An evaluation of dryland legume and legume-grass pastures based on lucerne and red clover, with sheep, using a put-and-take system in the Outeniqua area of the southern Cape

Abstract

The production of a pure lucerne (Medicago sativa) pasture, two lucerne-grass pastures and two red clover (Trifolium pratense)grass pastures was compared at two grazing pressures (3.5 and 4.0kg DM per small stock unit d^–1 in the Outeniqua area, using Mutton Merino sheep in a put-and-take system of grazing. The four legume grass pastures consisted of mixtures of the two legumeswith combinations of tallfescue (Festuca arundinacea), phalaris (Phalaris aquatica) and brome grass (Bromus uniloides). The average production in terms of dry matter, stocking rate, average daily gain and total live weight gain of the three lucerne-based pastures was higher and more constant than that of pastures asedon red clover. Lucerne was also a more persistent legume component than red clover. Choice of grass species had very little influenceon production and the inclusion of grassin both lucerne- and clover-based pastures did not improve production. Pastures with a brome grass component, however, tended to be higher-producing than the other legume-grass pastures based on lucerne are the most productive dryland pastures for this area.

Keywords: Average daily gain, Bromus, Festuca, Mutton Merino sheep, Phalaris, botany; brome grass; Bromus unioloides; daily gain; evaluation; Festuca arundinacea; legumes; lucerne; Medicago sativa; Outeniqua; pastures; phalaris; Phalaris aquatica; red clover; sheep; South Africa; southern Cape; tall fesc

African Journal of Range & Forage Science 1995 12(1): 1–6