Traditional Grazing Areas Research Articles

Mapping cumulative pressures on the grazing lands of northern Fennoscandia

Traditional grazing areas in Europe have declined substantially over the last century. Specifically, in northern Fennoscandia, the grazing land is disturbed by cumulative land-use pressures. Here we analysed the configuration of the grazing land for reindeer and sheep in northern Fennoscandia in relation to the concurrent land-use pressures from tourism, road and railway networks, forestry, industrial and wind energy facilities, together with predator presence and climate change. Our results show that 85% of the region is affected by at least one land-use pressure and 60% is affected by multiple land-use pressures, co-occurring with predator presence and rising temperatures. As such, a majority of the grazing land is exposed to cumulative pressures in northern Fennoscandia. We stress that, if the expansion of cumulative pressures leads to grazing abandonment of disturbed areas and grazing intensification in other areas, it could irreversibly change northern vegetation and the Fennoscandian mountain landscape.

Growing struggle over rising demand: How land use change and complex farmer-grazier conflicts impact grazing management in the Western Highlands of Cameroon

Continuous population growth and rapid urbanization rates in West and Central Africa are associated with rising demand for fresh vegetables and animal-based products, providing market opportunities for local producers from the surrounding areas. However, in regions such as northwestern Cameroon where pastoral cattle breeding remains an important part of the local livestock sector, competition over dwindling resources with local crop farmers are increasing due to progressive land-use change from natural and traditional grazing areas into agricultural land.In order to determine the main areas of conflict and their interdependencies, we used a multi-temporal land-use classification and a multi-dimensional participatory approach of collecting spatial data from six representative Mbororo cattle herds, equipped with GPS collars. We combined this with 162 map-based interviews with randomly sampled pastoralists on seasonal grazing areas, grazing management, land ownership, and major constraints to herding. This data set was complemented by the perspectives of 40 randomly sampled crop farmers from four major transhumance zones.Both parties identified farmer-grazier conflicts as a serious constraint for their activities in the rainy season (graziers: 23.9 %; farmers: 22.5 %) and particularly in the dry season (36.3 %; 47.2 %). Land tenure issues will be of critical importance in the future as only very few respondents held an official land title, and pastoralists appeared less prepared for land disputes than crop farmers, who more often claimed land ownership through fencing. Therefore, there is an urgent need for developing and implementing alliance farming strategies that are based on dialogue between both interest groups to avoid further escalation within a region already in a conflict-ridden political environment.

Rewilding traditional grazing areas affects scavenger assemblages and carcass consumption patterns

The abandonment of traditional livestock farming systems in Mediterranean countries is triggering a large-scale habitat transformation, which, in general, consists of the replacement of open grazing areas by woodlands through non-managed regeneration. As a consequence, wild ungulates are occupying rapidly the empty niche left by domestic ungulates. Both types of ungulates represent the main trophic resource for large vertebrate scavengers. However, a comparison of how vertebrate scavengers consume ungulate carcasses in different habitats with different ungulate species composition is lacking. This knowledge is essential to forecast the possible consequences of the current farmland abandonment on scavenger species. Here, we compared the scavenging patterns of 24 wild and 24 domestic ungulate carcasses in a mountainous region of southern Spain monitored through camera trapping. Our results show that carcasses of domestic ungulates, which concentrate in large numbers in open pasturelands, were detected and consumed earlier than those of wild ungulate carcasses, which frequently occur in much lower densities at more heterogenous habitats such as shrublands and forest. Richness and abundance of scavengers were also higher at domestic ungulate carcasses in open habitats. Vultures, mainly griffons (Gyps fulvus), consumed most of the carcasses, although mammalian facultative scavengers, mainly wild boar (Sus scrofa) and red fox (Vulpes vulpes), also contributed importantly to the consumption of wild ungulate carcasses in areas with higher vegetation cover. Our findings evidence that the abandonment of traditional grazing may entail consequences for the scavenger community, which should be considered by ecologists and wildlife managers.

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

Grazing is an important management tool for maintaining healthy ecosystems and improving rangelands productivity. However, its effectiveness for this purpose is dependent on timing and frequency of grazing, as well as the type of animal. Understanding the effects of grazing management on rangeland ecosystems is critical in ensuring sustainable use of grazing resources and enhanced livestock production. This study assessed the effects of holistic grazing on animal productivity and range use pattern in Laikipia County of Kenya. The results revealed that the average milk yields (106 ± 20.1) of animals in holistic grazing areas (HGA) were significantly (p < 0.05) higher than those in traditional grazing areas (TGA) (101 ± 20.1).Weight gain of animals in HGA was significantly (0.13 ± 0.01) higher as compared to those in TGA (0.07 ± 0.01). The number of livestock grazing was significantly (p < 0.05) higher in HGA (74 ± 10 %) than those in TGA (57 ± 10 %). In addition, the number of wildlife grazing was significantly (p < 0.05) higher in HGA (74 ± 18 %) than in TGA (32 ± 18 %). The results indicate that holistic grazing management has the potential to improve animal performance, as well as condition of range areas as evident in the preference shown by frequent visits to HGA by both livestock and wildlife.

