Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.5513/JCEA01/19.3.2181
Initiation date and nitrogen rate for stockpiling semi-natural mountain grassland
Josip Leto
; University of Zagreb Faculty of Agriculture, Department of field crops, forage and grassland, Zagreb, Croatia
Hrvoje Kutnjak
; University of Zagreb Faculty of Agriculture, Department of field crops, forage and grassland, Zagreb, Croatia
Marina Vranić
; University of Zagreb Faculty of Agriculture, Department of field crops, forage and grassland, Zagreb, Croatia
Mario Beljak
; University of Zagreb Faculty of Agriculture, Department of field crops, forage and grassland, Zagreb, Croatia
Krešimir Bošnjak
; University of Zagreb Faculty of Agriculture, Department of field crops, forage and grassland, Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract
Reducing costs in livestock farming can be achieved by stockpiling. Stockpiling is managing a pasture or hay to accumulate forage produced during the growing season to be grazed at a later time. The objective of this study was to identify stockpile initiation dates and N fertilization rates that optimize stockpile yield and quality of semi-natural mountain grassland in Croatia. A randomized complete block design with four replications was applied. Stockpile initiation dates were 15 June, 1 July, 15 July and 1 August. Nitrogen fertilization treatments were 0, 35, or 70 kg*ha-1 applied as ammonium nitrate on the date of stockpile initiation for each treatment. In late fall before snowy period were determined dry matter yield (DM), botanical composition, crude protein (CP), neutral (NDF) and acid detergent fibre (ADF) content. Stockpile forage DM yield was generally greater from earlier stockpile initiation dates (2.91, 2.18, 2.05 and 1.44 t DM*ha-1 for 15 June, 1 July, 15 July and 1 August stockpile initiation dates, respectively; LSD at 0.05=0.24). Stockpile forage DM yield was the greatest with 70 kg N*ha-1 and the lowest with 0 N fertilization, averaging 1.78, 2.23 and 2.43 t DM*ha-1 (LSD at 0.05=0.2) for 0, 35, and 70 kg N*ha-1, respectively, when averaged across stockpile initiation dates and years. Crude protein tended to increase and neutral detergent fiber tended to decrease as stockpile initiation was later in the season. These results indicate that initiating stockpiling of seminatural mountain grassland about first half of July with 35 kg N*ha-1 optimizes stockpiled grassland in the North-West region of Croatia.
Keywords
grassland; initial date; nitrogen rate; stockpiling
Hrčak ID:
205598
URI
Publication date:
14.9.2018.
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