Grazing as a Pasture Management Tool

Grazing is one of the best tools available for improvement and maintenance of healthy, productive pastures. Increased infiltration rate, water quality, organic matter, rooting structure, plant health, animal production, and decreased weed invasion, soil erosion, and pesticide use are benefits of proper grazing management.

Grazing Methods

Timing, intensity, and duration of livestock grazing can have a dramatic impact on individual plant vigor and overall pasture production and rotational grazing.

Continuous Grazing

Continuous grazing typically employs a fixed number of animals grazing a certain number of acres for a given length of time. Historically, in southwest Oregon this has meant 1 animal unit (1000-pound cow or its equivalent) per acre for the growing season (April – October). Continuous grazing, although less labor intensive creates pastures that can be overgrazed and depleted. This is a result of cattle being able to selectively graze the more desirable plant species, similar to letting a child choose between ice cream and Brussel sprouts.

Rotational Grazing

Rotational grazing requires more intensive management. Livestock typically are allowed to start grazing in a paddock when the forage (grass or grass/clover mix) is from 8–10 inches tall. After the forage is eaten down to approximately 4 inches, livestock are removed and the plants are allowed to rest. This leaves adequate plant leaf area, which enhances the photosynthetic capability of the plant. The more energy the plant receives from the sun the less energy it needs to extract from root reserves. Quicker re-growth occurs from photosynthetic activity and translates into more vigorous plants with increased production. Rotational grazing also results in more uniform grazing of all plant species to a desirable stubble height (length of leaf blade) increasing per-acre production. Rotational grazing allows for more efficient harvesting of sun light.

Basic Management Techniques

• Determine goals and objectives in a management plan.
• Divide pastures into small units (paddocks) utilizing electric fence and making sure that livestock are trained to the electric fence prior to grazing.
• Move grazing animals between paddocks to allow recovery time for forage species. (See the soils section for common forage species.)
• Drag pastures to break up and evenly distribute manure, following grazing.
• Irrigate paddocks following grazing rather than prior to grazing.
• Take soil samples and fertilizing based on the results of the soil test.
• Have water, salt, and minerals constantly available and dispersed at varying distances will distribute livestock evenly across pasture while keeping them healthy.
• Adjust animal numbers and management based on pasture production and re-growth.

Producers should not allow livestock continuous access to the entire pasture. Grazing on saturated soils or too early in the spring should be avoided. Soil compaction and plant damage can result from grazing livestock in the late fall, winter or early spring. Horses only need 2-3 hours of grazing per day allowing for partial intake of their daily nutrient requirement and for exercise.

Good grazing management should produce more pounds of product per acre. It will reduce overgrazing and the need to seek feed from other sources. Livestock are healthier and will maintain weight on well managed pasture.

Pastures will be productive and be uniformly covered with desired forage species. There will also be a reduction of invasive weedy species. Irrigation will be more efficient with less overland flow of water.