Grass and Forage Science The Journal of the British Grassland Society The Official Journal of the European Grassland Federation An international terminology for grazing lands and grazing animals V.G. Allen, C. Batello, E.J. Berretta, J. Hodgson, M. Kothmann, X. Li, J. McIvor, J. Milne, C. Morris, A. Peeters and M. Sanderson The Forage and Grazing Terminology Committee Table of contents Page Preface Preface 2 In 1991, Terminology for Grazing Lands and Grazing Animals Members of the committee 3 was published with the objective of ‘developing a Acknowledgements 3 consensus of clear definitions of terms used in the grazing An International Terminology for Grazing of animals.’ This first effort involved primarily organiza- Lands and Grazing Animals tions and agencies within the USA but included repre- 1. Grazing land terms 4 sentation from New Zealand and Australia. It was the 2. Vegetation: descriptive terms 6 intent from the beginning to expand this to a truly 3. Forage growth and harvest 8 international effort at a later date. At the XVII Interna- 4. Forage nutritive value and intake 9 tional Grassland Congress (IGC), held jointly in New 5. Management of grazing lands 12 Zealand and Australia in 1993, a resolution was passed at 6. Land–forage–animal relationships 15 the final business meeting as follows: ‘It is recommended 7. Stocking methods 16 that the International Grassland Congress endorse the References 18 continuing development of uniformity of terminology Appendix I. References and additional 21 for grazing systems and grazing management, and that information for selected terms the Forage and Grazing Terminology Task Force report Appendix II. Terms not recommended for use 23 progress at the XVIII Congress.’ During the XVIII IGC, Index of terms 26 held in Canada in 1997, a new Terminology working group, chaired by Mort Kothmann, was formed to begin discussions regarding the first revision of this publication. As was the objective from the beginning, this first revision was to be international in scope and a focused effort was made to include broad international represen- tation and expertise. Preliminary work by the working group was accom- Correspondence to: Professor Vivien Gore Allen, Chair of the International Forage and Grazing Terminology Committee, plished during the next few years. In 2000, Termi- Plant and Soil Science Department, Texas Tech University, nology became the first project to be jointly supported P O Box 42122, Lubbock, TX, 79409-2122, USA. by the IGC and the International Rangeland Congress E-mail: [email protected] (IRC) and a new Terminology Committee was jointly This document may be copied with citation of source. appointed by Bob Clements (Chair, IGC Continuing Suggested format for citation: Committee) and Maureen Wolfson (President, IRC Allen V.G., C. Batello, E.J. Berretta, J. Hodgson, M. Continuing Committee). Work of the Terminology Kothmann, X. Li, J. McIvor, J. Milne, C. Morris, A. Peeters Committee progressed leading up to the first joint and M. Sanderson (2011) An international terminology for meeting of the IGC and the IRC in Hohhot, Inner grazing lands and grazing animals. Grass and Forage Science, Mongolia in the Peoples Republic of China. At the 66, 2–28. (n.) Noun meeting in 2008, resolutions were passed by both the (v.) Verb IGC and the IRC requesting that Terminology for (adj.) Adjective Grazing Lands and Grazing Animals be completed and (cf.) For comparison see presented at both the IX IRC in Argentina in 2011 and (e.g.) For example the XXII IGC in Australia in 2013. With the completion (Syn.) Synonym of this revision in 2010, the wishes of both congresses Re-use of this article is permitted in accordance with the will be fulfilled. Terms and Conditions set out at http://wileyonlinelibrary. As with the first edition of Terminology, our objective com/onlineopen#OnlineOpen_Terms has been to develop a consensus of terms and defi- Received 22 September 2010; revised 11 November 2010 nitions to ensure clear international communication 2 Ó 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd. Grass and Forage Science, 66, 2–28 doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2494.2010.00780.x Grazing lands and grazing animals 3 regarding grazing lands and grazing animals. Terms John Hodgson, New Zealand included here have relevance to both domesticated and Mort Kothmann, United States wild grazing animals. It is intended that these terms Xianglin Li, China enhance communication in education, science, indus- John McIvor, Australia try and production and that they become the standard John Milne, United Kingdom for use in publications. It has been our goal to include Craig Morris, South Africa terms that are relevant specifically to grazing lands and Alain Peeters, Belgium grazing animals and to present these, where appropri- Matt Sanderson, United States ate, in a hierarchy that shows the relationships among such terms. For example, certain terms such as ‘grazing Supporting member land’ are all-inclusive and are then followed by terms relating to the various types of grazing lands. We have Garry Lacefield