A study of animal production under different grazing regimes in the False Upper Karoo at Grootfontein

Three systems of animal production on the fragile Karoo veld, i.e. multi-paddock rotational grazing, pauci-paddock rotational grazing and continuous grazing were studied. Of these systems, multi-paddock rotational grazing gave the best results with continuous stocking resulting in the worst. All three systems studied had long histories of both continuous stocking- and of pauci-paddock rotational grazing. The veld, under both these previous systems of management has stabilised, but at different seral stages. The continuously stocked range stabilised in the early developmental seral stage, consisting mainly of annual grasses. The veld under pauci-paddock rotational management stabilised in the early to mid-developmental seral stage, consisting mainly of perennial grasses. Experimentation on veld in a stable condition is a prerequisite if valid conclusions in respect of rotational grazing and continuous stocking are to be drawn. Rotational grazing on overgrazed veld will result in poor animal performance, while it is generally accepted that continuous stocking on pristine veld will result in excellent animal performance for a number of years. Multi-paddock rotational grazing outperformed both pauci-paddock rotational grazing as well as continuous stocking on both types of veld. This is surprising taking into account the mid-seral stage condition of the vegetation. This supports the argument that with improved veld management, an improved production potential is possible on veld even in a degraded or current condition. Keywords: plains; pediments; grazing capacity African Journal of Range & Forage Science 2001, 18(2&3): 137-14

Description of a method for assessing veld condition in the Karoo

Reports the results of a study conducted to assess the veld condition in the Karoo by means of the grazing-index method. The principles governing the method of botanical survey remains the same. The method is based on canopy-spread cover strikes, and these strikes are assumed to represent mass as well as number of species. Illustrates with a graphKeywords: Canopy-spread cover; Current grazing capacity; Dry matter; Ecological index method; Forage; Grazing-index method; Karoo; Line-point survey method; Strikes; Veld condition; Veld condition index; botany; method; south africa; razing-index method; razing capacity; ine-point survey method; eld condition indexAfrican Journal of Range & Forage Science, Vol. 14, Iss 3, p.90-9

Research note:Grazing-index method procedures of vegetation surveys

In the past, veld condition in the Karoo was assessed using the ecological index methods. This recently changed to the graxing-index method on account of the of the differently estimated grazing-index values being used. The principles governing the method of survey remain the same. The method employs canopy-spread-cover strikes to record the species composition of different sites. By appropriate management of these line point data, different sites can be compared with one another by emplying the Z-index of agreement(similarity).Keywords: botany; canopy spread cover; grazing-index method; index of agreement; line-point survey method; method; procedure; South Africa; vegetation survey; z-indexAfrican Journal of Range and Forage Science 14 (3): 107–11

The relation between canopy spread cover and the aboveground available phytomass of Nama Karoo subshrubs and grasses

The canopy spread cover of Karoo bushes and grasses in the Nama Karoo was measured and related to the aboveground phytomass available to the grazing animal. A correlation coefficient of r = 0.7456, calculated for Karoo bushes, indicates that this method can be used to non-destructively estimate available phytomass. This in turn can be used for the prediction of current grazing capacity in areas where Karoo bushes are dominant in the vegetation. In the case of the Karoo grasses, a rather loose definition and interpretation of the canopy spread cover, led to a low correlation coefficient, r = 0.5662. This renders the present method largely unsuited for available phytomass estimations to be used in further predictions of grazing capacity in the mountainous areas where the studied grasses are dominant in the vegetation. In the more arid areas, however, the method can be used to advantage. Keywords: veld type; grazing capacities African Journal of Range & Forage Science 2001, 18(2&3): 143-14

Diet selection by sheep and goats in the Noorsveld

The diet selection of Angora and Boer goats, and Dorper and Merino sheep was studied in the Noorsveld to ascertain differences in their food preferences. This information will facilitate the identification of possible goat and sheep combinations to improve the utilisation of this veld type. Dorper and Merino sheep and Angora goats selected very similar diets while the diet selected by Boer goats differed by approximately 30% from those of other animals. We therefore hypothesise that a combination of Boer goats and either Merino or Dorper sheep in the appropriate ratio could lead to the improved utilisation of Noorsveld. This needs further investigation as intake of preferred plants may additionally play an important role in establishing better stock ratios.Keywords: grazing capacity; palatibility; non-selective grazing; selective grazingAfrican Journal of Range and Forage Science 1995 12(1): 27–37

Diet selection by sheep and goats in the Arid Karoo

The diet selected by Afrino, Dorper and Merino sheep, and angora goats was studied in the Arid Karoo at Carnarvon. The diets selected by these small stock species and breeds was established through breed by breed by breed comparisons, with a view to raising the stocking rate by combining different breeds. It was established by means of the d-index, that the d-index, that the diets differed by only 4% to 5% during the growing season. This margin is too small to recommend combining small stock breeds in an effort to ensure greater utilisation efficiency through multiple use of the vegetation. During the dormant seasons the diets differed by 14% to 21%. Although this represents a large margin, stocking rate adjustments are made on the basis of the growing season's results.Keywords: Arid Karoo; botany; canopy cover; Carnarvon; descending point; method; diet; diet selectivity; goats; grazing capacity; sheep; small stock; South Africa; multiple use of vegetationAfrican Journal of Range and Forage Science 1995 12(1): 16–2

Dietary selection by steers grazing kikuyu

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