Multi‐factorial causes of land‐use change: land‐use dynamics in the agropastoral village of Im Mial, northwestern Syria

AbstractLand‐use dynamics in drylands are complex processes. In the context of a typical agropastoral village in northwestern Syria Im Mial, the effects of demographic and social changes, reduced soil productivity, changes in agricultural technologies and historical events on land use and land productivity are examined. Decreasing yields, mainly the result of reduced fallow periods and low investments in the land, and the deterioration of the grazing resources are the two main signs of the loss of land productivity in the area. The growing population forces the villagers to practise continuous rainfed barley cultivation with no or only occasional fallow, and without any application of plant nutrients. Also, technological changes, from the use of donkey ploughs and hand harvesting to less labour‐intensive and time‐consuming cultivation practices with tractors and combine harvesters, and the increased importance of stubble in the livestock diet have contributed to the reduction of the fallow periods. The villagers attribute the yield decreases mainly to the low rainfall in the area. The high rainfall variability discourages the fallowing of fields because continuous cultivation maximizes the chances for good harvests in years with high rainfall. There is also an expansion of cultivation into the less fertile and sloping traditional grazing areas. Population growth, increased numbers of livestock and the expansion of cultivated land into grazing areas has also put pressure on the grazing resources of the village. The possession of livestock is seen as a sign of wealth and the villagers aim to have large flocks of animals. For them, livestock is also an important means for investment of cash earned from off‐farm work, which is the main source of income for most of the households in the village. There is a recent trend of increasing levels of crop‐livestock integration with less free grazing that produces higher return to the land users. This may also have a positive effect on the restoration and conservation of the degraded natural traditional grazing grounds. The stabilization and productive use of the land resources in this dry environment requires the combined and interdisciplinary effort from both the land‐users and the policy‐makers. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley &amp; Sons, Ltd.

Population Pressure, Land Tenure, and Tree Resource Management in Uganda

This study uses aerial photographs and survey data from sixty four parishes in east-central Uganda to identify the factors affecting conversion of woodlands and traditional grazing areas to agriculture. Regression analysis shows that customary land tenure institutions, greater population pressure and poor access to markets are significant causes of land conversion to agriculture, and hence to loss of trees. Private ownership of converted land promotes greater integration of trees and crops and leads to the highest density of trees on agricultural land. Given that continuing population growth will lead to further land conversion to agriculture, the best prospect for maintaining or increasing tree populations lies with agroforestry on cultivated land.

Effects of Crop Maturity, Weather Conditions and Cutting Height on Yield, Harvesting Losses and Nutritive Value of Cereal–Legume Mixtures Grown for Hay Production

SUMMARYThe introduction of forage or hay crops into fallow land represents a means of increasing feed supplies for small ruminants in north Africa and west Asia. Such fallows lie between zones planted with food crops and traditional grazing areas. Mixtures of vetch with barley, oats or triticale, and peas with barley, were cut at the 10% flowering, 100% flowering (100F) and full pod (FP) stages of the legume component. Effects of crop maturity, weather conditions and cutting height on yield, the chemical composition of the standing crop and re-growth were measured. Barley–vetch mixtures yielded 8147 kg dry matter ha−1 of standing crop at the FP stage in 1983 but only 2283 kg dry matter ha−1 in 1984 under drought conditions. Hay yields were 4377 and 1640 kg dry matter ha−1, respectively. The highest yielding mixture, grown in 1983, was oat–vetch which yielded 8670 kg dry matter ha−1 of standing crop and 4285 kg dry matter ha−1 of hay at the FP stage. Cutting at the 100F or FP stage maximized dry matter yield and minimized the risk of rainfall prolonging hay making. Rain caused slight damage to some hays cut at early stages of maturity. Voluntary intakes and digestibilities of field-cured hays were determined. The voluntary intakes of triticale–vetch hay at the FP stage and all barley–pea hays were low compared with other hays. Hays contained sufficient estimated metabolizable energy (ME) for use in sheep diets during pregnancy and middle or late lactation. ME values averaged 9.2 megajoules per kg dry matter in both 1983 and 1984.

Limitations for Dairy Production in Developing Countries

Animal products (fish, eggs, meat, and milk) provide nearly 53million Mt of edible protein and more than 1 billion Meal of energy per year. This is equivalent to 53% of the protein and 26% of the energy from cereal grains. The 550million Mt of milk provides 53% of all animal protein. Present production is equivalent to .36 liters per capita, but consumption is high in developed countries, .5 to .8 liters per day but less than .2 liters in developing countries. From 1969 to 1978 world milk supplies increased 1.4% peryr, but human population grew 2.1%. Comparing rates of increase in cattle numbers (1.1%) and in milk (1.4%) indicates milk per animal has changed little. Land for agricultural cropping increased 1.1% per year 1969 to 1978. Expansion of cropping into traditional grazing areas and rise in fossil fuel prices has tended to reduce availability of milk in urban centers of developing countries. Elasticity of demand for milk in developing countries is high, but general market growth is slow because of limits in income growth by the majority of the population.Many developing countries are giving greater emphasis to milk supplies and are seeking bank loans to support development of infrastructure for dairying both on and off farms. Growth in milk must come largely from small farms which will require identification of constraints and development of appropriate technology. On subsistence farms there is a high dependence on animals to provide goods and services of nonfood nature which also will require consideration in developing milk supplies. Potential for growth of milk supplies in developing countries is high and affords an excellent opportunity for dairy scientists in the United States to assist in training and research.

Dietary Change in a Sudan Village following Locust Visitation

Opening ParagraphThe village of Ulu lies at about latitude 10° N. between the White Nile and the Blue Nile in the southern part of the Fung area of the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan. The surrounding country is mostly thin savannah on black cotton soil but there are occasional outcrops of laterite as at Ulu itself. Water-holes are found and may be made in the larger watercourses after these have dried up at the termination of the rainy season. The dry season is roughly December to May. The inhabitants of Ulu call themselves Fung and are black Moslems of a possibly aboriginal stock. Wandering Araboid nomads of the Mesallamia and other tribes with camels, cattle, sheep, and goats may be encountered visiting traditional grazing areas. The Fung of Ulu cultivate millet, cow-peas and sesame seed as subsistence crops and in normal times surplus is bartered with the nomads for animals and no doubt clarified butter also. A small amount of cash is obtained by the gathering of acacia gum which is disposed of through the local Arab merchant.