The effect of introducing stylo (Stylosanthes guyanensis) into veld on animal production in the middleveld of Swaziland

Abstract

Previous research had shown that the introduction of stylo (Stylosanthes guyanensis) into veld brought about a considerable increase in herbage production and an improvement in herbage quality. In order to investigate the effects on beef production, of sod‐seeding veld with stylo, weight gains of steers in two treated four‐acre camps were compared with those in two untreated camps. No differences were apparent during the first season, but in the second season weight gains per acre were about 64 per cent higher in the treated than in the control camps. It is concluded that sod‐seeding with stylo is promising as an economical method of raising animal production off veld in subtropical areas of good rainfall.

UITTREKSEL

Vorige navorsing het gewys dat die inskakeling van stylo (Stylosanthes guyanensis) in die veld ‘n aansienlike ver‐hoging van voerproduksie meebring asook ‘n verbetering in voerkwaliteit. Om die effek van insaaiing van stylo in die veld op beesproduksie te ondersoek, is die gewigsvermeerdertng van osse in twee behandelde 4‐acre kampe vergegelyk met dié in twee onbehandelde kampe. Gedurende die eerste seisoen is geen verskil waargeneem nie maar in die tweede seisoen was die gewigsvermeerdering per acre omtrent 64 persent hoër in die behandelde‐ as in die kontrole kampe. Die gevolgtrekking is dat insaaiing van stylo belofte inhou as ‘n ekonomiese metode om diereproduksie op veld te verhoog in subtropiese gebiede met ‘n goeie reënval.

Notes

Now at: Estcourt Research Unit, Estcourt, Natal.