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woodlots can also be a good way of making some savings. The negative
aspect is that land, which is normally scarce, is taken out of
agricultural production.

Examples of species

Fast-growing and coppicing species are best,
e.g. Eucalyptus spp., Acacia mearnsii, Markhamia lutea and Cassia
siamea. Pinus patula can also be used although it hardly
coppices. Cupressus lusitanica has been used, but due to problems
with the cypress aphid it should not be encouraged at
present. Casuarina spp. may be alternatives. Grevillea robusta can be
used, but sometimes only the trees at the edge of the woodlot perform
well, while trees in the interior are stunted due to competition and
possibly allelopathic effects between the trees.

Fodderlots

Spatial arrangement
Areas where trees or shrubs are grown in a stand to produce fodder
are known as fodderlots. Trees and shrubs may be intercropped with
fodder grasses to maximize fodder production but sometimes the
grasses compete so much with the shrubs that the production of
protein-rich leaf fodder is severely reduced.

Areas where the practice is relevant

The practice is relevant in all areas where zero-grazing is practiced. In
semi-arid areas trees can also be grown primarily for production of
protein-rich pods or for browsing, and in that case livestock may be let
into the fodderlot.

Establishment and spacing
Fodderlots can be established in rows using seeds, seedlings or
cuttings. The spacing can vary from 0.2 m within the row and 0.5 m
between the rows for shrubs, to 0.5 m within the row and 1-2 m
between the rows for trees. Fodderlots for browsing or for pod
production should be established at a wider spacing. In ASAL, natural
regeneration of indigenous trees can be utilized for fodderlots.
Selective clearing will then be needed to promote the growth of the
best species. If establishment is poor, the plants may need inoculation
with nitrogen-fixing bacteria.

If fodder shrubs are grown together with Napier grass in high-
potential areas, the fodder shrubs should be planted first and the
grasses a season later. If they are planted simultaneously, the grasses
will compete too much with the shrubs.