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Mixed livestock grazing in diverse temperate and semi-arid environments
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: T. Nolan J. Connolly C. Sall J. CesarThe need for an annual increase of 2% in global food production demands knowledge on how best to use natural grazing land resources. Taken with the requirement to protect resources, this need creates conflicting demands on grazing land management. Concerns... -
The influence of various types and frequencies of rest on the production and condition of sourveld grazed by sheep or cattle. 1. Proportional species composition
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: KP KirkmanData collected between 1992/93 and 1996/97 from a long-term grazing trial were used to investigate the interaction between grazing animals and veld grass. Comparisons were made, firstly between the impacts of sheep and cattle grazing, and secondly between various types... -
The influence of various types and frequencies of rest on the production and condition of sourveld grazed by sheep or cattle. 2. Vigour
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: KP KirkmanTreatments involving a full growing season rest in alternate years, half a growing season rest (late season) in alternate years and no rest were applied to veld grazed by sheep or cattle at similar stocking rates. Residual effects of the... -
Why communal pastoralists do what they do in the Richtersveld National Park
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: HH Hendricks JJ Midgley WJ Bond PA NovellieA better understanding of the socio-economic profile of pastoralists, their farming objectives and the motives underlying herd management practices in the Richtersveld were explored. Livestock were not the only source of income for pastoral households. Livestock farming was a post-retirement... -
Maasai Mara — an ecosystem under siege: an African case study on the societal dimension of rangeland conservation
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: John Waithaka'Let me assure you all that our commitment to the preservation of wildlife and the habitat in the Maasai Mara reserve is total. We do not deny that the reserve is of vital economic importance to us, but we also... -
The Ellis paradigm — humans, herbivores and rangeland systems
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: Michael CoughenourThe scientific and conceptual contributions Jim Ellis made throughout the course of his career reveal a logical progression towards increased understanding of pastoral ecosystems worldwide. Research in wildlife, large herbivores, systems ecology and energy flows through grazing ecosystems formed the... -
Feeding characteristics of sheep (Ovis aries) and Grant's gazelles (Gazella granti) on Kapiti ranch, Kenya
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: JM Kilonzo WN Ekaya RN KinuthiaA study was conducted to determine the dietary characteristics of sheep and Grant's gazelles on Kapiti Ranch, Kenya. The botanical composition of the diet was determined using the faecal microhistological technique. Plant species in the diets were categorised into grass,... -
The logistic model-generated carrying capacities, maximum sustained off-take rates and optimal stocking rates for Kenya's commercial ranches
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: JT Njoka PID KinyuaThis paper deals with the derivation of logistic models for cattle, sheep and goats in a commercial ranching system in Machakos District, Kenya, a savannah ecosystem with average annual rainfall of 589.3 ± 159.3mm and an area of 10 117ha... -
Livestock utilisation of grass species at different distances from water on both traditional cattle post and ranch management systems in Botswana
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: WN Mphinyane NFG RethmanIndividual forage species were appraised in varying distances along transects radiating from the water points of the ranch and traditional cattle post management systems. Measurements of plant height were used to assess the degree of forage species utilisation by livestock... -
Using rain-use efficiency to explore livestock production trends in rangelands in the Transkei, South Africa
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: AR Palmer A AinslieWe qualitatively describe the condition of communally managed rangelands in the Transkei, South Africa, using GIS and high resolution near-infrared imagery. Using livestock census data from 28 magisterial districts in the Transkei, we explored the trends in livestock biomass from... -
Variation in nutritional composition and growth performance of some halophytic species grown under saline conditions
