Natural grazing is a major source of forage for farmers in the mid and high hills. However, no systematicstudy on natural pasture has been carried out in Nepal. The information available so far is based on the assumption made by rule of thumb. A study was therefore undertaken near Gupha Pokhari and Khamlalung at altitudebetween 1500m and 2900m in the hills of eastern Nepal. The duration the herds spent on the pastures averaged 11.3 h/d in July and fell to 5.9 h/ d in November. However, actual time spent on grazing averaged 7 h/ d in June and fell to 4.6 h/d in March. The average bite rates of adult animals were 50/min for cattle and buffaloes, 48/ min for goats, 47/min for sheep and 52/min for Chauries. Adult cattle, buffaloes and Chauries have bite areas of 8-13 sq.cm. whereas sheep and goats have bite areas of 1.6 sq.cm. The quantity of herbage ingested has been estimated to be 1.2 g/bite for adult cattle and buffaloes. It is lower in the winter (0.9 g) than in the summer (1.9 g), but the dry matter content of the herbage is much higher inwinter (80%) than in the summer (25%). It is estimated that annual production of herbage is about 13000 kg/ha(fresh weight) or 3600 kg/ha drymatter. Herbage intake is about 22 kg/d for adult buffalo and cattle. Levels of crude protein indicate that the nutritive value of herbage is very high at the beginning of the monsoon but falls during the winter. The carrying capacity of the pasture is estimated to be 1.3 livestock unit (LSU) per hectare whereas, stocking area is 6.7 LSU/hac.

Natural grazing is a major source of forage for farmers in the mid and high hills. However, no systematicstudy on natural pasture has been carried out in Nepal. The information available so far is based on the assumption made by rule of thumb. A study was therefore undertaken near Gupha Pokhari and Khamlalung at altitudebetween 1500m and 2900m in the hills of eastern Nepal. The duration the herds spent on the pastures averaged 11.3 h/d in July and fell to 5.9 h/ d in November. However, actual time spent on grazing averaged 7 h/ d in June and fell to 4.6 h/d in March. The average bite rates of adult animals were 50/min for cattle and buffaloes, 48/ min for goats, 47/min for sheep and 52/min for Chauries. Adult cattle, buffaloes and Chauries have bite areas of 8-13 sq.cm. whereas sheep and goats have bite areas of 1.6 sq.cm. The quantity of herbage ingested has been estimated to be 1.2 g/bite for adult cattle and buffaloes. It is lower in the winter (0.9 g) than in the summer (1.9 g), but the dry matter content of the herbage is much higher inwinter (80%) than in the summer (25%). It is estimated that annual production of herbage is about 13000 kg/ha(fresh weight) or 3600 kg/ha drymatter. Herbage intake is about 22 kg/d for adult buffalo and cattle. Levels of crude protein indicate that the nutritive value of herbage is very high at the beginning of the monsoon but falls during the winter. The carrying capacity of the pasture is estimated to be 1.3 livestock unit (LSU) per hectare whereas, stocking area is 6.7 LSU/hac.