The Orma recognize three types of pasture conditions resulting from different types of rainfall and livestock grazing.
The method proved useful for quantifying biophysical variability within and between individual land parcels (e.g., across different pasture conditions).
Most often used in pasture-based operations to exploit optimal pasture conditions throughout year, but also other advantages (Turner and Skele, [2007]).
In organic farming, it is obligatory that ruminants should graze on pastures ('free-range') and not fed in stables as long as the animal, weather and pasture conditions are suitable.
Together with a reduced rotation of herds between grazing areas within a seasonal pasture, and shortened distances of the daily grazing orbits (Jordan et al. 2016), pasture conditions may thus deteriorate easily (Tsui 2012) in specific areas.
According to Sternberg (2012), herder influences on pasture conditions can be obtained at piospheres; this is because livestock helps to shape piosphere dynamics in addition to other distinctive processes in the drylands.
The elders evaluate the information by asking questions related to water availability, pasture conditions, existing stock numbers, the number of settlements and the reproductive performance of cattle already present in the area.
As reported by Fernandez-Gimenez (2000), herders' detailed knowledge of plants, including changes in pasture conditions across space and over time, clearly shows a strong understanding of ecological relationships and processes.
The overall winter pasture conditions are average or good, but most of the reindeer are artificially fed during winter and spring in order to stabilise productivity (Mikkola and Mattila2009 Nieminen20088).
