Effects of legume reinforcement of veld on the performance of beef steers.

Abstract

To measure the effect of legume reinforcement of veld on animal production, a 24 ha block of reverted granite sandveld dominated by Hyparrhenia filipendula was fenced into 8 equal-sized paddocks, 4 of which were seeded with legumes. Two paddocks were seeded in December 1971 with a mixture of Stylosanthes humilis, S. guianensis var. guianensis cv. Schofield and an erect-growing strain, S. guanensis var. intermedia cv. Oxley (fine-stem stylo) and, S. fruiticosa and two in January 1973 with a mixture of fine-stem stylo and Macroptillium atropurpureum cv. Siratro. Full-time grazing of the trial started in June 1973 with a cattle policy aimed at growing out weaner steers and then removing them after a year for pen finishing. Until January 1975 both sets of paddocks were stocked at the same rate; after that more cattle were carried on the legume-reinforced paddocks. The mean annual gain per head was 118 kg on the control of 161 kg on the reinforced veld. Mean annual bodymass gains per hectare were 116 and 177 kg respectively. The rates of gain of the two groups of steers were similar during the main growing season but cattle on the legume-reinforced veld performed better during the late growing season and the dry season. The density of fine-stem stylo increased during the course of the trial while that of the other strains of Stylosanthes and of Siratro decreased.

Keywords: animal production; beef steers; cattle; granite; grasslands research station; grazing; hyparrhenia filipendula; legumes; macroptilium atropurpureum; marandellas; performance; production; reinforcement; rhodesia; sandveld; stylosanthes fruticosa; stylosanthes guianensis; stylosanthes humilis; veld; zimbabwe