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Seasonal grazing distributions of livestock in the communal rangelands of Namaqualand
Author
Tapela, MH
Samuels, IM
Finca, A
Engelbrecht, A
Publisher
XII International Rangeland Congress
Publication Year
2025
Body

The role of indigenous grazing management practices in flexible and sustainable resource use has been widely identified and recognised in the literature. However, these grazing management practices in the semi-arid pastoral areas in Namaqualand in South Africa have not adequately been studied in terms of GPS-based seasonal grazing distribution. This study aimed to assess the seasonal livestock grazing distributional patterns across three communal rangelands in Namaqualand using GPS collars. The objectives w ere to: 1) generate grazing distributional maps to identify patterns of seasonal rangeland use, 2) compare home range and grazing intensity of livestock between seasons, 3) delineate different grazing zones at different times of day known descriptive model of daily indigenous grazing management practices of Namaqualand and 4) contrast seasonal differences within these grazing zones regarding grazing activity. Catlog GPS collars were mounted on livestock and T-LoCoH R package and Google Earth was used to generate grazing distributions maps showing areas most frequently used by livestock (grazing intensity) and daily livestock movement patterns. The results showed that Namaqualand herds grazed a small proportion of their home range regardless of season. Wet-season herds had smaller home range. The area associated with high grazing intensities in both seasons was significantly smaller than at lower grazing levels. No significant differences in mean area associated with seasonal variation within each level of grazing suggests herders are not seasonally altering areas associated with grazing intensity to prevent seasonal over-exploitation of resources. G razing activity is lower in the herded zones than in when unherded. Grazing activity and distance travelled in the herded zones is lower in the wet season but area covered is less as resources are abundant. This suggests that indigenous herding practices in Namaqualand requires vast ecologically aware decision-making processes associated with effective sustainable re source use. We argue that due to the flexibility and adaptability of indigenous grazing managements Namaqualand, herders may increase the area covered at high grazing intensities during the wet season will improve livestock productivity without compromising rangeland condition. Furthermore, contemporary of grazing management systems should be more inclusive of indigenous management as aspects of holistic grazing management have embedded in these practices for a long time.

Language
English
Resource Type
Text
Document Type
Conference Proceedings
Additional Information
This paper is part of the larger XII International Rangelands Congress Proceedings. Page Numbers: 1893-1899. Theme: Theme 6 / Poster presentations – Theme 6
ISSN
978-0-646-72121-7
Conference Name
International Rangeland Congress
Collection
International Rangelands Congress
Keywords
Pastoralism
Indigenous Knowledge Systems
Semi-Arid
Transhumance
Spatial perceptions
Sustainability