Range unit 1

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UNIT: 1. INTROUDCTION
Rangeland is uncultivated land that is suitable for grazing and browsing animals. In broad sense,
Rangelands are those lands on which the native vegetation is predominantly grasses, grass-like plants,
forbs, or shrubs suitable for grazing or browsing use. Types of rangelands include tall grass and short
grass prairies, desert grasslands and shrub lands, woodlands, savannas, chaparrals, steppes, and tundras. It
is perhaps easier to define rangelands by clearly describing what they are not. Rangelands are not: barren
desert,farmland, closed canopy forests,or land covered by solid rock, concrete and/or glaciers.
Types ofRangeland (short review):
Prairies are considered part of the temperate grasslands, savannas and shrub lands biome by ecologists,
based on similar temperate climates, moderate rainfall, grasses, herbs, and shrubs rather than trees, as the
dominant vegetation type.
Grasslands are areas where the vegetation is dominated by grasses and forbs (non-woody plants).
Grasslands occur naturally on all continents except Antarctica.
Steppe: The term is used to denote the climate encountered in regions too dry to support a forest, but not
dry enough to be a desert.
Pampas are the fertile South American lowlands that include the part of Argentine. The climate is mild,
with precipitation of 600 mm, more or less evenly distributed through the year, making the soils
appropriate for agriculture. These plains contain unique wildlife because of the different terrains around
it.
Shrub land is a plant community characterized by vegetation dominated by shrubs, often also including
grasses,herbs and geophytes. Shrub land may either occur naturally or be the result of human activity.
Woodland is a low-dense forest forming open habitats with plenty of sunlight and limited shade.
Woodlands may support an understory of shrubs and herbaceous plants including grasses.
Savanna is a grassland ecosystem characterized by the trees being sufficiently small or widely spaced so
that the canopy does not close. The open canopy allows sufficient light to reach the ground to support
grasses.
Desert (less than 250 mm rainfall per year) is a landscape or region that receives an extremely low
amount of precipitation, less than enough to support growth of most plants.
Tundra is a biome where the tree growth is hindered by low temperatures and short growing seasons.
The term tundra means treeless mountain tract. In tundra, the vegetation is composed of dwarf shrubs,
grasses, mosses, and lichens. Scattered trees grow in some tundra. The eco-tone (or ecological boundary
region) between the tundra and the forest is known as the tree line or timber line.
Wetlands: Generally, wetlands mean rivers, ponds, lakes, reservoirs and forests, and water
logged lands in and around human habitation. The Nepali term for wetlands is Simsar. Wetlands
having vegetation comes under rangeland in which animal graze.

1.1 DEFINITIONS :
 Range: Naturaland uncultivated grasslands, shrubs land and forest land that produce forage for
grazing and browsing for livestock and wildlife.
 Rangeland : Land on which the potential plant community is composed periodically of native
grass,forbs and shrubs valuable for forage that are in sufficient quantity to justify grazing use.
Natural grasslands, savannahs and certain types of woodland useful for grazing.
 Pasture: Land area with annual perennial fodder/forage mostly with domesticated species
managed by more frequent cultivation and other cultural operations and harvested directly by
grazing animals. It may be permanent or temporary. Permanent pastures are composed mainly of
perennial grasses and legumes that are grazed year after year. These pastures have high a high
carrying capacity. Temporary pastures are comprised of annual grasses that are grazed during
their growth and maturity period.
 Grassland: Land areas composed by the herbaceous species of grass as the dominant component.
There are two types of grassland: Natural and Artificial. Natural Grassland: The grassland
in which the plant communities have perennial grass as dominant species. There may be
few or no shrubs at all and tree are completely absent. Artificial Grassland: There is the
grassland of more recent origin; they have been formed by destroying forests mainly by
cutting and fire.
 Forage: Herbaceous plant palatable to the animals mostly used as grazing.
 Herbage: Non woody flowering plants that can be considered in the same sense as fodder and
forage but in this case the plants they may be both palatable and unpalatable to the animals.
 Browse: Shrubs or bushes plant communities of which the twigs, small branches,shoots and
leaves are chewable by the animals, they are mostly palatable to the animals.
 Range science: Science that deals with the use of rangeland to obtain return of the resource’s
benefits to meet the need and desire of the people in a sustainable ways.
 Range management: It is a art and science of planning and directing the use of rangelands to
obtain optimum sustained return based on the objectives of land ownership and the need and
desire of the society. It may be defined as the science and art of obtaining maximum livestock
production from the rangeland being consistent with the conservation of land resources.
 Agronomy is a branch of agricultural science that deals with the study of crops and the soils in
which they grow.

