3110 PASTURE AGRONOMY

2. Lecturer: Prof. E.N. Sabiiti, B.Sc. Agric., M.Sc. Agric., PhD (Fellow TWAS).

Department of Crop Science,

Room 218, Faculty of Agriculture,

Makerere University

Full time Lecturer

3. Course Type: CORE (B.Sc. Agric)

4. COURSE STRUCTURE

Course Credits (CU): 2 CU (30 Contact Hours per semester)

Course Duration: 15 weeks (15 LH, 30 PH)

5. COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course introduces students pursuing a degree in Bachelor of Science in Agriculture to the general principles of pasture production and management, and forage utilization by livestock. The major themes of this course are (i) the performance of natural pastures and steps that can be taken to improve and sustain their productivity in terms of forage yield and quality (ii) the agronomic principles of establishing and managing sown (ley) pastures and fodder crops (iii) the methods of efficient utilization of forage and strategies for ensuring regular forage supply all-the year round.

6. COURSE OBJECTIVES

General Objectives

·  To increase the students’ awareness of the importance of pastures to humanity and the nation at large.

·  To equip students with knowledge and skill necessary for increased production and management of pastures and efficient utilization of forage.

Specific Objectives

·  To explain the role of grasslands in the national economy and human welfare.

·  To suggest measures that can be taken to improve and maintain the productivity of natural pastures

·  To outline the procedure followed when establishing ley/sown pastures and fodder gardens

·  To explain the strategies that can be employed to promote efficient and sustainable utilisation of Uganda’s natural grasslands.

7. RECOMMENDED REFERENCES FOR READING

·  Barnes, R.F., Nelson, C.J., Collins, M.A. and Moore, K.J. (Eds.). 2003. Forages: An introduction to grassland agriculture. Volume 1. 6th Edition. Iowa State Press. A Blackwell Publishing Company.

·  E N Sabiiti and Tegegne. 2004. Dryland Husbandry and Development in Uganda: Community participation and development. ISBN 1904855423. OSSREA/Makerere University.

·  McGilloway, D.A. 2005. Grassland: A Global Resource. XX International Grassland Congress, 2005. Wagenningen Academic Publishers.

·  Milne, J.A. 2005. Pastoral systems in marginal environments. Proceedings of a satellite workshop of the XXth International Grassland Congress, July 2005, Glasgow, Scotland

·  Lemaire, G., Hodgson, J., de Moraes, A., de F. Calvalho, P.C. and Nabinger, C. (Eds.). 2000. Grassland Ecophysiology and grazing ecology. CAB International Publishing.

·  Harris, 2000. Grassland Resource Assessment For Pastoral Systems. FAO Plant Production and Protection Paper 162. Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations, Rome.

·  Simpson, D. 2005. Grasslands and forage abstracts. Vol. 75(2). CAB International.

·  Boonman, J. G. 1993. East African grasses and fodders: Their Ecology and Husbandry. Kluwer Academic Publishers.

·  Crowder, L. V. and Chheda, H. R. 1982. Tropical Grassland Husbandry. Longman, London.

8. COURSE COUNTENT, METHODS OF INSTRUCTION, TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT REQUIRED

TOPIC / CONTENT / METHOD OF INSTRUCTION / Time allocated / TOOLS / EQUIPMENT USED
1. Introduction to Pastures / ·  Definition of concepts related to pastures.
·  Role of grasslands to Ugandans and the nation. / Interactive lecture (1 Hr) / Black board,
Chalk
2. Grasslands in Uganda / ·  Grasslands in Uganda and their characteristics / Lecture (1 Hr) / Map of Uganda showing grasslands
3. Classification of pastures. / ·  Types of pastures: Natural pastures & Ley pastures / ·  Interactive lecture (1Hr)
·  Identifying forage spp (legumes and grasses) and their seeds (2 Hrs) / Black board,
Chalk
Preserved seeds of forages
4. Improvement of natural pastures / ·  Fencing and paddocking, bush and weed control, oversowing with improved forage species, controlled grazing. / Lecture (1 Hr)
Weed identification & control, oversowing on Univ. Farm(2 Hrs) / Black board,
Chalk
Forage seeds, hand hoes, sisal strings.
5. Establishing a sown ley/ pasture / ·  Factors to consider prior to pasture establishment and when selecting forage species to plant.
·  Features to consider when choosing forages to plant.
·  Continuous assessment 1 / Lecture (1 Hr)
Assessment test (1Hr) / Black board,
Chalk
Papers for test, ink
6. Establishing fodder species / ·  Vegetative propagation: Reasons for using vegetative propagation; Its merits and demerits over seed propagation
·  Vegetatively propagated forage species. / Lecture (1 Hr)
Visiting plots of vegetatively propagated forage species and planting some (1 Hr) / Black board,
Chalk
Cuttings of Napier grass, Gliricidia, etc.
7. Establishing a sown ley/ pasture & fodder species / ·  Role of gender in the establishment of ley pastures with reference to dairy farming in urban and peri-urban areas;
·  Improving farm work efficiency in an urban / peri-urban household. / Interactive lecture (1 Hr) / Black board,
Chalk
8. Establishing a sown ley/ pasture (Cont’d) / ·  Grass/legume pasture mixtures: Merits and demerits of establishing mixtures instead of sole stands. / Lecture (1 Hr) / Black board,
Chalk
9. Procedure of establishing a sown pasture / ·  Land clearing, fertiliser application, seed treatment. / Lecture (1 Hr)
Practical on seed treatment (1 Hr) / Black board,
Chalk
10. Procedure of establishing a sown pasture (Cont’d) / ·  Time and methods of sowing; Sowing rate (density); Depth of sowing.
·  Continuous assessment 2 / Lecture (1 Hr)
Establishing and managing plots of grass–legume mixtures (12 Hrs – spread over 6 weeks).
Assessment test (1Hr) / Black board,
Chalk
Hand hoes, forage seeds, sisal string, stakes for marking plots
Papers for test, ink
11. Management of pastures. / ·  Weed control; Grazing management – Monitoring growth habits of forages. / Lecture (1 Hr) / Black board,
Chalk
12. Management of pastures (Cont’d) / ·  Grazing management – Stocking rate, stocking strategies and resting the pasture. / Lecture (1 Hr)
Determining stocking rates of the paddocks of the Univ. Farm (2 Hrs) / Black board,
Chalk
Quadrats, knives, polythene bags
13. Methods of grazing / ·  Continuous grazing, rotational grazing, strip grazing, deferred grazing, tethering, stall feeding. / Lecture (1 Hr)
Field visit to livestock farmers in urban / peri-urban areas to interact with them so as to know their farming experience (2 Hrs) / Black board,
Chalk
Bus for travel to farms
14. Forage Preservation / ·  Reasons for conserving forage; Reasons for farmers’ failure to conserve forage; Procedures of making hay and silage; Factors affect the quality of hay and silage. / Lecture (1 Hr)
Hay and silage making (5 Hrs). / Black board,
Chalk
Pangas, forage chopper, Polythene sheet, molasses.
15. Crop–livestock integration / ·  Factors that have led to the integration of crops and livestock.
·  Merits and demerits of crop-livestock integration.
·  Continuous assessment 3 / Lecture (1 Hr)
Assessment test (1Hr) / Black board,
Chalk
Papers for test, ink
16 & 17 / Revision & Final Examination

9. SUMMARY OF TIME NEEDED

Interactive lectures covering theory 15 Hrs

On station practicals and field visits 30 Hrs

10. OVERALL COURSE EVALUATION

Continuous Assessment: – Tests 20%

– Practicals and field work 20%

Final examination at the end of semester 60%