Grazing behaviour of sheep during summer and autumn in relation to facial eczema

R.G. Keogh

Grasslands Division, DSIR, Palmerston North

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Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production. 1975, 35: 198-203

Defoliation studies have shown that, during summer and autumn, on ryegrass-dominant pastures, sheep ingest little inter-excreta herbage before most of the available urine-patch herbage has been removed. On this type of pasture Pithomyces chartarum spore loads are likely to be much higher at urine-patch than at inter-excreta sites. To ensure that ingestion of spores is kept to a minimum, it is therefore necessary to prevent close grazing at urine-patch sites.

Grazing patterns are also affected by the presence of white clover in pastures. Areas containing white clover are grazed in preference to similar areas without the legume. Additionally the herbage present at sites containing white clover is relatively closely grazed. Because P. chartarum spore loads are lower than in grass-dominant pastures, the risk involved in grazing grass/clover pastures is also much lower.

Keywords: NZSAPAB;

Last Updated 24-08-2000