Introduction to Rotational Grazing

[Mark Reynolds]

There is a lot of talk about rotational grazing and its benefits. It is a good thing. However, in order for it to be done 'correctly' and its benefits optimized, it must be understood what the objectives of rotational grazing are. Rotational grazing by definition simply means moving your livestock from one pasture to another to another to another in some sort of interval. If you don't know what you are trying to accomplish or have a goal in mind, its going to be difficult to determine if rotational grazing is helping or not.

I put the following together some years ago and some of you have seen it and even committed it to memory. It's designed to be very simple. It's also VERY effective if followed. It's also been pointed out that it is a place to START with your rotational grazing operation and tailor it to your personal needs from there.

The four never fail rules of grazing
(cool season grasses)
​

Never let seed heads form on plants. This will stunt growth later in the season if it occurs. 1

Never let livestock graze more than 7 continuous days on a pasture. 2

Never graze closer than 3 inches. 3

Never return to a pasture in less than 30 days. 4

Exceptions to the rules- USE CAUTIOUSLY!!

Warm Season grasses in the Western half of the US behave differently than cool season grasses in the East. These plants may require the formation of seed heads to survive. Consult a grazing specialist before deciding to graze warm season grasses, ANYWHERE! Their growth and survival requirements are very different from cool season grasses. Although, they do provide some very important benefits when used in conjunction with cool season grasses.

Grazing more than 7 continuous days results in animals regrazing plants that have resumed growth after being grazed off. These plants are targeted because they are more tender and succulent. This grazing pattern results in decreased vigor and loss of the most desirable plants in a pasture and spot grazing. However, grazing in a pasture for more than 7 consecutive days will not result in selective grazing if the plants are dormant. This occurs during the winter months and also during drought. Both of these are time periods when extended rest may be desirable over continued rotation.

Grazing closer than three inches can be used, and should be, when broadcast seeding is done for an existing pasture. The short grass promotes better seed to soil contact. Closer than a three inch grazing height is inefficient for cattle and results in reduced intake, which means lower weight gains, which means decreased profit. Grazing an actively growing plant closer than three inches will compromise its regrowth ability and lower its vigor. However, grazing a dormant plant closer than a three inch grazing height will not have near the adverse effect as an actively growing plant. This can be particularly important to know during a drought when forage may be scarce, but, plants are dormant. Don't turn the pasture into a dustbowl. Avoid crown damage and uprooting of plants.

It may be required that livestock are returned to a pasture before 30 days in rare springtime circumstances where the spring flush is particularly vigorous. This is required to prevent seed head formation, first in the list of general rules, and maintain growth throughout the year instead of getting all of your production at once. Extreme cases may actually require mowing to prevent seed head development due to rapid growth.

 

[Dusty Britches]

I use 4" as a never get shorter than rule.

 

[Rancher]

Up here the grass grows so fast in first half of summer I need to move them more often. My bluegrass is first to pasture in mid-May, as cows graze them "mow" like it's a lawn and is high quality. Then I move them into my normal pasture of Brome/Timothy/Garison foxtail and alsike. 10 days later they are back on the Bluegrass. As is normal that grass heads out when only a foot tall especially if it is hot and dry period. I force them to keep Bluegrass short. Then on another 5ac field that is mostly just mative Redtop mixed with brome and is already in the boot stage! They really do well in this rotation plan but does depend on rain only. If I can not keep up with the growth I mow and bale into 4x6 rounds

 

[Mark Reynolds]

Up here the grass grows so fast in first half of summer I need to move them more often. My bluegrass is first to pasture in mid-May, as cows graze them "mow" like it's a lawn and is high quality. Then I move them into my normal pasture of Brome/Timothy/Garison foxtail and alsike. 10 days later they are back on the Bluegrass. As is normal that grass heads out when only a foot tall especially if it is hot and dry period. I force them to keep Bluegrass short. Then on another 5ac field that is mostly just mative Redtop mixed with brome and is already in the boot stage! They really do well in this rotation plan but does depend on rain only. If I can not keep up with the growth I mow and bale into 4x6 rounds

