关键词: 草地畜牧, 草地畜牧业, 草地畜牧学, 放牧, 饲养

Abstract:

In order to improve the grassland farming research and management, we summarized the principles and practices of grassland farming. Grassland ecosystem process determines its ecosystem function and attribute, and the resource attribute determines its utilized ways for herbivore animal feeding and form industry of grassland farming. Based on grassland nutrient cycles, the process of grassland farming is a substantially closed circulatory system, which is composed of a sub-system of grazing feeding on grassland and a sub-system of stored-feed feeding in feedlot. Both of sub-systems exist in a range, and the range is basic unit for grassland farming management. Based on energy flows and production procedure, the process of grassland farming is an open linear system, which is composed of grassland resources production, utilization, and product outputs. The science of grassland farming is inter-discipline of grassland science, animal nutrition and feeding as well as grassland ecology, which studies the relationships among grassland resource production, nutrient supplies and livestock nutritional requirements, and which is the foundation of grassland farming industry. Maintaining stability of grassland soil fertility and grassland resource production and optimizing the resource utilization are basic research contents of grassland farming science. Mowing and grazing are the basic ways of grassland resources utilization, and the maximum multiplier of forage yield and available nutrient concentration or its accumulated maximum value are conceptual point for mowing or grazing in the production process, in addition, grazing energy including graze, walk, cold and heat stress, disease and parasite infection is the unique energy consumption component for livestock grazing on grassland. Grassland grazing should be planned, arranged and prescribed, and grassland feeding by stored-feed should be designed for trading off of investment and benefit. Both patterns of feeding are done to improve feed conversion rates and feeding profitability and to achieve a specific target of grassland management. The grassland farming experiences several stages of scattered grazing, continuous grazing, rotational grazing, and intensive feeding. Grassland farming is an efficient way for grain-saving meat production, plays an important role in national grain and meat supply security, and shows positive ecological and enriching significances.

Key words: Science of grassland farming, Grassland resources, Livestock feeding, Grazing, Forage supply and requirement