herbage

[ur-bij, hur-] /ˈɜr bɪdʒ, ˈhɜr-/
noun
1.
nonwoody vegetation.
2.
the succulent parts, leaves and stems, of herbaceous plants.
3.
Law. the right to pasture one's cattle on another's land.
4.
British. vegetation grazed by animals; pasturage.
Origin
1350-1400; Middle English < French; see herb, -age
Related forms
herbaged, adjective
Examples from the web for herbage
  • They have a scanty but nutritious herbage, and are for many months in the year covered with snow.
  • Plant species composition of pastures greatly influences herbage nutritive value.
  • herbage was separated into stem and leaf, leaves were then phenologically ranked.
  • Forage-based livestock production requires a reliable supply of herbage to meet goals.
  • herbage yields will be correlated with seasonal or monthly precipitation received in each year of study.
  • Fluctuations in temperature and precipitation influence herbage production and quality, maintenance requirements and intake.
  • Diverse swards improve the seasonal distribution and nutrient use efficiency of herbage.
  • Under these conditions, larkspur may be the only green herbage available to cattle.
British Dictionary definitions for herbage

herbage

/ˈhɜːbɪdʒ/
noun
1.
herbaceous plants collectively, esp the edible parts on which cattle, sheep, etc, graze
2.
the vegetation of pasture land; pasturage
Word Origin and History for herbage
n.

late 14c., "non-woody plants collectively," from Old French erbage or directly from Medieval Latin herbagium; see herb + -age.