Authors
L Ludwig, C Huelsebusch
Description
The debate on appropriate stocking rates (SR) increasingly recognizes the importance of variable, targeted and adaptive stocking in response to a temporally variable and spatially heterogeneous resource distribution, particularly in challenging environments such as the Namibian savannah. In common extensive ranching systems, a farmer's scope of action is often limited to flexibly adjusting the number and concentration of livestock to the available forage in space and time. SRs are commonly set according to carrying capacity recommendations which usually have a low spatio-temporal resolution. This may lead to punctual under-and overutilization. The Namibian Rangeland Management Strategy advocates adjusting SR in response to the fodder reserve at the end of the rainy season in May. Based on records of the 9,500 ha commercial cattle and sheep farm Springbockvley (avg. annual rainfall 272 mm, Jun …
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