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: MY AshrafStudies were conducted at the Biosaline Research Station-II of the Nuclear Institute for Agriculture and Biology (NIAB), Faisalabad, Pakistan to evaluate biomass production and nutritive value of some salt-tolerant grasses and bushes, i.e. Leptochloa fusca, Sporobolus arabicus (Poaceae), Suaeda fruticosa,... -
KLEE: A long‐term multi‐species herbivore exclusion experiment in Laikipia, Kenya
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: T.P. Young --- Department of Environmental Horticulture, United States of America B.D. Okello --- , Kenya D. Kinyua --- , Kenya T.M. Palmer --- , KenyaLivestock and wildlife share much of their respective ranges throughout the semi‐arid ecosystems of the world. As the profitability of livestock production becomes more marginal and wildlife values increase, there is a need to understand the interactions between livestock and... -
Herbaceous biomass, species composition and soil properties of keygrazing patches in coastal forest thornveld and two grassland types of theEastern Cape province, South Africa
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: B Moyo --- Livestock and Pasture Science, South Africa S Dube --- Natural Resources and the Environment, South Africa M Lesoli --- Livestock and Pasture Science, South Africa PJ Masika --- , South AfricaIn spite of predictions of communal rangeland collapse due to continuous grazing and increased livestock populations, this grazing system remains prevalent in communal areas, suggesting animals utilise heterogeneity found in these areas. A study was conducted to compare biomass and... -
Climate change perceptions, drought responses and views on carbon farming amongst commercial livestock and game farmers in the semiarid Great Fish River Valley, Eastern Cape province, South Africa
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: CL Clarke --- Department of Environmental Science, South Africa SE Shackleton --- Department of Environmental Science, South Africa M Powell --- Department of Environmental Science, South AfricaThere is increasing evidence that climate change will be one of the primary challenges facing future development and agriculture. Farmers, whether crop or livestock farmers, will be faced with tradeoffs and constraints as climate change exposes them to greater risk... -
Development and sustainable management of rangeland commons – aligning policy with the realities of South Africa's rural landscape
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: Susanne Vetter --- Department of Botany, South AfricaPolicy affecting the rangeland commons in South Africa has been based largely on management models developed for large-scale commercial farming. This paper examines the current policy situation and discusses some of the most pervasive ecological and economic assumptions that have... -
Wildlife or livestock? New directions for developing communal rangelands in South Africa
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: Petronella Chaminuka --- Department of Agricultural Economics, South AfricaThe paper agrees with three fundamental points raised by Vetter (in this issue), whilst highlighting an emerging trend in wildlife land use, which should be considered in policy making. Firstly, the paper supports the argument that communal rangelands are important... -
Multiple strategies for resilient livelihoods in communal areas of South Africa
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: Wayne Twine --- School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, South AfricaLivestock farming in communal areas is an activity pursued by rural households as one of a range of livelihood strategies aimed at spreading risk. The cash and non-cash benefits derived from livestock, as well as the wide range of secondary... -
Livestock and the rangeland commons in South Africa's land and agrarian reform
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: Ruth Hall --- Institute for Poverty, Land and Agrarian Studies, South Africa Ben Cousins --- Institute for Poverty, Land and Agrarian Studies, South AfricaLand and agrarian reform has the potential to expand South Africa's rangeland commons and enhance their contribution to the livelihoods of the rural poor, yet to a large extent this has been an opportunity missed. Shifting policy agendas have prioritised... -
The sociocultural contexts and meanings associated with livestock keeping in rural South Africa
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: Andrew Ainslie --- School of Agriculture, Policy and Development, UKThis paper complements Vetter's position paper, ‘Development and sustainable management of rangeland commons – aligning policy with the realities of South Africa's rural landscape’ (Vetter in this issue). It seeks to advance the debate regarding the contemporary nature of livestock... -
