Description
Grazing management is important for general ecosystem health and sustainable livestock production. Historic grazing practices caused grassland degradation. Regenerative grazing practices can improve soil and plant health. This study aimed to determine if a high pressure grazing approach, in fact improves soil and plant health, compared to a conventional grazing system. A degradation gradient (away from watering places) approach were followed. The study site is situated in the Kalahari bushveld bioregion of the North West province of South Africa. Two adjacent farms were selected, one practicing a conventional four camp rotational grazing system, and the other practicing high pressure grazing with 50 camps in a radial layout. Plant species composition and soil properties (carbon, root biomass, minerals) were measured at three increasing distances away from the water. The results indicated an increase in veld condition away from the water in the conventional system, while the veld condition decreased slightly in the high pressure grazing system. Soil properties for the conventional system did not vary much at increasing distances away from the water. At the high pressure system, soil health was slightly better closer to the water. Soil health was generally better at the high pressure system, than at the conventional system. These results indicate that a high pressure grazing approach, where high animal numbers graze an area, evenly, for a short period of time, followed by a long resting period, is more beneficial to plant and soil health, than a conventional grazing approach where lower animal numbers, graze bigger areas for a longer time period. In the Kalahari bushveld of the North West province of South Africa, high pressure grazing systems has the potential to regenerate soil- and plant health.
Included in
Agricultural Science Commons, Agronomy and Crop Sciences Commons, Plant Biology Commons, Plant Pathology Commons, Soil Science Commons, Weed Science Commons
Comparison of Degradation Gradients of a Conventional vs a High Pressure Grazing System
Grazing management is important for general ecosystem health and sustainable livestock production. Historic grazing practices caused grassland degradation. Regenerative grazing practices can improve soil and plant health. This study aimed to determine if a high pressure grazing approach, in fact improves soil and plant health, compared to a conventional grazing system. A degradation gradient (away from watering places) approach were followed. The study site is situated in the Kalahari bushveld bioregion of the North West province of South Africa. Two adjacent farms were selected, one practicing a conventional four camp rotational grazing system, and the other practicing high pressure grazing with 50 camps in a radial layout. Plant species composition and soil properties (carbon, root biomass, minerals) were measured at three increasing distances away from the water. The results indicated an increase in veld condition away from the water in the conventional system, while the veld condition decreased slightly in the high pressure grazing system. Soil properties for the conventional system did not vary much at increasing distances away from the water. At the high pressure system, soil health was slightly better closer to the water. Soil health was generally better at the high pressure system, than at the conventional system. These results indicate that a high pressure grazing approach, where high animal numbers graze an area, evenly, for a short period of time, followed by a long resting period, is more beneficial to plant and soil health, than a conventional grazing approach where lower animal numbers, graze bigger areas for a longer time period. In the Kalahari bushveld of the North West province of South Africa, high pressure grazing systems has the potential to regenerate soil- and plant health.
