Always Manage Grazing With Drought In Mind

The only insurance against drought is a sound, scientifically based grazing management programme, coupled with a reasonable stocking rate even in times of plenty. So says Dr Mias van der Westhuizen, Free State rangeland specialist. Annelie Coleman spoke to him about the practical implications of good grazing management.

- Annelie Coleman

Rainfall is the main driver of a grazing ecosystem (the unit of area in which plant ecologies function) and determines productivity, according to Free State rangeland specialist, Dr Mias van der Westhuizen.

The main impact of the past four years’ drought has been a decline in veld production, which has caused a marked decline in grazing capacity. Growth vigour has declined sharply, and in many parts of the country, grazing capacity is currently 50% lower than the average long-term grazing capacity.

THE BASICS OF GRAZING 

A farm can be considered an ecosystem in which ecological interaction takes place between plants, animals and the environment.

Grazing ecosystems can be divided into three main components: inputs, energy flow and output. Plants produce energy from inputs such as sunlight energy, climate and soil. This plant energy is then made available to livestock in the form of grazing.

Plant growth obviously forms the core of the grazing ecosystem, as plants provide food for animals, protect the soil and are the main providers of the organic matter that has a direct impact on the physical and chemical fertility of the soil.

Losses caused by the degradation of the veld and erosion should be kept as low as possible to ensure maximum output in terms of animal production.