Crop–livestock interactions: implications for policy-makers and for farmers
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: Brigid Letty --- , South Africa Rauri Alcock --- , South AfricaThis paper was prepared in response to a paper prepared by Vetter (in this issue) that addressed the issue of policy development related to sustainable management of rangelands. In line with the sentiments of Vetter, policies are understood to guide... -
Perceptions of climate change and barriers to adaptation amongst commonage and commercial livestock farmers in the semi-arid Eastern Cape Karoo
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: Claudette Muller --- Department of Environmental Science, South Africa Sheona E Shackleton --- Department of Environmental Science, South AfricaClimate change is expected to adversely affect agriculture in South Africa. A rise in variable and unfavourable conditions is likely to surpass the limits of current coping mechanisms of farmers, compelling them to implement more resilient adaptive measures to decrease... -
Forage–cattle relationships in a communally managed semi-arid savanna in northern Zululand, South Africa
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: CC Nyamukanza PF Scogings NW KuneneDevelopment of extensive livestock production in KwaZulu-Natal is constrained by seasonal variability of rangeland production and low forage nutritional quality. A three-year study was implemented to determine the seasonal variation in herbaceous biomass and chemical composition of veld, animal weight,... -
Determining grazing capacity in Namibia with the aid of remote sensing
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: C Espach --- Ministry of Agriculture, LG Lubbe --- Ministry of Agriculture, N Ganzin --- Ifremer, FranceThe Namibian rangelands consist of a mixture of herbaceous and woody components. The main source of income is from farming systems with grass production the predominant source of forage. For rangeland managers to utilise this source sustainably, the accurate determination... -
Dry season foraging preferences of cattle and sheep in a communal area of South Africa
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: J Bennett PC Lent PJC HarrisWe examined landscape and habitat (vegetation) scale foraging of cattle and sheep at two communal villages in the Eastern Cape, South Africa, to determine the key resources utilised during the dry season. At the landscape scale, cattle at both sites... -
A facilitated process towards finding options for improved livestock production in the communal areas of Sterkspruit in the Eastern Cape province, South Africa
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: WM Goqwana C Machingura Z Mdlulwa R Mkhari O Mmolaeng AO SelomaneA participatory multi-stakeholder process of finding options for improving livestock production in the severely degraded communal grazing area of Sterkspruit in South Africa was conducted. Interviews were conducted with individual livestock keepers from two sites to gather data on their... -
Challenges for emerging livestock farmers in Limpopo province, South Africa
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: ND MacLeod CK McDonald FP van OudtshoornLand redistribution schemes (e.g. Settlement Land Acquisition Grant and Land Redistribution for Agricultural Development) initiated since the mid-1990s in Limpopo province under national land reform programs have sought to introduce a new generation of previously disadvantaged people to commercial livestock... -
Chemical composition and in vitro ruminal fermentation of selected grasses in the semiarid savannas of Swaziland
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: S Tefera V Mlambo BJ Dlamini AM Dlamini KDN Koralagama FL MouldLittle is known about the grass species type, composition and nutritive value in the semiarid savannas that sustain most of Swaziland's cattle population through the seven-month-long dry season. This study was conducted to investigate the nutritional characteristics of grasses collected... -
Bush encroachment in southern Africa: changes and causes
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: Tim G O'Connor --- South African Environmental Observation Network (SAEON), South Africa James R Puttick --- Plant Conservation Unit, Department of Biological Sciences, South Africa M Timm Hoffman --- Plant Conservation Unit, Department of Biological Sciences, South AfricaBush encroachment has been recognised in southern Africa since the late nineteenth century. Our review of 23 studies showed that the rate of woody cover change has ranged from −0.131 to 1.275% y−1. Encroachment was most rapid on small protected... -
