The complemental role of dryland cultivated pastures in market‐related beef production from semi‐arid rangeland

Abstract

Rangeland condition is a decisive factor in determining the income:cost ratio of production and hence in the profitability of any beef production enterprise. By maintaining and/or improving rangeland condition, the beef producer can buffer himself against low profitability. Cultivated pastures can play an important role in improving rangeland condition through reducing grazing pressure. The inclusion of planted pasture to reduce pressure on rangelands can only succeed and be propagated if the producer is not financially worse off in the short term. The advantages and disadvantages of introducing cultivated pastures at different stages in the production system on the economic viability, and on reducing grazing pressure on semi‐arid rangeland, are discussed. Research in the Central Grassland has shown that cultivated pasture could be successfully employed in a supplemental role to rangeland. Furthermore, it would appear that it is economically more advantageous to use cultivated pastures for finishing cattle rather than in the pre‐weaning stages.

Veldtoestand bepaal die inkomste:koste verhouding van produksie en dus die winsgewendheid van enige vleisbeespro‐duksiestelsel. Die produsent kan homself gevolglik teen lae winsgewendheid buffer deur die veld in ‘n optimum toestand te hou. Aangeplante weiding kan ‘n belangrike rol speel in die verbetering van veldtoestand deur die verligting van druk op die veld. Die gebruik van aangeplante weidings om druk op die veld te verlig kan slegs slaag en aanbeveel word as die praktyk nie die produsent se finansiele posisie oor die korttermyn benadeel nie. Die voor‐ en nadele van die inskakeling van aangeplante weidings binne ‘n vleisbeesproduksiestelsel, word bespreek in terme van die ekonomiese haalbaarheid daarvan en die potensiaal van die weiding om druk op die veld te verlig. Navorsing in die Sentrale Grasveld het getoon dat aangeplante weiding suksesvol aanvullend tot veld gebruik kan word. Voorts het hierdie werk getoon dat dit ekonomies meer aanvaarbaar is om die weiding na‐speen as voorspeen binne ‘n vleisbeeskudde aan te wend.

Additional index words:

• Economics
• range(land) condition