Gauteng Smallholder Gauteng Smallholder August 2017 | Page 25

IN THE FIELD
From page 21
plants are weakened and die
from heavy grazing). Sadly,
most smallholder pastures are
overgrazed, particularly if the
landowner keeps horses.
Studies have shown that 66%
of South Africa's rangeland is
in various stages of degrada-
tion, threatening sustainable
vegetation, livestock and
wildlife production.
Decreasers not only tend to
die out, firstly in veld which is
too heavily grazed, but also
where grazing is extremely
lenient and fire is excluded,
or where grazing is selective.
The species composition of
the veld should influence the
number of animals you graze
on it.
Veld condition assessment is
of little value if it is not linked
to veld management which,
in turn, is linked to balancing
the needs of the livestock
with the needs of the
vegetation.
It helps to know the grazing
habits of the livestock in
relation to the change in the
pasture quality during
different seasons.
Veld management also
includes resting of veld. The
frequency and duration of
these rests will depend on the
nature and condition of the
veld, whether the veld is
grazed by cattle, horses or
sheep.
We should also give some
thought to multi-species
grazing, which has many
advantages.
Each species differs in the
way it grazes and what it
prefers to eat, so you can
increase forage utilisation.
Each species favours certain
plants and if you have them
together in the same field
most of the plants will be
evenly grazed. Grazing
multiple species can also
decrease undesirable plant
populations and mixed
grazing helps in the manage-
ment of internal parasites.
Research has shown that
mixed grazing results in
earlier weaning and
increased lamb performance
as well as increased body
weight of ewes.
sometimes a danger of
diseases being passed from
You can also consider
one species to another.
keeping ducks with pigs, as
the ducks will benefit by
The degrading process of
titbits found where pigs have grazing is very slow and by
been rooting.
the time it is evident, the
damage is already done.
However, there are some
other factors that need to be Likewise, rehabilitation of
veld is costly and also a slow
managed.
Different species have varying process.
fencing requirements; the
mineral requirements of the
different species vary, so the
use of lick blocks will be
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problematic; there is
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