THE EFFECT OF STOCKING RATE ON ANIMAL PRODUCTION FROM CONTINUOUS AND ROTATIONAL GRAZING SYSTEMS

ABSTRACT Liveweight and wool production data are presented from a grazing management experiment in which continuous stocking was compared with a four‐paddock rotational system at three stocking rates on a sown pasture. Significant differences were recorded in liveweight and wool production between stocking rates. The overall effect of management was non‐significant but its interaction with stocking rate and year were both significant. At the intermediate stocking rate (8 wethers/ac, 20 wethers/ha) increases in both liveweight and wool production were recorded for the rotational management system; in this treatment there was also less need for supplementary feeding. Greater wool production was recorded from the continuously grazed treatments at both the high and the low stocking rates but there was little effect on liveweight or the need for supplementary feeding.