(a) Explain the following terms as used in pasture and range management. (i) fodder; (ii) paddocking: (iii) reseeding; (iv) stocking rate; (v) natural pastu...

(a) Terms in pasture and range management

• (i) Fodder: Plant material, fresh or preserved, that is cut and carried to feed livestock.
• (ii) Paddocking: Dividing a pasture into small fenced units (paddocks) so that animals graze one part at a time in rotation.
• (iii) Reseeding: Sowing pasture seeds again to re-establish or improve a sward that has thinned out.
• (iv) Stocking rate: The number of animals kept on a unit area of land for a given period.
• (v) Natural pasture: Pasture made up of grasses and legumes that grow on their own without being planted by man.

(b) Five factors affecting establishment of pasture in West Africa

• Amount and distribution of rainfall (moisture).
• Soil type and fertility.
• Temperature and climate.
• Quality and viability of the seed used.
• Grazing management (overgrazing) and bush burning.

(c) Five ways weeds are of economic importance in livestock production

• They compete with pasture for nutrients, water, light and space, reducing pasture yield.
• Some weeds are poisonous and can kill or sicken livestock.
• They harbour pests and disease organisms.
• Thorny weeds injure grazing animals.
• They lower the palatability and quality of the pasture and raise the cost of managing it.