HatCreekCattleco
Well-known member
Research: Rotational grazing doesn't work in ranching systems
Research carried out in the US has found that rotational grazing actually reduces the performance of beef cattle
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Jeanne - Simme Valley
Well-known member
Well....all rotational grazing I have done and seen does NOT put lower quality forage, lower protein in front of my cattle.
The whole idea of rotational grazing is to provide constant new growth.
I poo poo this research. They will have to provide much more information/facts to make any sense.
The whole idea of rotational grazing is to provide constant new growth.
I poo poo this research. They will have to provide much more information/facts to make any sense.
Buck Randall
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The study was conducted on arid range country, so a more accurate synopsis would be that rotational grazing doesn't work in the desert.
50/50Farms
Well-known member
A government agency not including full context in their abstract while also extrapolating an answer from extremely fixed data points and then advocating for the unquestioning acceptance of their conclusion? Say it ain't so, say it ain't so!
Is rotational grazing better or does it just result in lower input cost? Can you run more cattle on X amount of acres by fertilizing or by rotational grazing? Lets be truthful here it's not always about how much you do or don't spend, at the end of the day it's about how much profit make.
HatCreekCattleco
Well-known member
I've got neighbors who make me question my ways. I used to question theirs, but I'm seeing now maybe what I'd call over grazing isn't quite a big deal as I've always thought. Their calves probably bring the same as mine, their cattle ain't dead yet, and that carpet of a pasture still turns green in the spring. Im nearly sure they are making a better profit than me. I've never received an extra penny because my mama's are fat and pastures were pretty.
bird dog
Well-known member
Rotational grazing is for the benefit of the forage as well as for the cattle. Continual grazing will continually weaken the stand unless you way under stock.
kenny thomas
Well-known member
I have been rotational grazing for several years. I have better than average forage and graze much more than most.
I do think calves could grow more with continuous grazing. But i have almost doubled my numbers per acre as i go along. Plus it allows me to stockpile for winter grazing. I hope to graze 330 days this year.
I get 50" of rain per year so cant speak for arid areas.
I do think calves could grow more with continuous grazing. But i have almost doubled my numbers per acre as i go along. Plus it allows me to stockpile for winter grazing. I hope to graze 330 days this year.
I get 50" of rain per year so cant speak for arid areas.
Dave
Well-known member
I do live in an arid area. I don't think it does a lot to improve the performance of the cattle. You don't get to rotate back to fresh regrowth because that just doesn't happen much. But it certainly helps the forage plants. A common rotation is spring one year and fall the next. Alternating grazing time back and forth. An other rotation is one year spring, fall the next year, and then a year of rest.
GoWyo
Well-known member
Continuous grazing no doubt leads to higher gain on arid range land, but at the expense of the range resource. Rotation, rest-rotation and deferred rotation schemes all allow rest of the desirable forage species so that they perpetuate. Continuous grazing will cause eventual loss of the most desirable forage species and substitution by less desirable species for an overall degraded pasture. There is no free lunch.
Travlr
Well-known member
I read it. I don't believe the study was well done. And what in the hell does a steer turning its head frequently have to do with anything?Research: Rotational grazing doesn't work in ranching systems
Research carried out in the US has found that rotational grazing actually reduces the performance of beef cattle
My place in SD was a crop farm that had been dormant for a couple of years before I bought it. The fences were pretty much destroyed. After establishing five separate pastures and rotating for a couple of years I doubled my stocking rate. Some of that was me learning when to rotate and understanding how the grasses were reacting over time, and some was because the pastures were improving due to proper management. Rotational grazing works.
I'd like to know where this study was done and on what kind and size of ground.
Travlr
Well-known member
All good questions. In my experience the only added inputs are extra fencing, which can be done relatively cheaply or more expensively. There are negligible differences in management requirements. And yes, I can run more animals and get 600 pound weaning weights. The added pounds produced have always justified the added expense in fence.
Jeanne - Simme Valley
Well-known member
Your well fed cows should breed back better and milk better, which will make you more money in the long run.
4hfarms
Well-known member
Grass fed, as many rotations as I can get in before it stops growing. Wish I could get grass all year but I have go to a fertilized hay from Dec-Feb.
Only getting better!
As far as the article. Bad choices all around.
Only getting better!
As far as the article. Bad choices all around.
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Ebenezer
Well-known member
Long term research in summer grazing in GA and elsewhere had the same results from likely 30 years ago. The theory of rotational grazing is, like someone said, to benefit the plants, increase total weight gain in the group because of more animals and decrease weight gain per animal. I can pull that old summer grazing research out of Southern Forages if you need to see it. The article is pretty sound. I do not just read research that has a conclusion that I prefer. Sometimes they don't all live happily ever after.
