THE EFFECT OF SUMMER MANAGEMENT OF PERENNIAL RYEGRASS-DOMINANT SWARDSON PLANT AND ANIMAL RESPONSES IN THE AUTUMN WHEN GRAZED BY SHEEP .2. HERBAGE INTAKE AND GRAZING BEHAVIOR

The effects on herbage intake and ingestive behaviour by ewes and wean ed lambs of grazing aftermath and previously continuously grazed peren nial ryegrass-dominant swards at two different sward heights (4 and 8 cm) in the autumn were studied. The experiment had a factorial design, was replicated twice and was conducted from mid-August to early Novem ber. There were six ewes and six weaned lambs per treatment plot and m easurements were made in three periods. The effects of previous treatm ent of swards on herbage intake by ewes and weaned lambs were greatest in August, with herbage intakes being significantly lower on the afte rmath swards. Differences disappeared by October. The lowest herbage i ntakes were obtained on the aftermath sward at the lowest sward height , with ewes being more affected under those conditions than lambs. Gra zing time and biting rate increased with a reduction in sward height a nd were higher on aftermath swards, However, these increases did not c ompensate for reductions in estimated bite size on the aftermath sward s. It was concluded that the effects of the sward management treatment s in the summer on tissue turnover of the sward and herbage intake in the autumn were considerable in the early part of the autumn but had l argely disappeared by the end of the autumn period.