Managing grass for growth and

persistence

Tim Ekberg
Farminganswers
May 2006
 Grass has 4 main needs
• Water
• Nutrients.
• Warmth
• Light

When you manage for these needs you can

maximise grass growth and persistence.
You can control light
and nutrients but not
water or temperature.
 Water

• Affects the rate of leaf emergence and

leaf size.
 Nutrients
• Under similar temperature, water and
grazing conditions, nutrients determine
leaf size and root depth.
 Nutrient Targets ?????
• Phosphorus
• 12-15
• pH (CaCl2)
• Above 4.8
• Aluminium
• <5%
• Potassium
• >200
• Sulphur
• 10-12
 Warmth

• Determines the rate of leaf emergence –

how long it takes for a leaf to fully form.
 Light
Light has 2 main functions:

1. Light or energy from the sun combines

with carbon dioxide to produce
carbohydrates (sugars)

2. Light at the base of the plant encourages

tiller formation.
The number of tillers formed in
spring determines growth in the
following autumn and winter.

The more tillers formed, the

more feed.
You can maximise the amount of light
and energy getting to the grass by:

1. Grazing at the 3 to 4 leaf stage (3 leaves

for rye grass and 4 leaves for phalaris,
cocksfoot and fescue). This will reduce
shading.
2. Grazing down to 3 to 5 cm of pasture
height.
3. Giving the plant a rest before it is grazed
again.
 The main determinants of grass
growth and persistence are:

• Tillering density
• Size of leaves
• Leaf stage at grazing
 Its Simple!
Grass = Tillering X Size of X Leaf
Grown density leaves stage at
(kg DM / ha) (Plants/ m²) grazing

Determined Light Nutrients Rotation

by Water length
Resting
 If you graze BEFORE the 3-4 leaf stage:

• Grass growth slows down

• Root and stem reserves of carbohydrate
decrease
• Root systems are smaller
• Plants are less persistent.
 If you graze AT the 3 – 4 leaf stage:

• Grass growth is quicker as the third and fourth

leaves are bigger
• Leaf and root development is greater
• The balance of fibre, sugar and protein is better
• There is less potassium and more calcium and
magnesium.
• Tillering is encouraged.
• Clover content and seed set is encouraged.
 If you graze PAST the 3-4 leaf stage:

• Grass growth rate slows.

• Feed quality declines - fibre increases and
sugar and protein decrease.
• Tillering is reduced.
• Clover content and seed set is reduced.
 HOW to graze at the 3-4 leaf stage

• Warmth and moisture control the rate of

leaf emergence.
• As the days get warmer, leaves emerge
more quickly.
• As the weather gets cooler leaves emerge
more slowly
 Estimates of rate of leaf emergence
through the seasons

Rate of Leaf Autumn Winter Spring Summer

Emergence
(RLE)

Days to grow 1 7 – 15 15 - 25 5-13 30

leaf days days days days
Days to grow 3- 4 21- 45 45 - 75 15- 33 Up to 90 days
leaves days days days Depends on
rainfall.
More rain = less
days
 Rotation Length

• The time between taking animals out of a

paddock and putting them back in again

• To maximise plant growth and maintain

persistance……….
Graze at the 3-4 leaf stage
 When animals are removed
from a paddock the question
needs to be asked:
“How long before the animals
can be put back into this
paddock?”
 It then has to be determined if
there enough feed in other
paddocks to achieve production
targets.
 If there is not, what can be done?

• Prioritise those that need the best or most

feed
• Sell animals
• Supplementary feed to slow down the
rotation – increase the rotation length.
• Reduce production targets
 When animals are put into a
paddock and the plants are past
the 3-4 leaf stage then the
rotation is too slow.
• What options could be considered?:
• Increase stock numbers
• Drop paddocks out of the rotation. Silage
or hay can be made from these paddocks.