Preliminary observations on the diet of leopards (Panthera pardus) from a conservation area and adjacent rangelands in the Baviaanskloof region, South Africa
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Zoology • Authors: Theresia Ott --- Centre for African Conservation Ecology, Department of Zoology, South Africa Graham I. H. Kerley --- Centre for African Conservation Ecology, Department of Zoology, South Africa André F. Boshoff --- Centre for African Conservation Ecology, Department of Zoology, South AfricaPastoralists on rangelands adjacent to the Baviaanskloof Provincial Nature Reserve, Eastern Cape, report stock losses through predation by leopards (Panthera pardus). This leads, in certain cases, to persecution of the leopards. This study attempted to quantify livestock depredation by leopards... -
Southern African pasture and forage science entering the 21st century: past to present
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: Wayne F Truter --- Department of Plant Production and Soil Science, South Africa Philip R Botha --- Directorate Plant Sciences, Western Cape Department of Agriculture, South Africa Chris S Dannhauser --- Grass SA, Waverley, South Africa Barbara V Maasdorp --- Department of Crop Science, Zimbabwe Neil Miles --- South African Sugarcane Research Institute, South Africa Albert Smith --- Stats4science, South Africa Hennie A Snyman --- Department of Animal, Wildlife and Grassland Sciences, South Africa Neil M Tainton --- Amber Valley, South AfricaGiven the global challenges of mitigating and alleviating land degradation and ensuring food security, particularly through protein production, pasture and forage science together with rangeland science will remain imperative to sustainable livestock production systems. Recognising the scientific principles developed in... -
Field Testing a Conceptual Framework for Innovation Platform Impact Assessment: The Case of MilkIT Dairy Platforms in Tanga Region, Tanzania
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: East African Agricultural and Forestry Journal • Authors: N.D. Pham --- University of Bonn, Germany J.J. Cadilhon --- International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Kenya B.L. Maass --- International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT),This article studies the impact of innovation platforms in Tanga Region, Tanzania, set up by the MilkIT dairy development project to intensify smallholder production through feed enhancement and value chain approaches. The conceptual framework used builds up from three socio-economic... -
Knowledge of Livestock Grading and Market Participation among Small Ruminant Producers in Northern Somalia
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: East African Agricultural and Forestry Journal • Authors: F. Wanyoike --- International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Kenya N. Mtimet --- International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Kenya N. Ndiwa --- International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Kenya K. Marshall --- International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Kenya L. Godiah --- Terra Nuova, Kenya A. Warsame --- IGAD Sheikh Technical Veterinary School (ISTVS), SomalilandThis study focused on market participation and producers’ knowledge of the indigenous livestock grading and pricing system applied to small ruminant marketing in Somaliland. Data were collected from a random sample of 144 men and women producers in three livelihood... -
Temporal and spatial dynamics of mineral levels of forage, soil and cattle blood serum in two semi-arid savannas of South Africa
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: Alice F Gwelo --- Department of Livestock and Pasture, South Africa Solomon Tefera --- Department of Livestock and Pasture, South Africa Voster Muchenje --- Department of Livestock and Pasture, South AfricaIn this study, we examined temporal and spatial dynamics of minerals of forage, soil and cattle serum in two savannas (valley and plain) of South Africa. The aims were to explore the relationships between ecosystem components, and plan communal grazing... -
Feeding ecology of four livestock species under different management in a semi-arid pastoral system in South Africa
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: Igshaan Samuels --- Agricultural Research Council–Animal Production Institute, Department of Biodiversity and Conservation Biology, South Africa Clement Cupido --- Agricultural Research Council–Animal Production Institute, Department of Biodiversity and Conservation Biology, South Africa Melvin B Swarts --- Agricultural Research Council–Animal Production Institute, Department of Biodiversity and Conservation Biology, South Africa Anthony R Palmer --- Agricultural Research Council–Animal Production Institute, South Africa Jamie W Paulse --- Agricultural Research Council–Animal Production Institute, Department of Biodiversity and Conservation Biology, South AfricaThe Leliefontein communal area in Namaqualand is grazed by mixed species herds that have multiple benefits for pastoralists. This study assessed how the management (herding and free-ranging) of different livestock herds affects their feeding ecology during the wet and dry... -
