An Evaluation of the Calibrated Weight-Estimate Method for Measuring Production in Annual Vegetation

Abstract

A double sampling technique, of visual weight estimates calibrated by harvesting, was applied to the measurement of biomass and production curves in grazed and ungrazed semiarid annual grassland. Good levels of accuracy can be achieved in such vegetation with a time expenditure significantly lower than by harvesting only. Some methodological problems were encountered and solved by modifications of the method. In some conditions the method can be used for estimating animal intake.