Grazing and Grassland Management Quiz

1 LU is equal to 1 cattle between 1-2 years old.

In a paddock grazing system, the herd grazes a new paddock every week.

Strip grazing requires less labor than paddock grazing.

Zero grazing involves cattle grazing the land all year round.

Topping is the process of mowing grass to encourage tillering and control weeds.

1 LU is equal to 0.4 sheep.

In block grazing, livestock graze a block for about three weeks before returning.

Leader-follower system allows older animals to graze ahead of young animals

Mixed grazing allows cattle and sheep to graze separately in different fields

Nitrogen application on grassland where there is clover is unnecessary

The most used nitrogen fertilisers are CAN, Urea, and 18-6-12

Artificial fertiliser can be spread in Ireland from mid-September to mid-January

Quantity and time of application of fertiliser are determined by the type of livestock: grazing or silage

Tillering is increased when sheep graze close to the ground

Livestock Unit (LU)

1 Livestock Unit (LU) = 1 dairy cow or 1 suckler cow
Used to determine the amount of grass or winter fodder needed on a farm

Animal Livestock Unit

1 Dairy/Suckler Cow = 1 LU
1 Cattle (1-2 years) = 0.6 LU
1 Cattle (< 1 year) = 0.4 LU
1 Sheep = 0.15 LU

Methods of Grazing

Rotational Grazing: moving animals around several grazing fields

Paddock Grazing

Land divided into paddocks of equal size
Herd grazes a new paddock every day
Grazed paddocks fertilized and allowed to recover for at least three weeks
Advantages: fresh, leafy grass each day, no grass wasted
Disadvantages: expensive to set up, fencing and water supply needed in each paddock

Strip Grazing

Moveable electric fence divides a field
Fresh strip of grass given to livestock each day
Requires more labor than paddock grazing, ensures no grass wasted

Block Grazing

Dividing large fields into smaller blocks
Livestock graze a block for about one week, return to a block after three weeks

Zero Grazing

Cattle housed all year round
Grass or other forage crops cut and brought indoors and fed to livestock
No grazing on the land

Topping

Mowing grass to encourage tillering and control weeds

Leader-Follower System

Young animals (calves) graze ahead of older stock
Young animals get freshest, leafiest, most digestible grass
Less chance of young animals picking up disease and parasites from grass or older animals

Mixed Grazing

Cattle and sheep graze together in the same field
Tillering is increased, reduces need for topping

Fertilisation of Grassland

Nitrogen application on grassland without clover to maintain grass quality
Nitrogen fertilizers: CAN, Urea, and 18-6-12
Nitrogen application according to Nitrates Directive
Quantity and time of application determined by land use (grazing or silage)

Test your knowledge of grazing and grassland management with this quiz. Learn about livestock units and their measurement, as well as various methods of grazing. Understand the importance of calculating the amount of grass or winter fodder needed on a farm.