The seasonal production of 11 pastures was evaluated in
dryland and irrigated trials at eight sites in the Winter
Rainfall Region. These data were related to climatic
conditions using the Growth Index concept to produce a model
for pasture growth.
Under dryland at Tygerhoek, the animal production potential
of lucerne and medic was compared in grazing trials.
Lucerne was found to be the higher producing of the two. At
this site also, the influence of chemical control of
volunteer grasses in dryland pastures on animal production
potential was tested. Weed control had a positive influence
on animal production at low, but not at high stocking rates.
Under irrigation at
complex grass/legume
Tygerhoek, the grazing capacity of a
mixture was established under continuous
and rotational grazing. While rotationally grazed
pastures produced the highest yields, the clover component
of these pastures proved to be most productive under
continuous grazing. As a result, rotationally grazed
pastures, could carry more animals, but animal production
was generally highest under continuous grazing.
Under irrigation at Outeniqua, seven grass and grass/legume
mixtures were compared in grazing trials. Pastures based on fescue generally had the highest grazing capacity, but those
based on white clover the highest animal production
potential.
These data were used to produce a climate:pasture:animal
which was validated using independent
This model was used to predict animal
production model,
grazing trial data.
performance of two-species mixtures at a number of sites.
These results suggested that while grass pastures allowed
more animals to be carried than did mixtures, both animal
performance and gross returns were highest in grass/legume
mixtures. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 1986.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:ukzn/oai:http://researchspace.ukzn.ac.za:10413/10905 |
| Date | January 1986 |
| Creators | Van Heerden, Johann Myburgh. |
| Contributors | Tainton, Neil M. |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
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