attempted to agree on a single, concise definition for Extension Forage Specialist each term and to avoid multiple definitions. Variations University of Kentucky, USA among terms used in countries where English is one of Secretary, Forage and Grassland Foundation the official languages were taken into account. Because of international variations in a few terms, we have Representatives to the International included a list of the various international interpreta- Congresses tions in an Appendix but have recommended the use of Jim O’Rourke a specific term and definition. It is hoped that this will Representative to the International Rangeland Con- take us towards a more uniform international language. gress In the case of most terms and definitions, we have Rancher, Chadron, Nebraska, USA arrived at a consensus opinion. In a few cases, use will Past president, International Rangeland Congress be needed to see whether these will stand the test of Continuing Committee time. We hope that in such cases, we have taken the Nan Zhibiao steps to move the language forward towards more Representative to the International Grassland Con- precise and meaningful terms and definitions. Finally, gress as we reviewed terms and definitions, there were some Dean, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and that did not appear to contribute to clear commu- Technology nication. We have listed these in an Appendix and Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China provided an explanation for our recommendation that Member, International Grassland Congress Contin- they are not used. uing Committee Ours is a living language that will continue to evolve as new concepts emerge, techniques and methods International Congress change, and our international language becomes more Chairs ⁄ Presidents precise. Thus, the mechanism established by the IGC and the IRC for periodic review and revision of Guy Allard Terminology for Grazing Lands and Grazing Animals Associate Dean of Studies must be continued but with sufficient time between Universite´ Laval, Que´bec, Canada revisions to allow for adequate testing to see where Chair, International Grassland Congress Continuing terms are missing and revisions are required. Committee Finally, on behalf of the International Forage and Iain Wright Grazing Lands Terminology Committee, we are sub- Regional Representative for Asia mitting this International Terminology for Grazing Lands International Livestock Research Institute, India and Grazing Animals to the IGC and the IRC with our President, International Rangeland Congress Contin- appreciation for the challenge and opportunity that you uing Committee have entrusted to us. It has been a privilege and an honour to serve. Acknowledgements March, 2011 This publication was funded jointly by the Forage and Grassland Foundation, Inc., Lexington, Kentucky, USA, Members of the committee the International Grassland Congress, and the Interna- Vivien Allen, Chair, United States tional Rangeland Congress. Appreciation is expressed to Caterina Batello, Italy the Members of the Forage and Grazing Lands Task Elbio J. Berretta, Uruguay Force and Working Group (Mort Kothmann, Chair) for Ó 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd. Grass and Forage Science, 66, 2–28 4 V. G. Allen et al. preliminary work and to all who contributed their knowledge and suggestions in the development of An Note No. 1.1.2.1. International Terminology for Grazing Lands and Grazing The following terms are sometimes used and apply Animals. to agroforestry as follows: Agro-silvo-pastoralism (n.). Incorporates agricul- tural crops, potentially including forage crops and An international terminology for grazing livestock production, where trees may produce lands and grazing animals timber, pulp, fruits, rubber, syrup or browse for grazing animals. 1. Grazing land terms Silvo-pastoralism (n.). Refers to the exclusive use of land for forest products and animal production by Note No. 1. browsing of shrubs and trees and ⁄ or grazing of 1. In this publication, ‘grazing animals’ refers to co-existing forage crops. grazing herbivores, both domesticated and wild, that feed mainly or only on forage and does not 1.1.2.2 Grazable forestland (n.). Forestland that include insects or other animals that consume produces, at least periodically, understory (understo- vegetation to some degree. rey) vegetation that can be grazed. Forage is indigenous 2. Some of the definitions of grazing land types or, if introduced, it is managed as though it were (below) imply current land use and some are indigenous (cf. Rangeland, 1.1.4). based on potential vegetation or land capability. 1.1.2.3 Woodland (n.). A plant community in which, The context should be specified if it is not in contrast to a typical forest, the trees are often small, apparent. characteristically short-boled relative to their crown 3. The grazing land terms, cropland, forestland, depth and forming only an open canopy with the pastureland ⁄ grassland and rangeland can pro- intervening area being occupied by shorter vegetation, vide the basis for land-use mapping units.