Comparison of haymaking strategies for cow-calf systems in the Salado Region of Argentina using a simulation model. 1. Effect of herbage mass at cutting and cow stocking rate under a rigid system of management

Title Comparison of haymaking strategies for cow-calf systems in the Salado Region of Argentina using a simulation model. 1. Effect of herbage mass at cutting and cow stocking rate under a rigid system of management
Publication Type Journal Article
Year of Publication 2005
Authors Romera, A.J. , Morris S T. , Hodgson J. , Stirling W.D. , and Woodward S.J.R.
Journal Grass and Forage Science
Volume 60
Issue 4
Pagination 399 - 408
Date Published 2005
ISBN Number 01425242 (ISSN)
Keywords agricultural management , agricultural modeling , agricultural practice , Argentina , comparative study , Computer model , Cow-calf systems , forage , have , Haymaking policy , Long-term simulation , Salado Basin , South America , stocking density
Abstract

A simulation model was used to compare the long-term performance of cow-calf farm systems under different haymaking strategies on a 100-ha farm. In the simulation, farm management was based on that which had been developed on Reserva 6, an experimental cow-calf farm established in 1966 at Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria-Balcarce Experimental Station, Argentina, where different technologies, including haymaking, have been adapted and applied in order to increase productivity of cow-calf systems in the Salado Region of Argentina. The management of the system is based on a restricted mating season (2 months), early weaning (5-7 months of age) and forage conservation. The simulations showed that the effect of using hay with respect to the strategy without hay, in terms of calf liveweight (LW) production per hectare, was greatest at the cow numbers that maximized production (290-320 cows) with a proportionate increase of 0.25. On the other hand, the advantage of using hay was smallest when the herbage mass at cutting for hay was 6 t dry matter (DM) ha-1, particularly when more than 0.50 of the farm area was allocated to haymaking. The differences among the haymaking policies increased with cow numbers, especially at high herbage masses at cutting for hay. The analysis also suggested that the LW production per hectare of cow-calf farms would be maximized by harvesting 0.40-0.50 of the total farm area and aiming to cut hay at a herbage mass of 4 t DM ha-1 and with medium quality. © 2005 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

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