Evaluating Stocking Rate Impacts in Rangelands: Animals Don't Practice What We Preach.

Abstract

paper session 29: Molecular biology - forage quality. In: Proc. XVII International Grassland Congress, pp. 1105-6. Keeling and Mundy Ltd., Palmerston North, New Zealand. United States Department of Agriculture. (1980). Report and recommendations on organic farming. U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC. VanTassel, L. W., Heitschmidt, R.K. and Conner, J.R. (1987). Modeling variation in range calf growth under conditions of environmental uncertainty. J. Range. Manage. 40: 310-4. Walker, B.H. (1993). Stability in rangelands: ecology and economics. In: Proc. XW International Grassland Congress, pp. 1885-90. Keeling and Mundy Ltd., Palmerston North, New Zealand. Walker, J.W. (1994). Multispecies grazing: the ecological advantage. Sheep Res. J. Special Issue: 52-64. Walker, A.B., Frizelle, J.A. and Morris, S.D. (1994). The New Zealand policy framework for sustainable agriculture and some implications for animal production research. Proc. N. Z. Soc. Anim Prod. 54: 369-72. Walker, J.W., Heitschmidt, R.K., DeMoraes, E.A., Kothmann, M.M. and Dowhower, S.L. (1989). Quality and botanical composition of cattle diets under rotational and continuous grazing treatments. J. Range Manage . 42: 239-42. Whitson, R.E., Heitschmidt, R.K., Kothmann, M.M. and Lundgren, G.K. (1982). The impact of grazing systems on the magnitude and stability of ranch income in the Rolling Plains of Texas. J. Range Manage .35: 526-32. Wight, J.R. and Hanson, C.L. (1993). Simulation models as decision aids for management of rangeland ecosystems. In: Proc. XVII International Grassland Congress, pp. 770-1. Keeling and Mundy Ltd., Palmerston North, New Zealand. Wilson, A.D., Harrington, G.N. and Beale, I.F. (1984). Grazing management. In: Management of Australia's rangelands (Eds G.N. Harrington, A.D. Wilson and M.D. Young) pp. 129-40. Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, Australia. Wood, W.R. and Thiessen, T.D. (Eds) (1985). Early fur trade on the Northern Plains: the narratives of John Macdonnell, David Thompson, Francois-Antoine Laraocque and Charles McKenzie. University of Oklahoma Press, Norman, Oklahoma. Manuscript received 4 April 1996, accepted 30 July 1996. Rangel. J. 18(2) 1996, 216-43 EVALUATING STOCKING RATE IMPACTS IN RANGELANDS: ANIMALS DON'T PRACTICE WHAT WE PREACH A.J. Ash1 and D.M. Stafford Smith2 'CSIRO Division of Tropical Crops and Pastures, PMB, Aitkenvale, Qld 4814 2CSIR0 Division of Wildlife and Ecology, PO Box 2111, Alice Springs, NT 0871 Abstract Stocking rate is the most important management variable affecting productivity and stability in rangelands. In this paper we examine the relevance of stocking rate research to the complex and highly variable ecosystems that make up most rangeland enterprises. We review a number of stocking rate experiments that have been conducted in both rangelands and more intensively grazed, improved pastures and demonstrate a fundamental difference in the nature of the stocking rate - animal production relationship between the two environments. Animal production in rangelands is less sensitive to increases in utilisation rate than in improved pastures, at least in the short to medium time frame of most experiments. These differences can largely be explained by factors relating to the much greater spatial and temporal variability of rangelands such as: inter-annual and seasonal fluctuations in vegetation composition and quality; long-term vegetation changes; and spatial and temporal patterns of diet selection in complex vegetation. Together, these factors limit the application of linear stocking rate models to complex rangeland environments for prediction of animal production responses. We suggest that dynamic simulation models, which incorporate the spatial and temporal variability of rangelands, may be the best way of developing simple but useful management principles for setting stocking rates that are more appropriate than simplified regression relationships.

Effects of holistic grazing management on milk production, weight gain, and visitation to grazing areas by livestock and wildlife in Laikipia County, Kenya

“…Low average daily livestock weight gain and milk yield in TGA could be due to continuous grazing that leads to heavy use of preferred plants and patches while avoiding others (Willms et al 1988;O'connor 1992;Ash and Stafford-Smith 1996;Bailey et al 1996;Gerrish 2004;Witten et al 2005;Teague et al 2011). Due to high grazing pressure, the density of highly preferred and palatable plants is reduced (Brand and Goetz 1986; Warren et al 1986;Amiri et al 2008); hence, livestock are forced to graze on less palatable species which are less nutritious.…”

Influence of Communal Area Grazing Management System on the Foraging Behaviour of Steers in a Semi-Arid Area of Zimbabwe

“…In semi-arid areas of Zimbabwe, the growth of grasses varies markedly in response to the erratic occurrence of rainfall (Dye and Walker, 1987). Forage quality and quantity change with rainfall (Ash and Stafford-Smith, 1996), and these two vegetation parameters are key determinants of grazing activities (Senft et al, 1987). In Vuzhe, animals in the grazing scheme tended to graze longer than those under the traditional system as the season progressed.…”

The Use of Indicator Species and Ecological Degradation Model for Condition Assessment in Turkey

“…Moreover, first this progressive deterioration is explained by replacement of taller perennial grasses by shorter perennial grasses. Then annual grasses and forbs are dominant and finally bare ground widely appears (Thurow 1991;Fuls 1992;O'Connor 1992;Ash and Stafford-Smith 1996;Teague et al 2004). Bare ground or soil may be chosen as an indicator of animal utilization.…”