Herbage Mass Productivity and Carrying Capacity Estimation of Some of the Selected Rangelands of Taplejung District

Abstract

A study of the representing rangelands of Taplejung district was carried out during summer of 2009 to estimate the herbage mass yield of different slope categories, and to calculate the carrying capacity (CC) of the representing rangelands based on 60 days re-growth period so that optimum number of livestock unit (LU) per unit area would be possible to allow for grazing. The findings revealed that plain slope had higher herbage mass produced, but was comparatively over-grazed as revealed by higher stocking rate. Existing carrying capacity reasonably supports the grazers, but irrespective of the quality herbage. In deed there was a lower CC for higher slope area with higher CC for plain slope. Nevertheless, the CC values for different slope categories indicated that rangelands in Taplejung district has wider scope of improvement, both for herbage mass productivity, and grazing management through precise stocking rates to match with the prevailing carrying capacity. A major challenge, however, lies to convince herders about the benefits of reducing stocking rates and improving production efficiencies, with the increased income and less degradation of the present available rangelands. Detail study on herbage mass production based on total herbage mass harvest days of a year along with stocking rate for the respective period would be important to consider in generating concrete and site specific information.

Key words: herbage mass; carrying capacity; stocking rate; rangelands; herders; Taplejung district

DOI: 10.3126/njst.v11i0.4125

Nepal Journal of Science and Technology 11 (2010) 63-70