Course detail

LZT5813 - Agronomic Methods of Pasture Evaluation


Credit hours

In-class work
per week
Practice
per week
Credits
Duration
Total
2
2
8
15 weeks
120 hours

Instructor
Carlos Guilherme Silveira Pedreira

Objective
To familiarize students with the technical terminology and appropriate methods in forage research. To
develop a practical understanding of a systematic approach in forage evaluation. To expose students to
the different "schools" and research approaches in forage evaluation. To give students the opportunity
to organize, process, analyze, and interpret datasets from field experiments. To develop the scientific
capability to critically analyze research (proposed and reported) and to conceive research projects at
different levels.

Content
1. Options in pasture research; 2. Terminology: scientific writing; 3. Experimental protocols: evaluation
schemes; 4.Experimental designs: restrictions, compromises, and management. 5. Measuring
production and productivity: samples and sampling, destructive and non-destructive methods, double
sampling, equipment and techniques for indirect sampling, and factors that affect choices for each,
evaluations of tillering and elongation of leaves and stems. 6. Measures of persistence: botanical
composition, leaf area, carbohydrates and other organic reserves (collecting and processing samples); 7.
Research techniques to describe the plant-animal interface; 8. Responses measured in pasture-based
animal production experiments; 9. Fixed (FSR) versus variable (VSR) stocking rate experiments; 10.
Stocking rate and grazing pressure: defining treatment vs. response variables; 11. Animal responses in
grazing trials: definitions and calculations; 12. Forage and animal aspects in grazing trials: blocking,
experimental errors, precision, length of experimental periods, and animal weighing errors; 13.
Measuring intake by the grazing animal; 14. Estimating botanical composition and nutritive value of
accumulated and consumed herbage. Additional topics to be discussed by guest instructors: NIRS;
Repeated measures in pasture and grazing research; Modeling and simulation in forage research.
Laboratory and field exercises: Use of lab and field equipment in sampling and characterizing pastures;
Calculating forage and animal responses in grazing trials.

Bibliography
Barnes, R.F; Clanton, D.C., Gordon, C.H.; Klopfenstein, T.J. & Waldo, D.R. (eds.) Proceedings of the
National Conference on Forage Quality Evaluation and Utilization. Nebraska Center for Continuing
Education, Lincoln, Nebraska, USA. 1970, 300 p.
Fahey Jr., G.C. (ed.) Forage Quality, Evaluation, and Utilization. ASA-CSSA-SSSA, Madison, Wisconsin,
USA. 1994, 998 p.
Hodgson, J.; Baker, R.D.; Davies, A.; Laidlaw, A.S. & Leaver, J.D. (eds.). Sward Measurement
Handbook. British Grassland Society, Maidenhead, Berkshire, U.K. 1981, 277 p.
Jobim, C.C.; dos Santos, G.T. & Cecato, U. (eds.) Simpósio sobre Avaliação de Pastagens com Animais.
Anais... Coopergraf Artes Gráficas Ltda. Maringá, PR, 1997, 149 p.
Marten, G.C. (ed.). Grazing Research: Design, Methodology, and Analysis. CSSA Special Publication no.
16. Crop Science Society of America and American Society of Agronomy, Madison, Wisconsin, USA.
1989, 136 p.
Mannetje, L.’t (ed.) Measurement of Grassland Vegetation and Animal Production. Commonwealth
Bureau of Pastures and Field Crops, Bulletin 52. CAB International, Farnham Royal, Slough, U.K. 1978,
260 p.
Mannetje, L.'t & Jones, R.M. (eds.) Field and Laboratory Methods for Grassland and Animal Production
Research. CABI Publishing/CAB International, Wallingford, UK. 2000, 447 p.
Mott, G.O. et al. (eds.) Pasture and Range Research Techniques. Comstock Publishing Associates/Cornell
University Press. Ithaca, NY. 1962, 242 p.
Paladines, O. & Lascano C.E. (eds.) Forage Germplasm Under Small-Plot Grazing: Evaluation
Methodologies. CIAT - Centro Internacional de Agricultura Tropical. Cali, Colombia. 1993, 249 p.
Shaw, N.H. & Bryan, W.W. (eds.) Tropical Pasture Research: Principles and Methods. Commonwealth
Bureau of Pastures and Field Crops, Bulletin 51. CAB International, Farnham Royal, Bucks, U.K. 1976,
454 p.
Sollenberger, L.E. & Cherney, D.J.R. Evaluating forage production and quality. pp. 97-110. In: Barnes,
R.F; Miller, D.A. & Nelson, C.J. (eds.) Forages: The Science of Grassland Agriculture, Vol. 2, 5th Edition.
Iowa State University Press, Ames, Iowa, USA. 1995, 357 p.
Wheeler, J.L. & Mochrie, R.D. (eds.) Forage Evaluation: Concepts and Techniques. American Forage and
Grassland Council / Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization. CSIRO, Armidale,
New South Wales, Australia. 1981, 582 p.
Journals: Agronomy Journal, Herbage Abstracts, Journal of Production Agriculture, Crop Science,
Journal of Animal Science, Pesquisa Agropecuária Brasileira, Tropical Grasslands, Grass and Forage
Science, Revista Brasileira de Zootecnia, Scientia Agricola, Journal of Dairy Science, Pasturas Tropicales.