Hierarchical analysis of Swainson’s Spurfowl Pternistis swainsonii habitat use on Highveld maize and livestock farms
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: Ostrich: Journal of African Ornithology • Authors: Johann H van Niekerk --- Department of Environmental Sciences, College of Agriculture and Environmental Science, South AfricaThis paper explains habitat use by Swainson’s Spurfowl Pternistis swainsonii on maize Zea mays and livestock farms on the Highveld south-east of Johannesburg, South Africa. The purpose is to describe habitat modification methods to manipulate the abundance of Swainson’s Spurfowl... -
Optimal grazing management strategies: evaluating key concepts
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: Richard WS Fynn --- Okavango Research Institute, University of Botswana, Botswana Kevin P Kirkman --- Grassland Science, South Africa Riaan Dames --- , NamibiaRangeland management strategies must be based on robust ecological and economic concepts if they are to be effective and profitable. Thus, the aim of this paper was to examine concepts related to grazing and resting of grassland and associated effects... -
Evaluating oat cultivars for dairy forage production in the central Kenyan highlands
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: Solomon W Mwendia --- Centro Internacional de Agricultura Tropical, Tropical Forages, Kenya Brigitte L Maass --- Centro Internacional de Agricultura Tropical, Tropical Forages, Kenya David G Njenga --- International Fertilizer Development Center, Kenya Fridah N Nyakundi --- Centro Internacional de Agricultura Tropical, Biometrics, Kenya An Maria O Notenbaert --- Centro Internacional de Agricultura Tropical, Tropical Forages, KenyaWith the projected increase in future demand for animal products, efforts to raise animal productivity are necessary to match the rise. Already, the estimated per-capita milk consumption in Kenya has increased to 150 L from 100 L estimated in 1998... -
GPS tracking cattle as a monitoring tool for conservation and management
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: Jennifer M Schieltz --- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, USA Sharon Okanga --- Department of Entomology, USA Brian F Allan --- Department of Entomology, USA Daniel I Rubenstein --- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, USAThe emergence of GPS technology has resulted in significant advances in the ease and flexibility of studying animal movement patterns, yet barriers remain to the widespread use of GPS units for animal tracking. Here, we developed a low-cost, logistically simple... -
Determinants of forage adoption and production niches among smallholder farmers in Kenya
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: Donald MG Njarui --- Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization-Katumani, Kenya Mwangi Gatheru --- Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization-Katumani, Kenya Elias M Gichangi --- Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization-Katumani, Kenya Elikana M Nyambati --- Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization-Headquarters, Kenya Clotilda N Ondiko --- Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization-Mtwapa, Kenya Keziah W Ndungu-Magiroi --- Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization-Kitale, KenyaA study was conducted to assess factors that influence adoption of forages and choice of production niches in smallholder farms in Kenya. A total of 786 farmers (268 from coastal lowlands, 171 from eastern midlands, 132 from central highlands and... -
Selenium addition affects early seedling growth of Medicago polymorpha and Trifolium subterraneum, but not seed germination: a preliminary study
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: South African Journal of Plant and Soil • Authors: Francuois L Müller --- Department of Biodiversity and Conservation Biology, South Africa Whitney L Engelbrecht --- Department of Biodiversity and Conservation Biology, South AfricaLittle information regarding the effects of selenium addition on germination and early growth of annual leguminous forage crops exists. This study therefore evaluates the effects of selenium addition on the germination and early seedling growth of two annual forage legume... -
