The Cow and Her Grass: Rational Grazing - A Manual of Grass ProductivityThis book by Messrs Voisin and Lecomte comes at the right moment. It is a synthesis of M. Voisin's important study, Grass Productivity. This manual presents the chief ideas of two specialists. Since they are also excellent practitioners, they have applied these ideas before recommending them. Their evocative picture of 'the meeting of cow and grass' poses the true problem of the management of grazed grass. For the farmer, the production of meat and milk is an act of industrial conversion. The 'machine' is the animal that converts raw vegetable matter into finished food products which are rich in calories and easy to assimilate. This 'machine' is complex because it is a living being; it can be improved--within limits. But its yield depends basically on the quality of the raw materials offered to it for conversion. I hope that their words will be heard and followed. [From the Introduction] |
Contents
From the Preface | 1 |
Chapter 1 Grass is made for the cow not the cow for grass | 3 |
Chapter 2 The strength of grass should be husbanded as the strength of an athlete | 6 |
Chapter 3 Helping the cow to harvest the maximum quantity of the best possible quality grass | 9 |
Chapter 4 The time factor must dictate the principles of rational grazing | 13 |
Chapter 5 Compensation for seasonal fluctuations in grass productivity | 17 |
Chapter 6 The number and not the area of paddocks is the basic principle in any plan for rational grazing | 21 |
Chapter 7 The area of each paddock and the stocking rote can be determined only by experiment | 27 |
Chapter 9 The grass commands and the grazier rules the conduct of the pasture | 33 |
Chapter 10 Mistakes to avoid | 40 |
Chapter 11 Good grazing improves the flora | 47 |
Chapter 12 Permanent and temporary pastures are not necessarily in opposition | 50 |
Chapter 13 The ten basic rules to remember | 54 |
Grass is a remarkable tool for work | 57 |
Resources | 64 |
Chapter 8 Fencing and plan for division | 30 |
Common terms and phrases
36 days achieve acres animals teeth application of nitrogen applied arable area of paddocks average area avoid basal fertilizers beginning blaze of growth cent Chapter compensate for fluctuations compensating for seasonal continuous grazing corridor daily ration dense grass disengaged paddocks division electric fence factor farmer fluctuations in grass grass growth grass harvested grazier grazing area grazing management Hohenheim system in-milk cows lb./acre legume liveweight lucerne method of management methods of compensation nitrate of lime Nitrogenous fertilizers number of groups number of paddocks observation occupation period old permanent pasture period of 36 period of occupation period of stay phosphoric acid ploughing Ploughmen-chemists potash quantity of grass rational grazing red clover regrowth Reserves of grass rest period root reserves rotation rotational grazing seasonal fluctuations Seine Maritime soil spacing of nitrogenous stocking rate successive shearings sward temporary grassland temporary pastures traditional method Untoward acceleration watering point white clover young grass