Quantitative Analysis of Factors Affecting the Sward Conditions in Co-operative Livestock Farms

Abstract

In order to clarify the factors affecting sward conditions and grassland managements, the data obtained by the postal questionnaire survey of well managed pastures and deteriorated ones from a total of 653 co-operative livestock farms were analyzed by the quantificatin II method, a kind of discriminant function method. This analysis dealt with 13 items consisting of 72 categories as follows ; pasture establishment method, shape of pasture against contour line, shelter and shade woods, topographical condition, distance from farm center to pasture concerned-road condition in farm, direction of slope, age of pasture, annual amount of nitrogenous fertilizer, trimming, pasture utilization purpose, cattle breed, grazing frequency and stocking rate. The results obtained are as follows ; 1. The major criteria for judging pastures as in good condition were high forage production, high population density of forage. For pastures as in bad condition, weed infestation, poor population density and bare ground were pointed out. 2. The most significant factors discriminating pastures in good condition, were inclination-undulation condition, followed in order by distance from farm center to pasture and road condition in farm, pasture utilization purpose, annual amount of nitrogenous fertilizer, direction of slope, grazing frequency and stocking rate. 3. Pastures giving both high forage production and high utility of forage were apt to be maintained well. Such pastures were characterlized with factors as follows ; gently inclination, flatter slope, locating near farm center, well maintained farm's road, utilizing for both as grazing and cutting, higher amount of nitrogen applied and frequent grazings.