The impact that fire has on a livestock enterprise in terms of profit, forage production, biodiversity and the soil microbiome depends on a number of factors. These include, amongst others, the perennial basal cover of the soil, the amount of bare ground, the ratio of perennial to annual grasses, the density of the bush and the soil type.
Other factors focus on the fire itself. Is it ahead or rear fire? What are the environmental conditions, such as wind speed, humidity, and fuel load, during the fire? Is it a cool, early season burn (when grass plants just start going dormant) or a hot, late-season burn? All of these will determine the impact of the fire.
DIFFERENT TYPES OF FIRE
Fire can never be applied as a single tool; it always occurs within a management context before and after the fire. Important factors playing a key role in this respect include grazing recovery periods and animal impact. For example, early burning followed by continual selective grazing will probably result in excellent animal performance, but it will bring about overgrazing of plants, and the resource base is therefore likely to decline over time. Repeated late, hot fires may kill mature trees in a woodland, and in the absence of well-managed ruminants may lead to a decline in the productivity of the resource base. Fire used repeatedly in higher-rainfall areas with a predominance of perennial grasses may remain productive and profitable if recovery periods are planned for.
Esta historia es de la edición Farmer's Weekly 24 September 2021 de Farmer's Weekly.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 8500 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición Farmer's Weekly 24 September 2021 de Farmer's Weekly.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 8500 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
Africa goes from net carbon sink to source
New research shows Africa's impact on greenhouse gases and the need to focus on climate-smart agriculture
Ireland potato farmers unable to complete planting
Irish potato farmers have reported a delay in harvest and said that the UK might have to prepare for shortages of the produce. The shortfall is due to extreme wet weather during their planting season.
Zero-residue fresh produce a reality
Retail giants are calling for caution when using biologicals and chemical pesticides,
Big boost for mohair producers in Eastern Cape
A collaboration between the Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC) and the Mohair Empowerment Trust (MET) has resulted in a R1,4 million injection into four emerging Angora goat farming operations in the Eastern Cape.
KZN Youth Show at Roval Agricultural Exhibition
The KZN Youth Show will run from Friday, 24 May to Sunday, 26 May at the Royal Showgrounds in Pietermaritzburg.
Hemp permits and irrigation system handed over
In an effort to fast-track the entry of rural farmers into the cannabis and hemp industries, KwaZuluNatal Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development, Super Zuma, visited the Shukasibheme Project in Mbazwana, a co-operative in Mseleni, uMhlabuyalingana in the Umkhanyakude District, to hand over cannabis and hemp permits as well as a borehole and irrigation system.
Meet some of the heroes behind avitourism destinations
Exploring what the Garden Route offers birdwatchers, Brian Berkman discovers some special people who run hospitable places to meet and see a variety of species.
What the Citrus Academy offers aspiring producers
Cobus du Plessis takes a look at the Citrus Growers' Association of Southern Africa's Citrus Academy and how it is helping to develop aspiring farmers in the sector.
Natural-born killers of the insect world
The Myrmeleontidae family of lacewings from the Neuroptera order of insects consists of about 2 000 species of which 125 are found in South Africa.
Seeder kick-starts vegetation in challenging environments
Dr George Craven of Noorspoort, Steytlerville, in the south-eastern Karoo, is successfully using a home-built 'bedstead seeder' to re-establish veld plants in an arid area, writes Roelof Bezuidenhout.