PART 3: BEEF PRODUCTION
FROM NATURAL VELD AND
PLANTED PASTURES
Management of different Natural Veld types.
Prof Chris S Dannhauser
3.1 INTRODUCTION
In the First two parts of this series different groups of
grasses and different growing stages of veld were
described.
There are three main groups of veld grasses:
* Grasses that are highly palatable, those that are
preferred by grazing animals
* Medium palatable grasses, those that animals
utilized when the highly palatable ones are finished.
* Unpalatable grasses are those not preferred by
grazing animals, but if there is nothing else they will
graze it and lose weight.
Depending of grazing strategy and veld management, the
veld can be in different stages of development: og
Privacy - Terms1, Pioneer stage — This is a recovering stage that
occurs after veld was completely overgrazed. The
species growing here (grasses & weeds) are called
pioneers. They are mostly annual species, drought
resistant, with different levels of palatability (see
Table 1).
N
. Sub climax stage - In this stage bi-annual or
perennial species Follow the pioneer species. Some
of them are semi-palatable and others palatable
w
. Climax stage - Perennial species that establish later
in the development process are climax species.
Most of them are palatable and the best fodder
plants in good veld.
This process can also develops in the opposite direction,
from climax to pioneer stage if the veld is over stocked
and over grazed.
Table 1 shows a few important grass species that grows in
different part of the country. The table also shows in
what successional stages of veld they will grow and their
grazing values. A zero (0) shows it is not palatable and not
grazed by animal, a 10 shows it is palatable and of good
Feeding value.
Privacy - Terms
The veld manager should be able to identify the keyspecies in his veld and how to manage them to prevent
over grazed, because that can do permanent damage.
Table 1: The important grass species that grow in the
different succession stages in the Highveld grassland.
Succession
stage
ClimaxVeld
Sub- climax
/Late
pioneer
veld
Early
pioneer
veld
GRASS COMMON
NAMES
Red
grassTurpentine
grass
Finger
grassThatch
grassKweek/Couch
grassWeeping love
grass
Natal Red
TopThree awn
grass
BOTANICAL
NAMES
Themeda
triandraCymbogon
plurinoides
Digitaria
erianthaHyparrhenia
hirtaCynodon
dactylonEragrostis
curvula
Melinus
repensAristida spp
Besides grazing the growth of grasses are also influenced
by soil type, climate and other natural factors (like
palatability) and that influence the carrying capacit
veld.
Privacy - TermsMap 1 indicates the veld carrying capacity in different
regions, in the eastern part of our country. Example: 7-8
ha/MLU indicates that you need 7 - 8 ha to carry 1 MLU for
1 year. It shows how many hectares are needed to carry
one MLU for a full year. Remember: MLU means a Matured
Livestock Unit and 1 MLU is 1 cow or bull with a weight
450 kg and that utilize 10 kg of grass per day. At weaning
stage a calf might be the equivalent of 0.7 MLU and 6
matured sheep are the equivalent of 1 MLU. For the sheep
and goat farmers: SSU stands For Small Stock Unit and 6
SSU graze the same kilograms of grass per day as 1 MLU.
3.2 GARRYING CAPACITY OF THE
FARM
To apply the correct stocking rate, is
very important to keep the veld and
the grazing animals in good condition
‘and to maintain a positive economic
farming business. To make sure that
no over grazing is happening the
farmer or manager should know the
‘answers to the following questions:
Which grass species are growing on
the farm or in the camp?
Whats the production of these species
‘and now much are avaiable
Which of these species are preferred?
Whats the quality of nese speciesis t
‘acceptable to grazers and browsers?
SF How mary arienale'con I iesp crv mp
farm?
v
‘What is the grazing capacty (CC)?
Map 1: Carrying capacity of veld in Eastern SA &
(Avenant, 2010).
Privacy ~ TermsTo help the farmer/manager with the above mentioned
information a veld management expert can be contacted.
In some cases farmers/managers tend to overestimate the
potential, the vigour and the palatability, of the veld,
which leads to overgrazing. It is thus important to use the
norms given in Map 1 on your Farm. For example if the
farm is in the western Free State, we need 7 to 8 ha for 1
MLU. In Mpumalanga, with a higher rainfall, 3-4 ha per 1
MLU is enough.
On Map 1 and the following Map 2, there are yellow lines
indicating three different rainfall zones. The three zones
are: (i) on the left hand side of the map an area with an
average rainfall of less than 500 mm/year, (ii) in the middle
an area with an average rainfall of 500 to 650 mm/year
and (iii) on the right hand side an area with an average
rainfall of more than 650 mm/yearBrown: Mixed Veld
-Y Yellow Lines =
yon tons Orders between
rainfall regions
Map 2: Palatability of veld in Eastern SA (Tainton, 1999)
Like carrying capacity, the palatability of grasses/
important in veld management. Palatability is infll
Privacy - Terms
by genetics and external factors, as mentioned earlier.important in veld management. Palatability is influenced
by genetics and external factors, as mentioned earlier.
For this reason the veld of South Africa can be divided in:
(i) Sweet veld, (ii) Mixed veld and (iii) Sour veld. The three
different palatable regions, in the eastern part of the
country, are shown in Map 2, and will be discussed to help
Farmers with good veld management practices.
The reasons For the presence of the three different veld
types are mainly climate (rainfall & temperature), soil,
topography and management.
3.3 SWEET VELD VERSUS SOUR VELD
The density and production of Sweet veld is lower, than
that of Sour veld, and over utilization often occurs on
Sweet veld. There are also some less palatable species in
Sweet veld. IF you keep animals too long in a camp, they
will also graze the less palatable grasses (see Photo 1), and
then will over graze the palatable ones.
Sour veld, on the other hand, has a dense cover and is
more persistent to grazing (Photo 2). But Sour veld can
also be over grazed with a high stocking density in
summer.Photo 1: Sweet veld is more vulnerable and easy to
damage with grazing.
Photo 2: Sour veld is more persistent to grazing.3.4 SUMMARY
Some people believe that you will have maximum animal
production (high calving percentage and maximum
growth) with maximum stocking density, thus as many
animals as possible. That is not true, statistics showed that
on farms where too many animals are kept (over grazing)
the calving percentage is about 45% and even lower. On
Farms where a realistic grazing capacity is maintained and
where enough grazable material is available the calving
percentage can be as high as 95%.
To conclude, the information on Maps 1 & 2 should be kept
in mind and should be applied to maintain good animal
production.
Many farmers make use of planted pasture for additional
grazing and to build up a fodder bank. This information
will Follow in a next edition of the series.
Prof Chris S Dannhauser
Sel no (+27) 082 873 4736
E-pos: chriswei@vodamail.co.za e
Privacy - Terms