Field and Laboratory Methods for Grassland and Animal Production Research (Cabi Publishing)

This book assembles in one volume a range of methods used by plant and animal production scientists to study grassland vegetation and animal performance. It replaces a previous volume Measurement of Grassland Vegetation and Animal Production, CAB Bulletin No. 52, published in 1978, which is now very dated. However, subjects covered in the previous book have been reconstructed completely and many new topics have been added, to reflect current research priorities. This book brings together a range of methods used to study grasslands (both temperate and tropical) and ruminant performance, including: grassland vegetation and its measurement; pattern analysis in grassland and animal production systems; modelling pasture and animal production; measuring botanical composition of grasslands; measuring sward structure; plant population dynamics in grasslands; measuring biomass of grassland vegetation; evaluation of species and cultivars; remote sensing in vegetation and animal studies; assessing rangeland condition and trend; measuring chemical composition and nutritive value in forages; measuring physical, chemical and biological soil parameters in grasslands; measuring and monitoring nitrogen and phosphorus flows and losses in grassland systems; designing animal production studies; measuring animal performance; and development-oriented socioeconomic methods in grassland and animal production research. The book is primarily aimed at postgraduate students and researchers in these fields