Macro and trace elements of 26 browse species growing in semi-arid grazing lands of Eastern Cape, South Africa
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: Solomon Tefera --- Department of Animal Science, Namibia Victor Mlambo --- Department of Animal Sciences, South AfricaLeaves and twigs from woody plants provide essential nutrients to range animals. We examined variation in the mineral status of 26 woody species, and the influence of harvesting height as well as the interactions of the main effects on minerals... -
Seasonal changes in pasture biomass and grazing behaviour of cattle in the Guinea Savanna agroecological zone of Ghana
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: Maxwell Akapali --- Department of Animal Science, Ghana Terry Ansah --- Department of Animal Science, Ghana Ibn Iddriss Abdul-Rahman --- Department of Animal Science, Ghana Benjamin Alenyorege --- Department of Animal Science, Ghana Bernard N Baatuuwie --- Department of Forestry and Forest Resources Management, GhanaSpatial and temporal availability of pasture vegetation and cattle grazing behaviour in three seasons (intermediate season [IM], peak season [PS] and dry season [DS]) in the Guinea Savanna agroecological zone of Ghana was examined. The frequency of occurrence of three... -
Effects of short-term intensive trampling on Karoo vegetation
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: Jeannine McManus --- Landmark Foundation, South Africa Stefan A Goets --- Landmark Foundation, South Africa William J Bond --- Department of Biological Sciences, South Africa Joh R Henschel --- South African Environmental Observation Network (SAEON): Arid Lands Node, South Africa Bool Smuts --- Landmark Foundation, South Africa Suzanne J Milton --- South African Environmental Observation Network (SAEON): Arid Lands Node, South AfricaPlant growth forms likely respond differently to disturbances such as trampling. We investigated the trampling effect of 1 600 sheep encamped at night in temporary enclosures (kraals, corrals or pens), which were relocated weekly. To examine trampling effects and regeneration... -
Minimum population size and potential impact of feral and semi-feral donkeys and horses in an arid rangeland
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Zoology • Authors: Halcyone Muller --- Conservation South Africa, South Africa Amanda Bourne --- Department of Biological Sciences, South AfricaFarmers in the northern, communally managed parts of the Succulent Karoo, an arid rangeland system in South Africa, historically used donkeys and horses for transport and ploughing. With increasing mechanisation, draught animal power has largely been replaced by machines. Yet,... -
The influence of phosphorus and calcium application rates on the mineral composition of the perennial legume Macrotyloma axillare
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: Karina Batista --- Instituto de Zootecnia, Brazil Luciana Gerdes --- Instituto de Zootecnia, Brazil Alessandra Aparecida Giacomini --- Instituto de Zootecnia, Brazil Waldssimiler Teixeira de Mattos --- Instituto de Zootecnia, Brazil Ivani Pozar Otsuk --- Instituto de Zootecnia, BrazilThe response of legumes to the supply of either phosphorus (P) or calcium (Ca) alone has been extensively investigated but no prior studies have evaluated their combinations in the perennial legume Macrotyloma axillare (Macrotyloma legume). This study assessed the mineral... -
The impacts of season and livestock management strategy on the quality of diets selected by goats and sheep in the semi-arid rangelands of Namaqualand, South Africa
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: Francuois L Müller --- Agricultural Research Council–Animal Production, South Africa M Igshaan Samuels --- Department of Biodiversity and Conservation Biology, South Africa Clement F Cupido --- Agricultural Research Council–Animal Production, South Africa Melvin BV Swarts --- Agricultural Research Council–Animal Production, South Africa Nefza M Amary --- Department of Biodiversity and Conservation Biology, South Africa Dawood Hattas --- Department of Biological Sciences, South Africa Craig Morris --- Agricultural Research Council–Animal Production, South Africa Lilburne F Cyster --- Department of Biodiversity and Conservation Biology, South Africa J Stephen Boatwright --- Department of Biodiversity and Conservation Biology, South AfricaAccess to good-quality forages is one of the major limitations to livestock production in semi-arid pastoral systems. This study aimed to determine whether there are differences in the nutritional quality of diets selected by herded and free-ranging goat and sheep... -
Seasonal variation of livestock feed resources in semi-arid and humid environments of Rwanda
