Pasture Biomass

Biomass monitoring was conducted on 12 June (day 32 of grazing trial) and 6 July (day 55, end of grazing trial). 6 sub samples were collected from barley and multispecies grazing trial and control (adjacent un-grazed paddocks sown at the same time) plots by randomly throwing out a 0.5 m² quadrat. Each sub sample was photographed prior to biomass removal. Biomass was removed at ground level and samples were dried at 85°C to constant weight (±1 g).

Table 1: Mean ± Standard Deviation (N = 6) of multispecies and barley crop biomass from grazing trial and control plots.

Sample ID
Sample date: 12/6/2020
Sample date: 6/7/2020
Fresh weight (g)
Dry weight (g)
% DM
DM
(kg/ha)
Fresh weight (g)
Dry weight (g)
% DM
DM
(kg/ha)
Barley Control

458

(± 152)

137

(± 51)

30

(± 2)

2601

(± 973)

407

(± 48)

124

(± 14)

31

(± 0.3)

2351

(± 268)

Barley Grazing

374

(± 59)

124

(± 19)

33

(± 2)

2348

(± 351)

178

(± 38)

71

(± 13)

40

(± 4)

1351

(± 254)

Multispecies Control

1164

(± 390)

208

(± 56)

19

(± 4)

3939

(± 1055)

855

(± 184)

164

(± 29)

20

(± 4)

3112

(± 540)

Multispecies Grazing

567

(±116)

119

(± 18)

21

(± 3)

2250

(± 336)

127

(± 60)

41

(± 18)

33

(± 5)

780

(± 344)

Figure 1: Barley control biomass sub-samples collected on (a) 12/06/2020 and (b) 06/07/2020.

Figure 3: Multispecies control biomass sub-samples collected on (a) 12/06/2020 and (b) 06/07/2020.

Figure 2: Barley grazing trial biomass sub-samples collected on (a) 12/06/2020 and (b) 06/07/2020.

Figure 4: Multispecies grazing trial biomass sub-samples collected on (a) 12/06/2020 and (b) 06/07/2020.