204-203 Ecology & Management of Grazing Systems

Note

Availability

Credit Points

HECS Band

Coordinator

Prerequisites

202-201 Plant Function.

Semester

Contact

Subject Description

On completion of this subject, students should;

• understand the basic ecology and physiology of pasture communities and the factors that influence yield of a grazed pasture;

• know the principles underlying pasture and grazing management, and the optimization of yield from grazing systems;

• appreciate the importance of spatial and temporal differences in pastures, and their consequences for the management of grazing systems;

• have experience in using the practical tools and skills required for the efficient management of grazing systems;

• and be able to solve problems in the management of grazing systems.

The subject will include;

• pasture plant form and function, including basic physiology, phenology and growth processes;

• the population biology of pasture plants, including the pathways of plant recruitment and survival, and the growth cycles of annual and perennial plants;

• the major pasture plant species and pasture types, their agronomic and adaptive characteristics and management requirements;

• plant x environment interactions, focusing on resource capture, plant strategies and adaptation, and potential productivity;

• community ecology, particularly inter- and intra- specific competition and plant x animal interactions as they influence the botanical composition of pastures;

• components of pasture growth, including canopy development and light interception, tissue turnover and mass flux processes, and the principles of optimizing pasture yield and consumption;

• the feeding and nutritive value of pastures; pasture improvement principles and practices;

• matching feed supply and demand for efficient animal production by manipulating seasonal pasture growth and the use of feed profiling, feed budgeting and grazing planning tools;

• the principles and practices of grazing management;

• and optimizing pasture production and utilization in seasonal production systems.

Assessment

Three-hour exam (60%) and practical assignments to be completed using interactive multi-media (totaling 40%).