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Publication Details
AFRICAN RESEARCH NEXUS
SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON AFRICAN RESEARCH
agricultural and biological sciences
Perspective article: The evolving use of stocking rate indices currently based on animal number and type in semi‐arid heterogeneous landscapes and complex land‐use systems
African Journal of Range and Forage Science, Volume 15, No. 3, Year 1998
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Description
Methods of determining stocking rate based on metabolic mass, animal type and biomass are reviewed in the context of equilibrial/disequilibrial paradigms. In South Africa, the calculation of ‘carrying capacity’ is based on conversion of animal species to metabolic mass equivalents. This assumes homogenous systems that tend to some point of equilibrium. It is applied widely in commercial livestock systems involving one or two species. Examination of a case study in the Lowveld of the Northern Province, South Africa, showed that the determination of ‘stocking rate’ in this multi‐herbivore and heterogenous system, overestimated the ‘carrying capacity’ of the reserve over 20 years. The actual animal numbers in the system dropped by approximately 4 000 kg km−2 after a drought in the early period of the study into the bounds as determined by a model incorporating rainfall and animal biomass. An approach to determine stocking density using animal type, biomass, rainfall and vegetation parameters is suggested. The development of this as a coarse‐scale (regional) and ranch‐specific model to cover a range of scales and heterogeneity in key resources is advocated. © 1998 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.
Authors & Co-Authors
Peel, Mike John Stephen
South Africa, Pretoria
Arc-range and Forage Institute
Biggs, Harry C.
South Africa, Skukuza
National Parks
Zacharias, Peter J.K.
South Africa, Durban
University of Kwazulu-natal
Statistics
Citations: 38
Authors: 3
Affiliations: 3
Identifiers
Doi:
10.1080/10220119.1998.9647953
ISSN:
10220119
Research Areas
Genetics And Genomics
Noncommunicable Diseases
Study Design
Case Study
Study Approach
Qualitative
Study Locations
South Africa