Characteristics ofRangeland
 Low rainfall/moisture stress
 Not suitable for agriculture
 High or low temperature
 Degraded land (rocky/stony)
 Shallow soil (low soil fertility)
 Shorter growing season of the vegetation
 Prevalence of rain shadow
 Poor drainage
 Desert like environmental situation
1.2 RANGE ECOSYSTEM OF NEPAL (By physiographic region):
Due to the extreme climatic variations, different types of rangeland are found in Nepal. On the basis of
physiographic and ecological distribution of rangeland and livestock master plan (1993), the range
ecosystem of Nepalis categorized into six types:
Tropical rangelands (Approximately extended up to 1000 m)
 Location: Southern Nepal
 Area: Covers 2.92% of the total land of Nepal.
 Elevation: Up to 1000m from the sea level.
 Climate: Humid - warm tropical.
 Season: Summer is hot (35-38oC) and cool winter.
 Rainfall: Heavy during monsoon (July to September).
 Average rainfall: 1900 mm/yr.
 Most of the growth of the grasses takes place during monsoon period.
 Humid tropical rangelands are more confined protected area.
 Dominated grass vegetation: Phragmites, Sacharum, and Imperata spp.
 These grasses have low feeding value, however, these grasses provides excellent shelter to the
wildlife.
 Rangelands of this zone are associated with evergreen hardwood forest.
 Dominated Tree species: Acacia spp. in river sides and Shorea,Termaniallia etc.
 Wild animals: Rhino, Arna, S.Deer,tiger etc.
Sub-tropical rangelands (Approximately extended from 1000-2000 m
 Average temperature:15- 20oC and rainfall is 1,700 mm/yr.
 These are the open grazing-lands appears in a small patches associated with the evergreen forests
around the vicinity of human dwellings.
 The area is dominated by Schima Castenopsis forest.
 The characteristic feature of these rangelands is the domination of the Arundinella; Themeda,
Thysanolaena and other grass species.
 Eupatorium (Banmara),Pteridium spp. (bracken fern), Urtica spp. (Sisnoo)
 Most of the rangelands suitable for crop cultivation are converted into the croplands.
 Most of these rangelands are heavily grazed out and are in poor conditions.
 Barking deer, common leopard etc are found here.
 Hilly reasons having fewer plants and low shrub lands/ including valleys/ (barren areas near by
river and lakes)

Temperate rangelands (Approximately extended from 2000-3000 m)
 Season: Summer mild and winter cold.
 Average temperature: 10-15 degree Celsius. & Average rainfall : 1500-1700 mm/yr.
 Low rainfall and low evapo-transpiration
 Vegetation dominated by: Andropogon type and Poa spp.
 Due to heavy grazing palatable species are decreasing.
 Very dry seasons (upper hilly regions /lower mustang, Humla and Jumla)
 Most common species such as Pennisetum flaccidum (grass family) is used to make hay by the
farmers of these region.
 Mostly dominated by pinus spp. and rhododendron spp. in upper temperate regions.
 This rangelands are associated with the evergreen oak (Quercus spp) and Pinus forest.
 These pasture lands are very important, but due to heavy grazing for many years, less palatable
species such as Arundinella hookeri are found.
 Very dry seasons e.g lower mustang, humla,jumla.
Sub-alpine rangelands (Approximately extended from 3000-4000m)
 Region: Semi-arid
 Season: Shorter growing season & Average temperature:3 – 10°C
 Cold temperature with low rainfall with dry seasons.
 Annual rainfall is very low varies from 150-500mm/yr depending on location.
 Lower mountains (seasonalsnow fall)
 Dominated by Danthonia type.
 These rangelands are the important sources of animal feed for the migratory stock.
 Nomadic herds of yak, chauris and sheep heavily depend on these grazinglands during summer.
 The grasses are associated with Rhododendrons, Betula spp, Tsuga dumosa etc.
 Caragana spp.grow in low rainfall areas (less than 250 mm)
 Example: Berberis and Caragana and danthonia are common.
Alpine rangelands (Approximately extended above 4000 m)
 High mountain region; cold area with mostly snow.
 Land mostly covered with snow most of the year.
 Dominated by species of Kobresia type
 During summer when snow melts the grasses grow very quickly and complete the life cycle.
 During these period these rangeland provides 3 - 4 months of grazing to the nomadic herds.
 Dominant vegetation: Aster and Poa spp etc.
 Lichens, mosses, dwarf plants including Rhododendron shrubs and junipers shrubs.
 Snow leopard, musk deer,mountain goats, wild yak etc.
Steppe rangelands
 The northern side of the Dhaulagiree/Anapurna range (Manage, Mustang and Dolpa)
 Tree less plateau which receives low precipitation.
 Wind erosion quite common. Most area denuded.
 Low Precipitation (<200 mm) & It covers 10% of total rangeland of hills.
 Dominated species adropogan and poa spp. & Lichens, mosses, dwarf plants are also common.
 High solar radiation & dry chilling wind