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: East African Agricultural and Forestry Journal • Authors: Mupenzi Mutimura --- University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa Cyprian Ebong --- Rwanda Agriculture Board (RAB), Rwanda Idupulapati M Rao --- International Centre for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), Colombia Ignatius V Nsahlai --- University of KwaZulu-Natal, South AfricaIn most of sub-Saharan African countries, including Rwanda, the predominant agricultural production is from a mixed-crop-livestock farming system, because of small size land holding. The objective of this study was to assess the seasonal availability of livestock feed resources in... -
Characterisation of livestock biochars and their effect on selected soil properties and maize early growth stage in soils of Eastern Cape province, South Africa
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: South African Journal of Plant and Soil • Authors: Admire R Dzvene --- Department of Agronomy, South Africa Cornelius Chiduza --- Department of Agronomy, South Africa Pearson NS Mnkeni --- Department of Agronomy, South Africa Prince C Peter --- Department of Agronomy, South AfricaFew studies have evaluated biochar application rates that would make economic sense using feedstocks readily available to subsistence farmers. Biochar from livestock manures were examined in Oakleaf and Tukulu soils. Pyrolysis had the most effect on poultry manure where it... -
Adoption determinants of multiple climate smart agricultural technologies in Zimbabwe: Considerations for scaling-up and out
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Science, Technology, Innovation and Development • Authors: Angeline Mujeyi --- , South Africa Maxwell Mudhara --- , South Africa Munyaradzi J. Mutenje --- , ZimbabweUsing a multistage sampling technique, data were collected from 386 households in four districts of Zimbabwe to investigate current Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) technology combinations smallholder farmers practising integrated crop-livestock farming are adopting, as well as the determinants of adoption... -
Phytomass and ecological significance of Chrysocoma ciliata L. within the Lets’eng-la-Letsie catchment area of Lesotho, southern Africa
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: GN Smit --- , South Africa G Janse van Rensburg --- , South AfricaThe Lets’eng-la-Letsie wetland is an official Ramsar site, but the wetland and upland catchment areas suffer from overgrazing, erosion and over exploitation. Chrysocoma ciliata has a reputation as an unpalatable invader and is particularly common on the drier northern slopes... -
Determinants of participation in livestock development programmes: Evidence from South Africa’s Kaonafatso ya Dikgomo (KyD) Scheme
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Science, Technology, Innovation and Development • Authors: Saul Ngarava --- , South Africa Abbyssinia Mushunje --- , Petronella Chaminuka --- , South AfricaThe objective of the study was to determine factors influencing participation decisions in the Agricultural Research Council’s Kaonafatso ya Dikgomo (KyD) Scheme in South Africa. A cross-sectional survey was used to collect data on socio-economic and institutional factors, as well... -
Changes in vegetation structure, aboveground biomass and soil quality in response to traditional grazing land management practices in the central highlands of Ethiopia
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: Teklu Wegi --- , Ethiopia Abubeker Hassen --- , South Africa Melkamu Bezabih --- , Ethiopia Adugna Tolera --- , EthiopiaDespite shrinking pastureland in the central highlands of Ethiopia, as a result of cropping, there has been little detailed work to evaluate effects of traditional grazing land management practices on vegetation and soil attributes. This study aimed to quantify vegetation... -
Effect of livestock farmers’ access to formal markets on marketing inefficiency in Mpumalanga province, South Africa
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Science, Technology, Innovation and Development • Authors: Malika Sehar --- , South Africa Abayomi Samuel Oyekale --- , South AfricaLivestock production is the primary source of livelihood for most farmers in Mpumalanga province. Small-scale farmers in the province are facing many challenges in the course of marketing livestock. These challenges have also hindered their efforts at improving their livelihood... -
Transhumance pastoralism in West Africa – its importance, policies and challenges
