Author(s): Carreira, Emanuel ; Serrano, João ; Shahidian, Shakib ; Infante, Paulo ; Paniágua, Luís ; Moral, Francisco ; Paixão, Luís ; Pinto Gomes, C. ; Lopes de Casto, J. ; Carvalho, M. ; Pereira, A.
Date: 2025
Persistent ID: http://hdl.handle.net/10174/37739
Origin: Repositório Científico da Universidade de Évora
Subject(s): deferred stocking; continuous stocking; floristic composition; preferred location; observations grazing; soil compaction
The objective of this study was to determine how application of dolomitic limestone and stocking methods (continuous stocking or deferred stocking) affect the soil compaction, sheep grazing location, height, and nutritional value of pastures when the pasture growth rate is at its maximum. A 4 ha field at Mitra farm—University of Évora—was divided into four plots: P1 and P2—without application of dolomitic limestone, continuous stocking (CS), and deferred stocking (DS), respectively—and P3 and P4—with application of dolomitic limestone, DS (2.3 AUE), and CS (1 AUE), respectively. In DS, animals were placed and removed from the plots depending on the height of the pasture (entry ≥ 10 cm; removal ≤ 5 cm). Throughout the pasture’s vegetative cycle, several measurements of pasture height and cut were carried out. From the beginning of March to the beginning of June, animal behavior was observed (animals’ activity grazing and location) by trained observers through binoculars on six dates. The results show the following: (i) the application of dolomitic limestone combined with CS provided higher values of pasture height; (ii) there were no significant differences in pasture quality between treatments; (iii) DS led to 50% more sheep grazing days that CS; (iv) there were no significant differences in soil compaction between CS and DS; and (v) the stocking methods and the application of dolomitic limestone did not seem to change the grazing pattern between treatments. This study constitutes a basis to support more informed decisions by agricultural managers and may also contribute to maintaining balance in the Montado ecosystem, as well as increasing the efficiency of livestock production systems based on rainfed pastures.
