three replicated treatments: a) control with no management, b) grazing heifers and c) grazing sheep with offspring. The stocking rate was 1.8 LU/ha, in both b and c, for a duration of one month. Pasture production and herbage intake was estimated using grazing exclosure cages. Weight gain from birth to autumn as well as slaughter weight were significantly (P<0.05) higher in lambs assigned to treatment 2 with four weeks extended spring grazing period (259 g/day and 15.7 kg) compared to treatment 1 (238 g/day and 14.3 kg) and treatment 3 (216 g/day and 13.2 kg). Herbage consumed during the summer period was on average 211 g DM/m2 and the pasture utilization was 55%. The annual consumption and utilization was 336 g DM/m2 and 62% in the grazed treatments and 28 g DM/m2 and 15% in the control, respectively. Total annual pasture production was on average 72% higher in the grazed treatments compared to the control. There was no difference between the grazed treatments on annual herbage production, herbage intake or pasture utilization. The use of abandoned cultivated grassland for extended spring grazing improved weight gain and slaughter weight of lambs. Further, grazing stimulated herbage production
Abstract
Large areas of cultivated grassland are annually abandoned and no longer used for production in Norway. Such areas will over time be encroached by shrubs and trees, which is regarded as undesirable. We assessed plant community development, pasture production, herbage quality and pasture utilization by sheep and heifers of a grassland that has been unmanaged for 12 years. e experiment was run for two consecutive years. Sheep grazed the whole area for one month in spring and autumn. During the summer, the area was assigned to three replicated treatments: (1) control with no management; (2) grazing heifers; and (3) grazing sheep with offspring. The stocking rate was 1.8 LU ha-1, in both b and c, for a duration of one month. The area was left resting for a month aer treatment and before autumn sheep grazing. Pasture production and herbage intake was estimated using grazing exclosure cages. Herbage consumed during summer period was on average 211 g DM m-2 and the pasture utilization was 55%. The annual consumption and utilization was 336 g DM m-2 and 62% in the grazed treatments and 28 g DM m-2 and 15% in the control, respectively. Total annual pasture production was on average 72% higher in the grazed treatments compared to the control. Tere was no difference between the grazed treatments on annual production, herbage intake or pasture utilization. Grazing stimulated herbage production, and such abandoned grasslands are valuable forage resources.
Authors
Lars Olav BrandsæterAbstract
No abstract has been registered
Abstract
No abstract has been registered
Authors
Sarah Calvache Gil Tatsiana Espevig Erik J. Joner T.E. Andersen Trond Olav Pettersen Trygve S. AamlidAbstract
No abstract has been registered