A fodder flow/animal experiment 40,8 ha in extent (7,5 ha irrigated), with 19 paddocks, was carried out over a two and a half year period. The aims were: firstly, to compare fodder crops within seasons, and fodder flows over three seasons (winter?spring?summer), by means of pasture and animal parameters; secondly, to make economic comparisons between different fodder flows, for growing out beef steers. The conclusions were that: Digitaria eriantha ssp. eriantha is superior to Eragrostis curvula cv. Ermelo for animal production; maize residue gives economically favourable results due to low costs and compensatory growth of cattle; an irrigated pasture providing fodder in more than one season of a flow, for example, Festuca foggage ? Festuca pasture ? Digitaria pasture, gives a very profitable fodder flow, because the costs of production are divided between two seasons; dryland fodder flows with the sequence maize residue ? silage or hay ? Digitaria or, with silage or hay replacing the maize residue, were also very profitable; and, the fodder flow giving the highest livemass gain per steer, is not necessarily the most economic. Different kinds and classes of livestock require different fodder flows.
Journal articles from the Grassland Society of Southern Africa (GSSA) African Journal of Range and Forage Science as well as related articles and reports from throughout the southern African region.