Effects of social and ecological factors on cattle grazing strategies in semi-arid communal rangelands of the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa

Moyo, Bethwell (https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7524-9028)

Title: Effects of social and ecological factors on cattle grazing strategies in semi-arid communal rangelands of the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa
Creator: Moyo, Bethwell (https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7524-9028)
Subject: Communal rangelands--South Africa--Eastern Cape
Subject: Grazing--South Africa--Eastern Cape
Subject: Range Management--South Africa--Eastern Cape South Africa Eastern Cape
Date Issued: 2009-09
Date: 2009-09
Type: Doctoral theses
Type: text
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/25461
Identifier: vital:64279
Description: Communal rangelands are the main source of livestock feed for resource poor communal farmers. They are characterized by heavy stocking and poor management which is perceived to be the cause of the prevalent degradation hence the incessant calls for introduction of rotational grazing. Rotational grazing has been associated with improved rangeland condition and animal performance in commercial farms, hence the call that it needs to be introduced in communal areas. Management of communal rangelands within the rotational grazing context requires some fundamental understanding of the relationship between current rangeland use, socio-economic and ecological factors determining the present use of these areas. The objective of this study was to assess how historic tenure and patterns of use have influenced grazing practices and institutional structures, and to identify institutional and ecological factors determining present grazing strategies. Focus group discussions and questionnaire surveys in 11 communities revealed that villagers consider fences and paddocks as the best intervention to improve range management. Furthermore, it was shown that lack of strong local-level institutions, little or no knowledge of veld management, absence of rules and lack of seasonal restrictions on rangeland resource use are additional constraints that need to be considered for any rotational grazing intervention to be embraced. Communal areas vary in household head profiles, and this affects the livestock ownership patterns, which indirectly influences rangeland management. The fact that most of the income for communal area people is from state grants, makes farming secondary and the attention put on rangeland management would therefore be minimal. At present the weak local level institutions would therefoe make any plans to introduce rotational grazing difficult. Communal area grazing strategies are further influenced by rangeland heterogeneity caused by different factors. To understand these factors, the relationship between vegetation parameters in different patches and associated soil parameters was examined. Heterogeneity due to seasonal variation in the biomass of herbaceous vegetation was observed at Magwiji‘s sweetveld, with frequently selected patches having a significantly (p < 0.05) higher biomass in autumn (791 kg ha-1) and winter (528 kg ha-1), while in summer and spring there was no significant (p > 0.05) difference in biomass between frequently selected and less selected patches. The present situation in which communal areas support large livestock populations under continuous grazing is due to the fact that cattle would adjust to changes in forage availability by seeking higher biomass patches in times of forage scarcity as observed in Magwiji. At the coastal forest thornveld of Mnyameni the Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) showed that the first axis was significantly correlated with soil organic carbon (r = -1, p < 0.05). Furthermore, the species that were significantly correlated with the first axis were Cynodon dactylon and Pennisetum clandestinum. These species were mainly found in sites that were preferred in April and June. At the sourveld of Upper Mnxe the first axis was significantly correlated with soil pH (r = 0.9, p < 0.05). At this rangeland, sites selected in June were associated with alkaline soils; characterized by a history of human settlement and dominated by Eragrostis superba and Heteropogon contortus. Soil electrical conductivity (EC) separated species (r = 0.9; p < 0.05) along the first axis at Magwiji, with mountain top sites selected in April and June having low EC and dominated by Digitaria eriantha, Eragrostis superba and Andropogon appendiculatus. Rangeland heterogeneity is caused by various factors, ranging from human disturbance to topography. These factors have an effect on the soil properties, and therefore, vegetation and thus lead to the observed heterogeneity which shapes the utilization patterns of these rangelands, and hence their continued support of large populations of livestock. To understand the effects of seasonal and spatial variation in resource use pattern and implications on range management, differences in cattle activity patterns in relation to veld type, season, daytime, management type (kraaling) and forage quality were examined. Seasonal activity patterns were only significant at Upper Mnxe (p < 0.05), with percent of time spent grazing (77 percent), resting (35 percent) and walking (24 percent) being higher in April, November and June respectively.
Description: Thesis (PHD) -- Faculty of Science and Agriculture, 2009
Format: computer
Format: online resource
Format: application/pdf
Format: 1 online resource (208 leaves)
Format: pdf
Publisher: University of Fort Hare
Publisher: Faculty of Science and Agriculture
Language: English
Rights: University of Fort Hare
Rights: All Rights Reserved
Rights: Open Access

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