| dc.description.abstract | Range lands are known to be degraded. Livestock grazing as the major economic activity is the major factor contributing to range land degradation. And as a result, its components are altered especially vegetation. The major objective of this research was to determine the effect of grazing management on pasture species composition and biomass production, therefore species composition and biomass were determined. Species composition was obtained by cutting pastures at ground level and counting them according to each species. They were then air dried and then oven dried to obtain biomass. Highest species composition (number of species) was obtained under no grazing (208) followed by continuous (200) and then paddock grazing system(111). The highest species diversity and evenness was obtained where there was no grazing (H1=1.1226) compared to continuous grazing system (H1 = 1.0273) and the least species diversity and evenness was obtained under paddock grazing (H1 = 0.6349). The highest species dominance was obtained from paddock grazing system (D = 0.7590) followed by Continuous grazing (D = 0.4630) and the least dominance was obtained under no grazing (D = 0.4147).The highest biomass was obtained from continuous grazing system (7400 kg/ha) followed by the area where there was no grazing with (6800) kg/ha and the least biomass was obtained from paddock grazing system (3500 kg/ha).The highest species similarity was obtained between paddock and grazing system (J= 0.95) and then continuous and no grazing (J= 0.65) and the least species similarity was obtained between continuous and paddock grazing (J= 0.6). From this research it can be concluded that species composition and biomass production do not improve with paddock grazing. This study therefore recommends pasture improvement in all grazing systems in order to increase the species composition and biomass production and also match the intensity of grazing especially in continuous grazing system. Range lands are known to be degraded. Livestock grazing as the major economic activity is the major factor contributing to range land degradation. And as a result, its components are altered especially vegetation. The major objective of this research was to determine the effect of grazing management on pasture species composition and biomass production, therefore species composition and biomass were determined. Species composition was obtained by cutting pastures at ground level and counting them according to each species. They were then air dried and then oven dried to obtain biomass. Highest species composition (number of species) was obtained under no grazing (208) followed by continuous (200) and then paddock grazing system(111). The highest species diversity and evenness was obtained where there was no grazing (H1 = 1.1226) compared to continuous grazing system (H1 = 1.0273) and the least species diversity and evenness was obtained under paddock grazing (H1 = 0.6349). The highest species dominance was obtained from paddock grazing system (D = 0.7590) followed by Continuous grazing (D = 0.4630) and the least dominance was obtained under no grazing (D = 0.4147).The highest biomass was obtained from continuous grazing system (7400 kg/ha) followed by the area where there was no grazing with (6800) kg/ha and the least biomass was obtained from paddock grazing system (3500 kg/ha).The highest species similarity was obtained between paddock and grazing system (J= 0.95) and then continuous and no grazing (J= 0.65) and the least species similarity was obtained between continuous and paddock grazing (J= 0.6). From this research it can be concluded that species composition and biomass production do not improve with paddock grazing. This study therefore recommends pasture improvement in all grazing systems in order to increase the species composition and biomass production and also match the intensity of grazing especially in continuous grazing system. Range lands are known to be degraded. Livestock grazing as the major economic activity is the major factor contributing to range land degradation. And as a result, its components are altered especially vegetation. The major objective of this research was to determine the effect of grazing management on pasture species composition and biomass production, therefore species composition and biomass were determined. Species composition was obtained by cutting pastures at ground level and counting them according to each species. They were then air dried and then oven dried to obtain biomass. Highest species composition (number of species) was obtained under no grazing (208) followed by continuous (200) and then paddock grazing system(111). The highest species diversity and evenness was obtained where there was no grazing (H1=1.1226) compared to continuous grazing system (H1 = 1.0273) and the least species diversity and evenness was obtained under paddock grazing (H1= 0.6349). The highest species dominance was obtained from paddock grazing system (D = 0.7590) followed by Continuous grazing (D = 0.4630) and the least dominance was obtained under no grazing (D = 0.4147).The highest biomass was obtained from continuous grazing system (7400 kg/ha) followed by the area where there was no grazing with (6800) kg/ha and the least biomass was obtained from paddock grazing system (3500 kg/ha).The highest species similarity was obtained between paddock and grazing system (J= 0.95) and then continuous and no grazing (J= 0.65) and the least species similarity wasobtained between continuous and paddock grazing (J= 0.6). From this research it can be concluded that species composition and biomass production do not improve with paddock grazing. This study therefore recommends pasture improvement in all grazing systems in order to increase the species composition and biomass production and also match the intensity of grazing especially in continuous grazing system. Range lands are known to be degraded. Livestock grazing as the major economic activity is the major factor contributing to range land degradation. And as a result, its components are altered especially vegetation. The major objective of this research was to determine the effect of grazing management on pasture species composition and biomass production, therefore species composition and biomass were determined. Species composition was obtained by cutting pastures at ground level and counting them according to each species. They were then air dried and then oven dried to obtain biomass. Highest species composition (number of species) was obtained under no grazing (208) followed by continuous (200) and then paddock grazing system(111). The highest species diversity and evenness was obtained where there was no grazing (H1=1.1226) compared to continuous grazing system (H1 = 1.0273) and the least species diversity and evenness was obtained under paddock grazing (H1= 0.6349). The highest species dominance was obtained from paddock grazing system (D = 0.7590) followed by Continuous grazing (D = 0.4630) and the least dominance was obtained under no grazing (D = 0.4147).The highest biomass was obtained from continuous grazing system (7400 kg/ha) followed by the area where there was no grazing with (6800) kg/ha and the least biomass was obtained from paddock grazing system (3500 kg/ha).The highest species similarity was obtained between paddock and grazing system (J= 0.95) and then continuous and no grazing (J= 0.65) and the least species similarity was obtained between continuous and paddock grazing (J= 0.6). From this research it can be concluded that species composition and biomass production do not improve with paddock grazing. This study therefore recommends pasture improvement in all grazing systems in order to increase the species composition and biomass production and also match the intensity of grazing especially in continuous grazing system.v | en_US |
