Livestock species (and breeds) and the rangeland environment

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1. Cattle breeds (Small East African Zebu / Borana Cattle)

 - To avoid increase in body temperatures and maximize heat loss when animals are
subjected to high ambient rangeland temperatures, the amount of heat produced by the
body must equal the amount dissipated to the surrounding environment.
 - B. Indicus (Zebu, Galla) – greater ability to produce sweat (have higher density of
large and more superficially located sweat glands), light coloured coat, sleeker and
shinier thus higher resistance to outer influx of heat flow from the environment, skin
appendages (hairs, glands) increase the surface area of the skin therefore specifically
contributing to lowering metabolic rate (reduce amount of heat produced and
increasing heat dissipation), cervo-thoracic hump – hump fat allows decreased body
fat deposition throughout the body, resulting in increased heat dissipation.
Furthermore, the hump is an additional appendage that contributes to the increase of
body surface area, high tolerance to tick infestations and tick-borne diseases, high
capacity to digest fodders with high dietary fibre content.

2. Goats (Small East African Goat, Galla (Boran/Somali Goats)

 - Small East African goat – kept primarily for meat, hardy to survive harsh
rangelands environment, high tolerance to heart water disease (endemic tick-borne
disease) and Trypanasomiasis, high fertility, good in livestock
breeding/improvements, low growth rate
 - Galla goat – larger than the small East African goat, docile and easy to handle, after
a long dry spell, they compensate for the loss in body condition by a high growth,
higher milk production than Small East African Goat, resistant to gastro-intestinal
parasites and tolerates drought, better foundation stock than small East African goat
for breeding e.g. with Toggenburg, heat tolerant (mostly while in colour – reflect
light)

3. Sheep (Red Maasai Sheep, Black Head Somali Sheep)

 - Fat tailed sheep (e.g. Red Maasai Sheep), are characterized by a deposition of fat at
the level of the hind quarters.
 - Fat tailed sheep usually shed their hair – body temperature regulation.
 - Adipose tissues accumulating in the tail fat are readily mobilized in case of
prolonged periods of drought/food scarcity, and correspondingly tend to decrease its
size during periods of weight loss. This uneven distribution of body fat, just like in the
Zebu hump, is an appendage favouring heat dissipation.

The tall and slender ‘low volume’ type of bodies of fat tailed sheep - important
adaptations to periods of heat stress characteristic of dry climates. Additionally, the
longer legs are particularly suitable for travelling long distances in search of pasture,
water and nomadic lifestyles of herders.

Fat tailed sheep are also considered to be more tolerant to diseases and parasites.

4. Camel (One hump camel)

- Fat deposition (localized) in the hump – to enable the camel to survive long periods of
without food and water (fat is respired for water). Additionally, the uneven distribution of
body fat, just like in the Zebu hump, is an appendage favouring heat dissipation.

- Thick leathery patches on the knees – protect the camel from getting burns when it kneels
on the hot sand.

- Two rows of long eye lashes – to protect against the blowing sand and the sun.

- Broad flat, leathery pads at the bottom of the hoof – the pads spread out when the camel
places its feet on the ground, thus creating a ‘snowshoe effect’ thus preventing the camel
from sinking into the sand.

- Long strong legs – keeps the body away from the hot sand and enables the camel trek long
distances in search of water/pasture, also help carrying heavy loads.

- Thick far and under-wool – to provide warmth during cold desert nights, and insulation
against daytime heat.

- Closing nostrils – keep out blowing sand.

- Leathery mouth – enables the camel to enjoy a varied diet, ranging from grass, bark, horns
and prickly fruits...!!

Livestock as a tool of managing rangelands

1. Conserving and enhancing natural resources – livestock grazing enhances habitats and
native biological diversity.

- Livestock grazing is essential for maintaining habitat for many native plants and animals in
the rangelands.

- Most of the non-native plants that dominate rangelands grow profusely, producing large
amounts of plant biomass, that can smother (choke, out-compete) indigenous plants and ruin
habitat, unless kept in check by livestock grazing.

- In addition to assisting manage the excessive plant matter produced by non-natives plants,
grazing plays an important role in keeping rangelands open and preventing their conversion
to shrub lands (less biomass, high incidences of pests/diseases).

2.Managing and reducing fire fuels – livestock grazing reduces fire fuels more effectively
than most mechanical methods.

- Rangelands not grazed create high levels of fine fire fuels, which can pose fire hazard.

- Furthermore, invasion of ungrazed lands by shrubs also creates long-term fire fuel issues.

- Generally, increased shrub cover from removal of grazing causes a general increase in fire
hazard within the open rangelands.
- Livestock grazing is the most cost-efficient and practical fuel management method in the
rangelands.

3. Manage weeds – Weed invasion into rangeland communities most often result in reduced
biodiversity, increased soil erosion, degradation of wildlife habitat, and reduced carrying
capacity for livestock.

- Although grazing can increase some weeds, appropriate levels of grazing can actually help
manage many other weeds (prescribed grazing).

- Weedy species (non-native, annual and perennial grasses) can be managed with targeted
grazing.

- E.g. Euphorbia esula (noxious weed – leafy spurge) – is avoided by cattle, but readily
grazed by sheep and goats, finding it a nutritious and desirable forage and selecting it before
resorting to eating grasses. It’s important to note that goats chewing and digestive process
destroys the seeds, so the eaten seeds are not replanted.

- Other species – Lantana camara, Acacia mellifera

Rangelands Utilisation (Over-utilization vs proper use)

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Over-use (rangelands degradation) and rangeland improvements

- Increased livestock population combined with scarcity of feed (forage), leads to continuous
pressure on the marginal lands (rangelands), demanding it to produce feed, and it eventually
leads to significant degradation (desertification).

- Overuse can simply be described as utilizing an excessive amount of current year’s growth
which, if continued, will result in range deterioration.

- Overgrazing – defined as the repeated heavy grazing that results in deterioration of the
plant community. True overgrazing is when continued grazing exceeds the recovery capacity
of the plant community and causes a shift in plant composition and soil condition, away from
a desired community.

- Rangelands degradation - Rangeland degradation refers to reduction in the quantity or

nutritional quality of the vegetation available for grazing. Reduced capacity of the rangelands
to produce goods and services for use (human/livestock). (Causes - Human vs Climatic
factors causing drought).

- The major concern therefore is the progressive loss of productivity and diversity.
- Severely degraded rangelands may not return to their original state, even when rested for
decades, especially rangelands with a relatively short evolutionary exposure to

mammalian herbivory.
- Productivity – the capacity of the rangeland vegetation to support herbivores can
decrease as a result of changes in the size, density and growth of the forage plants. Perennial
forage species that are palatable to domestic livestock produce fewer seeds and surviving
seedlings in heavily grazed rangelands than those grazed lightly. The age structure of
frequently defoliated forage plants populations become skewed to the older age classes,
because there are not enough seedlings and young plants to replace senescent individuals.

- Biodiversity – there is shift to assemblages dominated by toxic and spinescent woody

plants. This change in composition comes about because plant species that are ignored by
domestic livestock will eventually have a competitive advantage (also invaders).

- Overgrazing and prolonged poorly managed grazing leads to;

 Removal of desirable plants

 Decrease water infiltration into the soil
 Increase soil erosion
 Reduce water quality
 Increase weed invasion
 Alter the plant community composition to a less desirable state.