Model predicting dynamics of biomass, structure and digestibility of herbage in managed permanent pastures. 2. Model evaluation

Abstract

A mechanistic model, simulating the dynamics of production, structure and digestibility of managed permanent pastures, was developed. Its evaluation consisted of (i) studying model response to a range of grassland communities, cutting frequencies and site characteristics, and (ii) testing the model against experimental data, focusing on biomass accumulation and digestibility during three different cutting cycles, herbage production under a frequent cutting regime, and sward dynamics during the winter. The model realistically predicted the dynamics of biomass, structure and digestibility of herbage for various communities of permanent pastures, in different sites and under different management conditions for upland areas of the Auvergne region in France. The predicted responses to environmental conditions and cutting regimes were close to field observations and experimental results. Although the model successfully predicted the dynamics of average herbage production, it lacked precision in predicting the low biomass production observed in relation to the weather conditions found in a few specific years. The model was able to predict the dynamics of the sward during winter and is, therefore, fit for producing multiple-year simulations. To improve the prediction of variability of biomass production and to predict the medium- to long-term dynamics of permanent pastures, the model could be refined by adding seasonal and multiple-year variation in nitrogen availability and in the proportion of grass functional groups in the grassland community.