Did you know there is more than one way to feed cattle? The majority of people overlook some of the easiest ways to feed their animals. All they have to do is step outside and look. I am talking about grazing rotations with the land they already possess. There are numerous benefits of managing your pastures such as lowering feed costs, maintaining lush vegetation, reducing acidosis in the rumen, longer grazing durations, and limited soil erosion.
Grazing rotation management for pastures and/or ranges is the control of the frequency and the intensity of animals that are consuming the forages. Basically, for the farmer to optimize herd performance and maintain forages, he or she has to keep a balance of where the livestock are grazing and how long they need to be in the area to consume enough nutrients without overgrazing the land.
Overgrazing causes the farmer’s natural renewable feed source to be depleted. It costs more to regenerate the forages through the extra labor, re-seeding, fertilizers, etc. If herdsmen maintain their pastures at an appropriate level it will take little to no effort for upkeep.
Having too high of a grazing intensity in a specific area will not only affect the health of the vegetation, but the performance of the animals. As the grazing pressure increases, the animal’s intake of nutrients is reduced due to lesser amounts of available nutrients. (Helpful tip: animal performance determines the amount of feed consumed per day. If you have high performance goals, then the animal will need to consume more to maintain the energy and nutrient requirements.) The livestock will consume the plants to the roots or even eat the roots, which leads to killing the vegetation.
If considering a grazing rotation for the first time or trying a new one, the farmer needs to determine what type of land he or she has; rangeland or pasture. There are a few differences between the two types. Rangeland has native grasses, shrubs, and other grazing plants. However, there is no involvement from the farmer in maintaining the land. Pasture on the other hand, is improved upon by the owners labor like irrigating, fertilizing, seeding, etc. Nonetheless, all grazing rotations can be implemented for both types of land.
Continuous:
Grazing one section of land for the whole grazing season or year. This works best with long growing seasons and dry flat lands. It does not require much fencing or labor. One downfall is that there is no scheduled rest period for the forages and some areas may be overgrazed.
Deferred:
This requires a minimum of two pastures. The preferred terrain for this type is tall and mixed grasses, prairies, and rough topography. For best results, the primary forages should be at a mature stage before grazing. Deferred grazing can handle a higher grazing intensity.
Seasonal Suitability:
This type of grazing is dependent on the growing season of various vegetation in each pasture. It goes along with the natural seasons of the forages, and works the best in diverse forage rangeland and rough topography.
Short Duration:
This has the shortest grazing period of nine days and a resting period of 1-2 months. Therefore, eight or more pastures are required for this system. This can withstand a very high grazing intensity of livestock. Each portion is grazed on multiple times. It does require a lot of fencing, but it does work best in humid regions.
Rest Rotation:
Incorporates at least one rested pasture on a rotational basis for a whole year. Rest rotation needs at least three pastures. Preferred in rugged terrain and rangelands. It can enhance the native wildlife in the area.
Cell system (High Intensity and Low Frequency):
A large property is sectioned off into a multi-pasture grazing system that uses a very high intensity for a short duration then the pasture is allowed to rest until the next turn after each portion is grazed upon. Typically, each section is grazed on once during the grazing season. Most systems like this have a central water source and animal facilities.
The herdsmen should elevate which rotational practice best suits his or her operation. Any of the rotational management systems will improve the utilization of forages and the performance of livestock. Keep in mind that a grazing system is only as good as the management behind it.
Click here to find out more about the different rotations and the implementations.
Source: Agri-Nutrition Consulting
