Individual animal performance in relation to herbage mass and stocking rate in the Natal Sour Sandveld

Abstract

Grazing trials were established at two sites in the Natal Sour Sandveld. The objective of this article was to present the patterns in individual animal performance in relation to herbage mass and stocking rate for the period November 1986 to September 1987. Rainfall exceeded the mean annual rainfall for Site 1 and was well below average for Site 2. Rainfall at Site 1 exceeded that at Site 2 by 329 mm. Distinct patterns in herbage mass were seen during the season. A grazing cut‐off was established at 2 000 kg/ha of herbage mass. Herbage mass seldom exceeded 2 400 kg/ha in grazed camps. A quantity limitation was evident for most of the growing season. The relationship between animal performance and stocking rate was linear but the slopes of the relationships differed.