R.J. JONES¹ and R.M. JONES²

¹Division of Tropical Crops and Pastures, CSIRO Davies Laboratory, Private Mail Bag, Post Office, Aitkenvale, Qld. 4814.
²Division of Tropical Crops and Pastures, CSIRO Cunningham Laboratory, 306 Carmody Road, St. Lucia, Qld. 4067.

Abstract

Nitrogen fertilised (336 kg/ha/yr N) pastures of Narok setaria (Setaria sphacelata cv. Narok) and Samford rhodesgrass (Chloris gayana cv. Samford) were either grazed rotationally (1 week grazing, 3 weeks rest) or continuously at 5 steers/ha over 6 years. No supplements were fed.
Narok had consistently higher total and green yield on offer than Samford rhodesgrass. Rotationally grazed pasture had consistently higher yields with higher sward heights than did continuously grazed pasture. Despite these differences, mean annual liveweight gains did not differ between grasses or between grazing management systems. The mean annual liveweight gain was 169 kg/steer or 845 kg/ha. In one year there was a significant (P < 0.05) grass × grazing management interaction in which Narok gave higher gains with continuous grazing and Samford rhodesgrass better gains with rotational grazing.