HOLISTIC PLANNED GRAZING CAN IMPROVE VEGETATION ATTRIBUTES OF THE SEMI- ARID COMMUNAL RANGELANDS OF THE LOWVELD IN THE EASTERN CAPE, SOUTH AFRICAMUDYIWA, S.M., BEYENE, S.T., MOPIPI, K. AND JAJA I.F.Abstract Most South African rangelands face widespread degradation due to poor grazing management practices. Development agents are encouraging communal livestock farmers to adopt holistic planned grazing (HPG) management as an alternative to conventional grazing. Holistic grazing is considered to enhance rangeland vegetation, secure forage for livestock and wildlife and conserve environment. Therefore, a study was conducted to examine the effects of grazing management on botanical composition, species diversity and biomass yield in the semi-arid rangelands in the lowveld region of the Eastern Cape province, South Africa. We sampled three communal-HPG (CHPG), communal-continuous (CC) grazing camps, and two adjacent commercial-rotational (CR) farms. Twenty-three herbaceous species were identified in all study sites. Eragrostis chloromelas and Aristida congesta dominated all grazing systems with more productive species such as Themeda triandra and Digitaria eriantha being more abundant at CCHPG than CC grazing. Mean value for biomass yield in the dry season was higher in CR than CCHPG and CC. There were no significant differences (P>0.05) in NAPP, species diversity, richness and evenness. The study showed that CR grazing remains superior in biomass productivity. Nonetheless, if given enough attention, HPG can enhance vegetation conditions in degraded communal lands and improve rangeland productivity for sustainable livestock production. |