Abstract
The objective of this study was to determine the effects of plant height in a meadow fescue (Mf) pasture being grazed on plant yield,nutritive value and persistency of the pasture. The effect of integration of conservation with grazing on persistency of the Mf pasture was also investigated. When pastures were grazed when plant height had reached 20cm,yield and nutritive value of the plants in the Mf pasture were the same as those of plants in the perennial ryegrass (Pr) pasture, the efficiency of utilization of the Mf pasture was greater than that of the Pr pasture,and persistency of the Mf pasture was inferior to that of the Pr pasture. When the Mf pasture was grazed when plant height had reached 25-30cm,the plant nutritive value was slightly lower but the plant yield was 33% greater and persistency of the pasture was improved compared with those in the case of grazing at a plant height of 20cm. There was little improvement in persistency of the Mf pasture by integration of conservation with grazing.
