Summary
This field study evaluated the technical validity of a simplified 'pasture walk' protocol for herbage mass monitoring using rising plate meters, whereby measurements are collected along a diagonal transect rather than the industry-standard W-shaped pathways. Across 234 paddock assessments, the simplified method produced HM estimates differing by only 106 kg DM/ha from the standard method—a difference too small to alter grazing management decisions—whilst reducing labour time by 51.2% (from 2.5 to 1.2 min/ha). The findings suggest this practical simplification could increase adoption of evidence-based grazing management among commercial farmers currently not quantifying herbage mass.
Regional applicability
This study was conducted at the North Wyke Farm Platform in Devon, United Kingdom, and directly reflects UK temperate grassland conditions and commercial farming contexts. The findings are immediately applicable to United Kingdom pasture-based livestock systems and grazing management practice, with potential relevance to other temperate maritime climates with similar grass-growing seasons and farm sizes.
Key measures
Mean absolute difference in herbage mass (HM) estimates between diagonal and W-transects (kg DM/ha); labour time per hectare (minutes); temporal-paddock combinations evaluated across the grass-growing season
Outcomes reported
The study evaluated a simplified diagonal transect protocol for rising plate meters against the industry-standard W-shaped pathway method for herbage mass estimation. It measured the accuracy trade-off and labour time savings associated with the simplified approach across 234 temporal-paddock combinations at a research farm in Devon.
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