Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-l7hp2 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-25T22:40:28.051Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Stocking rate trials in Ankole, Uganda: I. Weight gain of Ankole steers at intermediate and heavy stocking rates under different managements

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

G. N. Harrington  and
D. Pratchett
G. N. Harrington
Affiliation:
Ministry of Animal Resources, Uganda
D. Pratchett
Affiliation:
Ministry of Animal Resources, Uganda
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

A series of stocking rate trials running for differing periods between 1961 and 1972 are summarized. Weight gains of steers grazed at 2·4, 1·2, 0·8 and 0·6 ha/300 kg animal on Cymbopogon/Hyparrhenia/Themeda pasture are detailed. Subtreatments included continuous and rotational grazing and the removal of the unpalatable Cymbopogon afronardus.

Weight gains at 0·6 ha/animal were higher than a linear relationship between stocking rate expressed as animals/ha and weight gain would predict. This was ascribed to the dominance of the high quality grass Brachiaria decumbens at this grazing pressure.

Rotational grazing was less productive than continuous grazing, because C. afronardus increased more rapidly under this management, but there was less soil erosion. Removal of C. afronardus increased cattle growth rates and gains/ha by over 40% at 0·6 ha/animal. The cost of clearing this weed should be recovered in 2 years from a commercial cattle ranch. A grazing pressure of ca. 0·8 ha/animal is expected to maximize long-term profits on C. afronardus-free Ankole rangeland and in 3 years in this trial average gains of 0·29 kg/day/animal were achieved. This was an annual production level of 131 kg/ha/annum, which compared with 53 kg/ha at 2·4 ha/animal and 143 kg/ha at 0·6 ha/animal.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Journal of Agricultural Science , Volume 82 , Issue 3 , June 1974 , pp. 497 - 506
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1974

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Campling, R. C. & Marsh, R. (1970). Fouling of pastures by dung, r.a. Herbage Abstracts 40, 123–30.Google Scholar
Cowlishaw, S. J. (1969). The carrying capacity of pastures. Journal of the British Grassland Society 24, 207–14.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Harlan, J. R. (1958). Generalized curves for gain per head and gain per acre in rates of grazing studies. Journal of Range Management 11, 140–47.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Harrington, G. N. (1973). The eradication of Acacia hockii from Ugandan rangeland using stump treatment with picloram and notes on effects on productivity. Pesticides Abstracts and News Summary 19, 1, 76–86.Google Scholar
Harrington, G. N. & Pratohett, D. (1969). Annual Report of Muko Range Experiment Station, Uganda Ministry Animal Resources.Google Scholar
Harrington, G. N. & Pratchett, D. (1970). Annual Report of Muko Range Experiment Station, Uganda Ministry Animal Resources.Google Scholar
Harrington, G. N. & Pratchett, D. (1973). Cattle diet on Ankole rangeland at different seasons. Tropical Agriculture (Trinidad) 50, 211–19.Google Scholar
Langdale-Brown, I., Osmaston, H. A. & Wilson, J. G. (1964). The Vegetation of Uganda. Uganda: Government Printer.Google Scholar
Mott, G. O. (1960). Grazing pressure and the measurement of pasture production. Proceedings of the 8th International Grassland Congress pp. 606–11.Google Scholar
Norman, M. J. T. & Green, J. O. (1958). The local influence of cattle dung and urine upon the yield and botanical composition of permanent pasture. Journal of the British Grassland Society 13, 39–45.Google Scholar
Riewe, M. E. (1961). The use of the relationship of stocking rate to gain of cattle in an experimental design for grazing trials. Agronomy Journal 53, 309–13.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sacker, G. D. (1968). The Ankole-Masaka ranching development project. Proceedings of the Beef Cattle Breeding and Ranching Development Conference, Uganda. 1968.Google Scholar
Thornton, D. D. & Harrington, G. N. (1971). The effect of different stocking rates on the weight gain of Ankole steers on natural grassland in western Uganda. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 76, 97–106.CrossRefGoogle Scholar