THE INFLUENCE OF VARIOUS GRAZING TREATMENTS UPON THE BOTANICAL COMPOSITION OF A DOWNLAND PERMANENT PASTURE

In spring 1952, a trial was laid down at Hurley to compare the botanical effects of five grazing treatments upon a low‐fertility downland permanent pasture. The treatments were: dose and lenient rotational cattle grazing, close rotational sheep grazing and continuous grazing by cattle and by sheep. The trial was concluded in autumn 1955. Continuous cattle grazing and close rotational cattle grazing resulted in a sward with a high proportion of forbs. With sheep under the same grazing systems, grasses predominated. An intermediate grass/forb balance was attained under lenient rotational cattle grazing. Legumes contributed more under rotational grazing than under continuous grazing. The grazing treatments most favourable to the major species were: For creeping bent—both sheep grazing treatments; for ribwort plantain—all cattle grazing treatments; for white clover—all rotational grazing treatments; for cocksfoot—lenient rotational cattle grazing; for ox‐eye daisy—close rotational cattle grazing; for red fescue—lenient rotational cattle grazing and continuous sheep grazing. Bulbous buttercup and rough‐stalked meadow grass showed no significant response to differential grazing treatments. The relative degree of consumption by stock of individual species was estimated by comparing the yields from matched pairs of groups of shoots harvested before and after each grazing spell (rotational treatments) or of areas protected from and exposed to grazing (continuous treatments). A close relationship was established between the intensity of grazing experienced by species and their final status in the swards. Accessibility appeared to be as important as palatability in determining the degree to which individual species were grazed. The resulting swards differed only slightly in agronomic quality. The lack of any clear advantage from rotational grazing was attributed to low levels of plant nutrients, since these probably limited the development of the more valuable grasses and of white clover.