Ranching in Grazing sub-system Semi-Arid Zones - LGS3

Extensive ranches have been established by private owners, private societies or Governments in the semi-arid tropics. In such environments, ranching uses native pastures with the minimum of investment, at low density of cattle or sheep. Sometimes the ranch is divided into paddocks by fences, allowing a kind of rotational grazing. Some ranches are improved or maintained by removing and burning dense scrubs, sowing grasses or legumes, planting forage trees or cacti, or cropping annual forage. More intensive production units for milk production or feed lots use fodder produced on farm or outside in cropping areas. This farming system, refering to the Indian subcontinent, can be considered as a mixed system.

Ranching in semi-arid zones is mainly found in some parts of eastern and southern Africa, in the eastern coast of Central America, the Chaco in South America and in Australia. In Africa, this sub-system has been formerly encouraged, but only a few ranches still remain.

The environmental impact of livestock in such ranches principally concerns the vegetation : effect of grazing pressure on plant dynamics, effect of overgrazing on degradation, effect of pasture maintenance on species diversity.

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