CSIRO Publishing Books Journals About Us Shopping Cart You are here: Journals > Animal Production Science   
Animal Production Science
  Food, Fibre and Pharmaceuticals from Animals
 
Search
 
 
  Advanced Search
   

Journal Home
About the Journal
Editorial Board
Contacts
Content
Online Early
Current Issue
Just Accepted
All Issues
Special Issues
Research Fronts
Reviews
Sample Issue
For Authors
General Information
Notes for Authors
Submit Article
Open Access
For Referees
General Information
Review Article
Annual Referee Index
For Subscribers
Subscription Prices
Customer Service
Print Publication Dates

 Early Alert
Subscribe to our Email Alert or RSS feeds for the latest journal papers.

 Connect with us
facebook   youtube

Training

Publication Workshops


 

Article << Previous     |     Next >>   Contents Vol 49(3)

Weather, herbage quality and milk production in pastoral systems. 3. Inter-relationships and associations between weather variables and herbage growth rate, quality and mineral concentration

J. R. Roche A F, L. R. Turner C, J. M. Lee A, D. C. Edmeades D, D. J. Donaghy C, K. A. Macdonald A, J. W. Penno A B, D. P. Berry E

A DairyNZ, Private Bag 3221, Hamilton 3240, New Zealand.
B Present address: Synlait Ltd, RD 13, Te Pirita Road, Rakaia, New Zealand.
C University of Tasmania, PO Box 3523, Burnie, Tas. 7320, Australia.
D AgKnowledge, PO Box 9147, Hamilton, New Zealand.
E Teagasc Moorepark, Fermoy, County Cork, Ireland.
F Corresponding author. Email: john.roche@dairynz.co.nz
 
PDF (281 KB) $25
 Export Citation
 Print
  


Abstract

Prevailing weather conditions influence herbage growth and quality, and therefore may have a substantial impact on animal production. Before investigating relationships between weather factors, herbage quality and animal production, it is beneficial to first quantify interactions between herbage quality characteristics and mineral concentrations. The objective of the present study was to investigate the association between weather and herbage growth rate, quality and mineral concentration under rotational grazing systems. Daily weather data and weekly records of herbage quality and mineral concentration from a research dairy farm were available across the years 1995 to 2001, inclusive. Herbage growth rates were also recorded on a monthly basis. Results imply moderate correlations between some weather variables and herbage quality and mineral concentration. Generally, the strength of the absolute correlations between weather and herbage-related variables decreased following adjustment of the herbage-related variables for month of year and research farmlet. Negative correlations existed between rainfall and herbage water-soluble carbohydrate (r = –0.19) and organic matter digestibility concentration (r = –0.13) and metabolisable energy content (r = –0.14), independent of time of year and farmlet. Weather explained up to 14% of the variation in herbage nutrient content over and above that explained by time of year and farmlet. Significantly different correlations existed across time between some weather and herbage-related variables, indicating that the relationships may differ across seasons. Results from the present study, in conjunction with information on the effect of herbage quality and/or mineral concentration on animal production, will be valuable in improving our understanding of weather influences on herbage growth, quality and mineral concentration.

   
Subscriber Login
Username:
Password:  

    


 
Top  Email this page
 
Legal & Privacy | Contact Us | Help

CSIRO

© CSIRO 1996-2012