The Eastern Cape Province, South Africa is faced with inadequate quantity of livestock feed especially during the drier (winter) seasons. Forage legumes were over sown into natural grasses to determine their potential to improve feed quality and quantity. Four forage legumes namely: Trifolium vesiculosum (Arrowleaf clover), Lespedeza cuneata (sericea lespedeza) , Trifolium repens (white clover) and Lotus corniculatus (birdsfoot trefoil) were intercropped with native grasses in the old arable land located in Lushington communal area in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. The treatments consisted of natural grasses growing in pure stands and native grasses intercropped with forage legumes grown under rain-fed conditions. Grasses and legumes were harvested for dry matter yield (DMY) once in spring 2013 (September-November), summer 2014 (December-February), autumn 2014 (March-May) and winter 2014 (June-August). Amongst the legumes, L. cuneata was more (P<0.05) productive than rest of the legumes. However, T. vesiculosum was the least (P<0.05) productive legume during the four seasons. Total dry matter (TDM) yield was higher (P<0.05) during summer and lower during winter seasons, respectively. Grasses harvested in autumn had the highest (P<0.05) 12% crude protein (CP) than those harvested in winter which, had the lowest 4.6% CP content. Similarly, all legume pastures harvested in spring had superior (p<0.05) 10.8% CP, while those harvested in winter had the least 3.5% CP. Likewise, forages harvested during the wet seasons (i.e. autumn and or summer) had improved (P<0.05) herbage micro nutrient content than those harvested in the drier (winter) season. Results of the study indicated that overall total dry matter yield of grass-legume mixtures was higher than that of sole natural grasses, with grasses constituting the major component of the herbage yield. Results from this study also indicated that forages produced in wetter seasons had superior biomass yield and nutritive value, respectively.

Legumes (Fabaceae) are plants with the distinct ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen; the atmospheric nitrogen fixation by legumes is known as biological nitrogen fixation. Biological nitrogen fixation is the process whereby atmospheric nitrogen is reduced to ammonia in the presence of the enzyme nitrogenase. Nitrogen fixation in legumes starts with the formation of nodules. Inside the nodules, nitrogen fixation done by the bacteria (Rhizobia), and the ammonia (NH 3) produced is absorbed by plant. The symbiotic relationship between a bacterium and a plant makes legumes special plants, which offer benefits when included in farming systems. These benefits are ecosystem, economic and environmental benefits. Inclusion of forage legumes in the form of intercropping in low-input grassland mixtures improves forage quantity, quality and soil fertility trough addition of nitrogen (N) from N 2fixation. Intercropping is a multiple cropping practice, which involves growing two or more crops in proximity. Legumes also improve the nutritive value of the low quality native pastures grown with them and are important component of farming system since they have high nutritive value and able to rehabilitate nutrient depleted soil. There are various factors affecting legume growth and development and these factors need to be taken into account when planning to grow legumes. These factors include pedoclimatic factors especially those associated with the soil acid complex. These factors are known as physical, chemical, biological and environmental factors. The improvement of forage quantity and quality through forage legume inclusion is crucial for improved animal performance, which is a goal of all livestock farmers. The inclusion of forage legumes in low-input grassland mixtures is vital to improve biomass production, forage quality and ultimately soil fertility. The improvement of forage quantity and quality is crucial for improved animal performance, which is a goal of every livestock farmer. Forage legumes have the potential to improve the diets of ruminants because they increase the crude protein (CP) concentration of the herbage mixture relative to that of grass monocultures.

The study was conducted in Alice, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. The objective of this study was to evaluate farmers' perceptions on the impact of Vachellia karroo encroachment on livestock production and vegetation. Forty farmers (62% females and 38% males) were interviewed using semistructured questionnaires. The results showed that goats and cattle were mainly kept for cash sales and sheep for wool production. Shortage of forage and lack of water points were the main constraints to livestock production, especially during the dry season. Cattle and sheep owners perceived that V. karroo encroachment had a negative impact on grazer production, as it reduces the grazing capacity of the veld. Goat owners viewed V. karroo as an acceptable tree to goats and its abundance favours browsers as compared to grazers. Although farmers have different views concerning the impact of V. karroo encroachment. The mean of livestock composition showed that goats (11.6±1.3) are more favoured by the veld condition compared to cattle (4.9± 1.1) and sheep (2.6±0.7). This study concludes that V. karroo had a negative impact on grazers' production and sheep and cattle owners observed V. karroo encroachment as a form of land degradation. Pastoralists recommended that veld burning and bush clearing can be used to mitigate encroachment.

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This study presents an integrated examination of livestock production constraints associating with communal farming in six district municipalities (DMs) of the Eastern Cape Province. We collected data on demographic and socio-economic factors from 271 farmers randomly given questionnaires. About 26 Land Redistribution for Agricultural Development (LRAD) owned by communal farmers were surveyed to ascertain the condition of grazing land, meanwhile, tick species and distribution on cattle and goats found in 158 sampling sites of the study area were also recorded. From the results, a total of 34,929 adult ticks belonging to five genera and 10 species were encountered. The most abundant tick genera were Rhipicephalus of the subgenus Boophilus (68.91%), Amblyomma (20.72%), Hyalomma (8.64%), Ixodes (1.22%), and Haemaphysalis (0.51%).