The main impact of the past four years’ drought has been a decline in veld production, which has caused a marked decline in grazing capacity.
Growth vigour has declined sharply, and in many parts of the country, grazing capacity is currently 50% lower than the average long-term grazing capacity.
The basics of grazing
A farm can be considered an ecosystem in which ecological interaction takes place between plants, animals and the environment.
Grazing ecosystems can be divided into three main components: inputs, energy flow and output. Plants produce energy from inputs such as sunlight energy, climate and soil. This plant energy is then made available to livestock in the form of grazing.
Plant growth obviously forms the core of the grazing ecosystem, as plants provide food for animals, protect the soil and are the main providers of the organic matter that has a direct impact on the physical and chemical fertility of the soil.
Losses caused by the degradation of the veld and erosion should be kept as low as possible to ensure maximum output in terms of animal production.
“Farmers, as managers of these ecosystems, should see to it that the veld remains in good condition to ensure that the maximum energy is made available to animals. Should
the veld be overgrazed, the energy demand from animals will exceed the energy supply from the veld, resulting in degradation and feed shortages,” Van der Westhuizen explains.
The devastating effect of the drought resulted in plants dying off.
“This meant a decline in the basalt cover of the veld. The tempo of grazing regeneration depends on rainfall, while veld management, stocking rates and the condition of the veld also have an impact,” he says.
Very few areas of the country were left unscathed by the drought, but the intensity varied between farms. The drought lasted for four years, and in some cases, five. North West, for example, has recorded lower-than-average rainfall for the past five years.
In the fourth quarter of 2016, parts of Olifantshoek, Hopetown, Petrusburg and Theunissen were still desperately dry. Veld production in these areas was lower than 5% of the long-term average in October last year.
The good news, according to Van der Westhuizen, is that drought damage to veld is not permanent. With good management, the situation can be turned around. Drought has always been part of the South African landscape and the vegetation has adapted accordingly.
However, the recuperation of the veld depends on sound management. The condition of the veld determines, to a large extent, the risks associated with livestock production and game farming, and extensive livestock and game farmers should regard the veld as their most valuable asset.
“Management prior to a drought, as well as [when] the rain starts, are two of the most important factors that have an influence on the recuperation of the veld. The biodiversity in a grazing ecosystem usually results in the veld being resistant to drought, and depends on proper management,” he explains.
Poor grazing management, especially pertaining to veld already under stress before the start of drought, is one of the most important contributing factors to the devastation caused by the drought.
Stocking rates that exceed grazing capacity further add to the negative impact. During the recent drought, the problem was exacerbated by the fact that the drought was preceded by a relatively wet period, which prompted producers to systematically increase livestock numbers.
Producers then failed to reduce livestock numbers timeously, which caused a shortage of fodder flow. The rapid rotation of animals between camps after some rain fell added to the deterioration of grazing.
