The potential for forage accumulated during periodic long rests to provide valuable winter grazing for livestock in heavily stocked communal rangelands in sourveld was assessed. In a continuously-grazed commonage at Ntshiqo in the Eastern Cape, South Africa, we measured seasonal patterns of biomass accumulation and forage quality under a short season rest (October–January), a full summer rest (October–June), and an extended year rest (June 2014–October 2015). Forage quality was expected to decline with increasing biomass accumulation. The full season rest produced twice as much (almost 1 ton ha−1) biomass than the short season rest. Up to 1.5 tons ha−1 more forage accumulated in the exclosures in the extended year rest, compared with the surrounding grazed grassland, but about 15% of the standing dry matter was lost through frost and senescence from the rested areas during winter. Forage quality (crude protein, phosphorus) declined from summer to winter and was similar in all rested and grazed areas, except for 4% higher acid detergent fibre (ADF) for the full- versus the short-summer rest. For commonage in sourveld, periodic full season rests (spring to autumn), followed by winter grazing with a protein lick and a spring burn, are recommended.

中文翻译：

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南非东开普省公共放牧区的休息酸价值

评估了在定期长休期间积累的草料为苏维尔德大量放牧的公共牧场中的牲畜提供有价值的冬季放牧的潜力。在南非东开普省 Ntshiqo 的一个连续放牧的公用地中，我们测量了短季节休息（10 月至 1 月）、完整夏季休假（10 月至 6 月）和延长的年休假（2014 年 6 月至 2015 年 10 月）。随着生物量积累的增加，预计牧草质量会下降。全季休息产生的生物量是短季休息的两倍（几乎 1 吨 ha−1）。与周围放牧草地相比，延长年休期间围栏内积累的草料最多可增加 1.5 吨 ha−1，但在冬季，静止区域约 15% 的静止干物质因霜冻和衰老而流失。牧草质量（粗蛋白、磷）从夏季到冬季下降，并且在所有休息区和放牧区都相似，除了整个夏季休息时间与短时间休息时间相比，酸性洗涤纤维 (ADF) 高 4%。对于sourveld 的共同点，建议定期全季休息（春季到秋季），然后是冬季放牧，蛋白质舔舐和春季烧伤。