Length of Fallow Period and Pastoral Value of Herbaceous Plants in the Sudanese Zone of Senegal

Abstract

The pasture value of Sudanese fallows was determined for the Sare Yero Bana soil of High Casamance in Senegal by studying fodder diversity and the global quality index. Fodder diversity was higher in young fallow rangelands. In old fallows, on the other hand, species with low pastoral value were relatively more abundant. The global quality index of rangelands markedly increased in fallow first years, peaked the third year because of grass abundance and sparse woody cover, then decreased between years 5 and 17. The decrease of the fodder quality of fallow rangelands was even more pronounced when estimating the net pastoral value. The cattle carrying capacity of young fallows improved when ponderation of “qualified” fodder was taken into account, because the amount of unused fodder could be reduced by 50%. The global quality index is therefore an essential indicator of rangelands fodder quality, which can be used without the need for chemical and/or bromatological analyses.