1.3 FORAGE RESOURCES OF NEPAL:FARM FORESTRYLINKAGE
Nepal has a livestock population of about 6.5 million LU (livestock Unit) and the Nepalese farmers own
on an average of 3.3 LU per household. Statistically shows that Nepal has one of the world’s highest
livestock populations per unit of the cultivated land. However, the productivity per unit of livestock is
very low. One of the main constrains in the livestock development in the country is considered to be the
lack of animal feed. The major sources of nutrient provided to the ruminants are derived mainly from
straws (31%), green grass (30%), fodder tree leaves (12%) and the concentrates (7%).Forest resources has
been considered the most important resources. The feed resources in Nepal are given below:
Land types Availability of Resource
Cropland  Terrace,raisers,bunds and fallow lands
 Crop residue, grass,weeds,leaf fodder
 33% of the total feed stuffs
Rangeland  Alpine, meadow, steppe, open grazing lands
 30%of the total feed
Forestland  Leaf fodder and grasses
 20% of the total feed
Wasteland  Wasteland fodder and grasses
 16% of the total feed
Figure: A model of traditional Nepalese hill farming system

1.4 IMPORTANCE OF LIVESTOCK IN NEPALESE AGRO-ECOSYSTEM
Livestock are domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to produce commodities such as food,
fiber, and labor. The term is often used to refer solely to those raised for food, and sometimes only farmed
ruminants, such as cattle and goats.
Livestock plays a key role in the overall agricultural production system in the country. More than 80% of
the economically active population is engaged in agriculture. From terai to high mountains a strong
integrated system of livestock crops forest is in existence. Over 70% farmers of Nepal are based on
animals to sustain soil fertility and agriculture production. Sheeps are the major sources of local economy
of the mountains people. Livestock provides milk and fibres and their dried manure are the major sources
of energy. Some animals are used for trading as well. For e.g horses, donkey, goats, sheeps etc. In Terai
animals are used for transportation and land cultivation as well. Major sources of manure come from
livestock farm. Livestock contribute 53% to GDP, in Terai 27.6% and Mountains 8.6%. Similarly, wool
production, leathers production, meat production etc also contribute a lot etc.

IMPORTANCE OF LIVESTOCK:
 Meat: A usefulform of dietary protein and energy, meat is the edible tissue of the animal carcass.
 Dairy products: Mammalian livestock can be used as a source of milk, which can in turn easily
be processed into other dairy products, such as yogurt, cheese,butter, ice cream etc.
 Clothing and adornment: Livestock produce a range of fiber textiles. For example, domestic
sheep and goats produce wool and mohair, respectively; cattle, swine, deer, and sheep skins can
be made into leather; livestock bones, hooves and horns can be used to fabricate jewellery,
pendants, or headgear.
 Fertilizer: Manure can be spread on fields to increase crop yields. This is an important reason
why historically, plant and animal domestication have been intimately linked. Manure is also
used to make plaster for walls and floors, and can be used as a fuel for fires.
 Draft power/ Labor: The muscles of animals such as horses, donkeys, and yaks can be used to
provide mechanical work. Prior to steam power, livestock were the only available source of
nonhuman labor. They are still used in many places of the world to plough fields (drafting),
transport goods and people, in military functions, and to power treadmills for grinding grain.
 Land management: The grazing of livestock is sometimes used as a way to control weeds and
undergrowth. For example, in areas prone to wildfires, goats and sheep are set to graze on dry
scrub which removes combustible material and reduces the risk of fires.
 Conservation: The raising of livestock to conserve a rare breed can be achieved through gene
banking and breeding programmes.
 Cultural importance: Worship for religious purposes
 Source offuel: dried dung and biogas.
 Recreational values: keeping dogs, cats,rabbit etc in a home etc.
Limitations oflivestock farming in Nepal.
 Laborious Job
 Cultural and religious barrier.
 Needs huge amount of grass land
 Huge amount of initial cost
 Competition with food of human
 Breakout of diseases
 Lack of proper market.
 Lack of veterinary hospital etc.
Measures to solve problems:
 Separate livestock department.
 Research centre
 Poultry farms
 Establishment of veterinary hospitals
 Milk plant
 Foreign assistant for livestock
 Increase in hatcheries.
 Create facilities to the farmers etc.

Range unit 1

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Range unit 1