Get reliable science

The conventional systems of veld management have a number of shortcomings, the main one being that the period of absence from grazing during the growing period is normally too short. This is due to the fact that a particular group of animals is allocated to a specific set of camps for the whole growing season. A more flexible system of veld management would allow the grazing procedure to be manipulated in such a way that the period of absence could be varied in relation to the rate of regrowth of the grass. The application of such a flexible system would involve the following: (a) the minimum number of camps required is calculated on the basis of at least four to five camps for each group of animals; (b) one quarter of the area of veld is rested; (c) the remaining camps are grazed whenever sufficient regrowth has taken place, and no group of animals is confined to particular camps or set of camps; (d) each camp is well grazed down and the number of camps grazed for the season will depend on weather conditions; during a dry year, more camps will be grazed and fewer camps during a wet year; (e) the camps grazed most selectively, are rested during the following season; and (f) burning of the veld is confined to those camps that have been rested during the previous year.