How often you need to return to a pasture really does vary by season. I agree with what you are saying completely. These rules are meant as a starting point, kinda like rules we learn about spelling and the English language such as "I before E except after C". They are norms and there are exceptions all over the place. You are generally safe if you rest grass 30 days between grazing, although in the spring it isn't terribly uncommon to be able to return to a pasture with as little as 14 days of rest, in your case apparently 10 days, and quite possibly you will HAVE to return to a pasture sooner to avoid violating the rule of never let seed heads form. The rules are a solid starting point for those BEGINNING rotational grazing and I have never seen anyone get in a 'bind' when following them. For those that rotational graze that consider themselves INTERMEDIATE or ADVANCED, they can do things with their rotational grazing that results in 'improved' results beyond just following these never fail rules of grazing. However, if these advanced applications are applied in the wrong way or at the wrong time, the pasture can be severely set back.

If the producer chooses to not follow these rules, it's their choice. But they need to understand what the rules are aimed at accomplishing if they decide to break the rule and understand how what the rule is aiming to accomplish may be affected by breaking the rule.

Some say rules are meant to be broken. Just understand what the rule was designed for and what may happen by breaking the rule.

 

[Rancher]

100% true Mark,

 

[StrojanHerefords]

My fundamentals of grazing are:

Always have grass. One of the great advantages of rotational grazing is the ability to see how much feed you have ahead of you. If you don't have enough feed to get through, depopulate or start feeding early.

The cow is the primary tool of grazing improvement. The cow is the primary source of fertilizer, Place water, mineral and feed in areas that need improvement. Also make sure the cows eat the less desirable species before they are moved off a paddock. Once the best feed is grazed it can't be hurt until it starts to regrow.

Treat grazing as something important. To often I see grazing relegated to something to do with land that can't be farmed rather than as something important.

 

[ClinchValley86]

If at all possible, moving to New grass by the 4th day is preferred as this is when regrowth is usually kicking off. Seven days is definitely better than waiting til the 10th.

On the grazing below 4 inches part, I've found, by mistake, that clover in the seedbank gets a good foothold in fescue when the fescue is chewed down to 2 inches or so. Only need to do this once in May or so. Doing so in June will let the warm season annuals pop their heads pretty good. There is a tradeoff though.

I implore anyone that's doing rotational grazing to get 30 to 50 pigtail posts and some polywire/reels. Try cutting your sections in half when you have the time. Compare regrowth and forage height at the time of grazing again. This can lengthen the rest period considerably.

Good post @Mark Reynolds Are you familiar with Jaime Elizondo's Total Grazing program? He encourages taking it to the ground with very high stock density involving multiple moves a day and pretty dang long rest periods.

I've been letting them take it lower this year out of necessity and have been pleased with the regrowth when it does rain, but it cripples the stand when it's dry.

 

[ClinchValley86]

My fundamentals of grazing are:

Always have grass. One of the great advantages of rotational grazing is the ability to see how much feed you have ahead of you. If you don't have enough feed to get through, depopulate or start feeding early.

The cow is the primary tool of grazing improvement. The cow is the primary source of fertilizer, Place water, mineral and feed in areas that need improvement. Also make sure the cows eat the less desirable species before they are moved off a paddock. Once the best feed is grazed it can't be hurt until it starts to regrow.

Treat grazing as something important. To often I see grazing relegated to something to do with land that can't be farmed rather than as something important.

Your first point is a very good one. It sure makes a huge difference.

 

[RDFF]

My suggestion would be, in a drought, graze taller, more mature grass, and never put them on a pasture until it's ready for them... it's easier to feed hay in summer than it is in winter... pull them off the pasture onto an adequately sized "sacrifice lot" whenever its necessary and allow those pastures to recover for as long as it takes... We are in a D4+ drought here now... will be feeding hay until it rains and the pasture recovers on the one herd that is "overstocked". On my bigger herd, I've been managing for anticipated drought since spring thaw, I'm running more animals than I ever have on the same pasture, and I've still got at least a month ahead of them, even if we don't get any rain till it freezes... but I'm sure hoping that we get some rain!!!!!! Part of what has been helping my pastures to maintain growth through the drought is that I fed cattle by unrolling hay all winter across them... 400+ bales on about 140 acres.