COMMUNALFARMING
BYSHANEBRODY
ShaneBrodyis involvedinproject
managementaspartofanoutreach
programmeaimedat transferring
skillstocommunalfarmersinpartsof
theformerCiskeiandTranskei.Email
himat [email protected].
Subjectline:Communalfarming.
In ‘rich’ environments
with plenty of moisture,
pastures are very
attractive to ticks
and organisms that
cause conditions
such as foot rot.
Pasture and livestock
management
K
now the correct season for the
planting of pasture crops; know
too there are parts of South Africa
that could be exceptions to the rule. For
example, rye grass is hardy when it comes
to frost, but does not do well in regions
where temperatures get very high. Obtain
expert advice when buying seed.- Seeding depth and density
There are quite a few factors to consider
when planting seed, but, on average,
seed should be planted about 5mm
under the soil surface. Most pasture
seeds can be planted with maize or
wheat planters (just ensure the seed exit
settings are set correctly), but I’ve found
a hand-held seed spreader works very
well with fine seeds, such as lucerne and
clover, particularly on smaller lands. - Planting
Hand spreaders have a bag that holds the
seed and a hand-turning mechanism that
sprays the seed in a semi-circle in front
of you. They’re great, and affordable, for
communities without seed planters.
Remember, however, seeds planted in
this manner need to be covered because
they’re left on the soil surface. There
are numerous ways of doing this if you
don’t have a multitine drag harrow.
I’ve seen a large thorn tree branch
used or even a few car tyres linked
to one another and dragged
over the seeded surface. - Pasture management
For the first month or two, keep the
planted pasture moist and beware of
flood irrigation before the seed shoots
have shown above the ground surface.
If you only have flood irrigation at your
disposal, try to ensure the water doesn’t
flow too swiftly. This might wash a large
number of your seeds from the soil. - Pasture and livestock maintenance
Don’t keep livestock on pastures all
of the time as they will usually eat as
much as they can utilise in a day within
two to six hours. Have an area near
the pastures where dry matter such as
bailed hay or lucerne can be fed ad lib.
Only allow livestock to graze
on pastures about one day after
irrigating the area, because livestock
walking on muddy surfaces can
compact the soil surface too
much and damage plants.
In summer, sprinkler or pivot-type
irrigation pastures will need about
50mm of water each irrigation session;
about 25mm in spring and autumn; and
about 10mm to 12mm during winter.
Note that 50mm of water is quite a
lot and, if you use sprinklers, would
constitute quite a few hours of watering.
With pastures containing ryegrass,
lucerne, Smuts finger or clover, lightly
top dress (spread fertiliser on the surface)
with nitrogen at 20kg/ha to 25kg/ ha
every six months. Then irrigate well as
the nitrogen might burn the plants.- Livestock maintenance
Because of the ‘rich’ environment,
with plenty of moisture, pastures
are very attractive to parasites such
as ticks and organisms that cause
conditions such as foot rot.
As noted, animals grazing
on pastures should have access to dry
matter. It’s also important that sheep,
and particularly lambs, are vaccinated
with a broad spectrum vaccine at
no later than six weeks of age.
PULPY KIDNEY DISEASE
Under these pasture conditions,
lambs are prone to pulpy kidney
disease, as well as internal parasites.
Always be on the lookout for diarrhoea
in lambs, and take dung samples for
parasite testing every two months or so.
When you have dewormed livestock
grazing on pastures, try keeping them
off the pastures for at least seven days so
they can drop the worm load affecting
them away from the pastures.
Dip according to visible prevalence ofticks and other external parasites. (^) ▪FW
BE ON THE LOOKOUT
FOR DIARRHOEA IN
LAMBS AND TAKE
DUNG SAMPLES FOR
PARASITE TESTING
28 farmer’sweekly 30 AUGUST 2019