(b)i. Define the term pasture ii. State four ways in which grass-legume mixture is important in livestock production (c) State six characteristics of rangelands
Explanation
(a) Completion of Table on Forage: (i) Elephant grass (ii) Calopo/calopogomium (iii) Legume (iv) Stylosanthesgracilis/guinansis/hamata/humilis/scabia (v) Legume (vi) Guinea grass (vi) Grass (viii) Macuna
(b)(i) Definition of pasture: A piece of land on which grass and/ or legumes/herbage species are naturally found or deliberately grown for feeding livestock. (ii) Importance of grass-legume mixture in livestock production: - Provide a variety of forage. - Provides high nutrient content balanced diet. - Conserves soil water/ reduces evaporation. - Grass improves soil structure. - Control erosion. - Yield of pasture is improved. - Legumes supply nitrogen to the soil, thus enriching it. - lncreases the energy level for livestock/food. - Suppresses the growth of weeds. - Forage combination is more acceptable to animals. - Improves the nutrient level of forage.
(c) Characteristics of rangeland; - Contains a variety of forage. - Provides shade for animals. - Can withstand trampling by farm animals - High regenerative ability. - Produces high yield of forage crops if properly managed. - Habours disease - Labour - Labours pests. - Extensive area of land for grazing/high density. - Produces abundant seeds - Prone frequent tire outbreak. - Low nutritive value.