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

摘要：

为了完善草地畜牧研究与生产，系统论述了草地畜牧理论及实践体系。草地生态系统过程决定草地生态系统功能及其属性，其资源属性决定生产草食牲畜的利用途径，发展形成草地畜牧业。基于草地营养循环，草地畜牧过程由草地放牧亚系统及储料饲喂亚系统构成基本封闭的循环系统；基于能量流动和生产实践，草地畜牧过程由草地资源生产及草地资源利用、产品输出构成一个开放的线性系统，二者统一于放牧场内发生，放牧场是草地畜牧管理的基本单元。草地畜牧学是草地畜牧业的理论基础，研究草地资源生产、草地营养供给与牲畜营养需要之间的关系的学科。草地畜牧学的基本研究内容为草地土壤培肥、草地资源生产、草地资源利用。割草与放牧饲养为草地资源利用的基本方式，产量与有效营养浓度乘积的最大值或累积最大值是草地割草或放牧利用关键，放牧能是草地放牧所特有的能量消耗组分。草地放牧饲养需要有计划、有规定、有处方，形成计划放牧；草地储料饲养需要有目标、有预案、有设计，形成设计饲养；最终提高饲草转化率及饲养效益，实现放牧场管理的某一特定目标。草食牲畜饲养经历了零散饲养、连续放牧饲养、划区轮牧饲养及集约大规模饲养的发展阶段。草地畜牧为粮食节约型肉品生产途径，对于保障国家粮食安全及肉品供给安全具有重要意义，并具有积极的生态意义和富民意义。

关键词: 草地畜牧, 草地畜牧业, 草地畜牧学, 放牧, 饲养