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: Eric Cofie Timpong-Jones --- Livestock and Poultry Research Centre (LIPREC), University of Ghana, Ghana Igshaan Samuels --- University of the Western Cape, South Africa Felix Owusu Sarkwa --- Livestock and Poultry Research Centre (LIPREC), University of Ghana, Ghana Kwame Oppong-Anane --- Oporhu Agricultural and Rural Development Consultancy Ltd, Ghana Ayodele Oluwakemi Majekodumni --- Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), NigeriaThe Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) recognises transhumance pastoralism as a beneficial livestock production system that can contribute to food security together with economic and political stability. Thus, the subregional bloc put together the ECOWAS Protocol on Transhumance... -
Nutritional quality of Calobota sericea fodders harvested at different phenological stages – opportunities for inclusion in fodder flow programs for extensive livestock farmers
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: Ethan A Britz --- , South Africa Lilburne F Cyster --- University of the Western Cape, South Africa Clement F Cupido --- , South Africa M Igshaan Samuels --- , South Africa Thamsanqa DE Mpanza --- , South Africa Francuois L Müller --- , South AfricaCalobota sericea (Thunb.) Boatwr. & B.-E.van Wyk (Fabaceae) is a native legume from the semi-arid rangelands of South Africa. The species has been prioritised as a forage for water-limited agro-ecological areas. No information regarding the nutritional quality of C. sericea... -
Determinants of smallholder livestock farmers’ adoption decisions of improved fodder technologies in Insiza District
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Science, Technology, Innovation and Development • Authors: Trymore Nhundu --- , Zimbabwe Edward Mutandwa --- , Zimbabwe Jayne Stark --- Resilience Knowledge Hub, Mercy Corps, Zimbabwe Tafireyi Chamboko --- , Zimbabwe Arthur Tinashe Vambe --- , ZimbabweThe study investigated the factors that influence the extent of the use of fodder technologies in the Insiza District of Zimbabwe, as well as the reasons for their low adoption and the lower participation of women than men in fodder... -
Seasonal dynamics of forage nutrition in smallholder goat production systems in Malawi
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: Andrew S Cooke --- University of Lincoln, UK Winchester Mvula --- Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Malawi Patson Nalivata --- Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Malawi Javier Ventura-Cordero --- Queen’s University Belfast, UK Lovemore C Gwiriri --- Coventry University, Taro Takahashi --- Rothamsted Research, UK Eric R Morgan --- Queen’s University Belfast, UK Michael RF Lee --- Harper Adams University, UK Andrews Safalaoh --- Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources, MalawiForage and browse are a valuable natural resource in Malawi that can be used to support livestock production which, in turn, can contribute towards delivering income and nutrition to households and communities. However, the quality and quantity of forages can... -
Rethinking radical veld improvement: a sustainable approach to grazing land restoration?
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: KP Kirkman --- University of KwaZulu-Natal, South AfricaRadical veld improvement (RVI), a concept explored in southern Africa during the mid to late 1900s, aimed to intensify agricultural landscapes by enhancing veld productivity by incorporating productive forage grasses or legumes, soil nutrient enrichment, or a combination of both... -
Effects of artificial waterpoints on woody species composition and structure in semi-arid communal rangelands, northern Namibia
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: Johannes Ndeyamo Nuuyoma --- University of Namibia, Namibia Jesaya Nakanyala --- University of Namibia, Namibia Ayana Angassa --- Botswana University of Agriculture and Natural Resources,The provision of artificial water resources for livestock in communal rangelands in arid environments is a major driver of land degradation. This study examined the impact of waterpoints on woody plant species composition and structure in the Omuntele communal rangeland,... -
Functional diversification and performance of wheat–canola rotations in the Western Cape
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: South African Journal of Plant and Soil • Authors: A Louw --- Stellenbosch University, South Africa PA Swanepoel --- Stellenbosch University, South Africa S van der Westhuizen --- Stellenbosch University, South Africa J Strauss --- Stellenbosch University, South AfricaCrop rotation serves as a fundamental pillar within conservation agriculture (CA) farming systems, enabling the integration of more diverse crops and livestock. With increasing weather variability, new methods are needed to assess the long-term effects of diversification on the agronomic...