Chapter 9: Glossary
Excerpt from Publication 19, Pasture Production, Order this publication Glossary| A | B | C | D | F | G | H | N | P | R | S | T | Acceptability, Animal: Readiness with which animals select
and eat a forage; sometimes used interchangeably to mean either palatability
or voluntary intake. Animal-Unit Conversion Factor: A numerical figure expressing the forage
requirement of a particular kind or class of animal relative to the requirement
for an animal unit. A conversion factor measures the amount of forage
required to maintain an animal, but may not be applicable in determining
stocking rates for range and pasture use for particular kinds of classes
of animals because of different grazing preferences. Animal-Unit Month (AUM): The amount of feed or forage required by an
animal unit for one month. Browsing: The defoliation of the above-ground parts of
shrubs and trees by animals. Canopy: The above-ground parts of a population of herbaceous
plants, including connotations of the distri-bution and arrangement of
the constituent plants and their parts. Defoliation: The complete or partial removal of the above-ground
plant parts, living or dead, by grazing animals or cutting machines. Defoliation Interval: The time interval between successive defoliations
of an area of sward or of individual plant units. Degree of Defoliation: The ratio of the amount of herbage consumed to
the original herbage mass. Frequency of Defoliation: The number of defoliations per unit time of
an area of sward or of individual plant units. Rate of Defoliation: Herbage consumed per unit of time during a period
of defoliation. Uniformity of Defoliation: A qualitative term describing the distribution
of the mass of residual herbage between adjacent areas of sward or individual
plant units. Forage Quality: Characteristics that make forage valuable
to animals as a source of nutrients; the combination of chemical, biochemical,
physical, and organoleptic characteristics of forage that determines its
potential to produce animal meat, milk, wool, or work. Considered by some
as synonymous with feeding value and nutritive value. Forb: Any herbaceous non-grasslike plant on which animals feed. Fouled: Pasture spots or areas made unacceptable to the grazing animal
by the presence of urine or dung. Graze: Partial defoliation of forage plants by the animal;
to feed animals on growing grass or herbage; to for-age. Grazing, Continuous: The grazing of a specific range or pasture by livestock
throughout a year or grazing season. The term is not necessarily synonymous
with year-long grazing. Grazing, Creep: The practice of allowing young animals (lambs or calves)
to graze an area which their dams cannot reach. Grazing Cycle: The length of time between the beginning of one grazing
and the beginning of the next (= grazing period + rest period). Grazing, Deferred: Delay or discontinuance of livestock grazing on an
area for an adequate period of time to provide for plant reproduction,
establishment of new plants, or restoration of vigour. Grazing, Mixed: The use of cattle and sheep in a common grazing system,
whether or not the 2 species graze the same area of land at the same time. Grazing Period: The length of time for which a particular area of land
is grazed. Grazing Pressure: Number of animals per unit area of available forage. Grazing, Rest-rotation: Intensive system of management whereby grazing
is deferred on various parts of the range during succeeding years, allowing
the deferred part complete rest for one year; 2 or more units are required. Grazing, Rotational: System of pasture utilization embracing periods
of heavy stocking followed by periods of rest for herbage growth recovery
during the same season. Grazing, Strip (Ration Grazing): Confining animals to an area of forage
to be consumed in a short period of time, usually a day. Hard Seed: With a seed coat impervious to the water or
oxygen necessary for germination; common in legume seed; germination improved
by scarification. Herbage: Leaves, stems, and other succulent parts of forage plants upon
which animals feed. Herbage Allowance: The weight of herbage per unit of animal live weight
at a point in time. Herbage Consumed: The mass of herbage removed per unit area by the animals
at a single grazing or series of grazings. Herbage, Residual: The herbage remaining after defoliation. Native Grass: Grass species indigenous to an area; not
introduced from another environment or area. Paddock: Small fenced field used for grazing purposes. Palatable: A general term describing the discrimination exerted by animals
between areas of sward or the components of a sward canopy, and between
or within samples of cut herbage. Pasture: A population of herbaceous plants, usually bounded by a fence,
considered as a functional unit for grazing. Pasture Carrying Capacity: Number of animals a given pasture will support
at a given time or for a given period of time. Pasture, Cropland: Includes rotation pasture and other land used only
for pasture but that could be used for crops without additional improvements.
Preferred to "rotation pasture". Pasture, Permanent: Pasture of perennial or self-seeding annual plants
maintained through several years for grazing. Preference: A general term describing the discrimination exerted by animals
between areas of sward or the components of a sward canopy, and between
or within samples of cut herbage. Put-and-Take Animals: Used in a grazing experiment to graze excess forage
beyond that needed for tester animals and to accumulate animal days. Rejuvenation: Accomplished by soil-plant-animal management
practices favourable to forage plants. Rest Period: The length of time between the end of one grazing and the
start of the next on a particular area. Selection: The removal of some components of a sward
or a sample of herbage rather than others, a function of preference modified
by the opportunity for selection. Set Stocking: The practice of allowing a fixed number of animals unrestricted
access to a fixed area of land for a substantial part of a grazing season. Sod: Top few centimeters of soil permeated by and held together with
grass roots or grass-legume roots. Stocking, Continuous: The practice of allowing animals unrestricted access
to an area of land for the whole or a substantial part of a grazing season. Stocking Density: The number of animals of a specified class per unit
area of land actually being grazed at a point in time. Stockpiled: Accumulated growth of forage for later use. Sward: A population of herbaceous plants, characterized by a relatively
short habit of growth and relatively continuous ground cover, including
both above- and below-ground parts. Topdressing: Application of fertilizer anytime after
establishment of a crop. Related Links... on forages and pastures, visit Forages
and Pastures (OMAFRA)
For more information: Toll Free: 1-877-424-1300 Local: (519) 826-4047 E-mail: ag.info.omafra@ontario.ca
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