Controlled grazing: botanical response and animal performance.

Abstract

AbstractA study was conducted at Siragourou and Nérékoro, two villages within Madiama Commune, Mali, to determine the influence of the tethered grazing methods on plant diversity and to evaluate animal performance in terms of weight gains under tethered grazing. The experiment involved two treatments: 3 cm versus 6 cm forage residual heights, each replicated four times. In Nérékoro, ground cover was at an acceptable level (40-100%) regardless of treatments. In general, grazing appeared to increase species diversity when compared to initial assessments. Dactylotenium aegyptium and Panicum laetum were the dominant grass species. In Siragourou, the pasture had significantly less ground cover than at the beginning of the grazing season. The legume Zornia sp., observed early in the grazing season, remained dominant at the end of the season. The grasses Schoenfeldia gracilis and Eragrostis sp. were most dominant. In both locations, the animals gained 1-3 kg over the season. Animals grazing the 3 cm residual height moved much more slowly through the cycle than those grazing to 6 cm residual height. Also, grazing on the 3 cm residual height treatment paddocks appeared to be much more severe on most plant species (less regrowth and more bare ground) than it did on the 6 cm residual height paddocks.