Opportunities for enhancing the delivery of novel forage attributes

Abstract

Allocating spatially separated forage choices to grazing animals overcomes constraints inherent in mixed pastures and sustainably delivers the required diet composition, satisfies their desire for mixed diets, and so offers a simple way to enhance the delivery of the benefits of current and novel forage attributes. Sheep offered grass and clover in this way increased daily dry matter intake by 265 g/day (25%, P<0.05) compared with conventional pasture and sustained 60-70% clover in their diet. Milk production by cows was boosted by 11% (2.4 kg/cow/day, P<0.01). This work highlights that behavioural responses to the method of forage presentation or to novel forage attributes (e.g. high energy forage) at pasture can be complex. Defining the animal behavioural response at an early stage is crucial to capture the benefits and opportunities offered by an increasing capacity to modify forage traits.