Rotational grazing is a practice of moving livestock between different units of pasture in regular sequence to allow the recovery and regrowth of pasture plants after grazing. This facilitates management of the nutritional needs of the various types of livestock whilst maintaining pasture productivity. Management of intensive grazing/controlled grazing is a climate smart practice as it results in improved forage harvest, soil fertility, resistance to drought, reduced pasture weeds establishment, reduced wastage of forage and soil compaction.
Rotational grazing can also be combined with cut and carry approaches - when managed correctly; rotational grazing can provide enough forage growth early in the grazing season for producers to harvest feed for later use in some paddocks as rotation continues. Farmers can use temporary fence systems to manage the size of, and access to pastures.
To effectively carry out rotational grazing practices:
- Step 1: Plan livestock grazing system, based on livestock types, stocking density, pasture crop hardiness and production, rainfall, soils and available alternative pasture fields and space, focusing on the nutritional and forage needs of the animals.
- Step 2: Use temporary electric fence systems to manage the size of the paddock.
- Step 3: Move livestock between paddocks every set number of days (two days; one week; one month).
- Step 4: Assess forage quality and quantity, regulating the acreage of access and control by implementing the electric fence system, which uses electrified fencing to determine which parts of the pasture that the livestock will access.
- Step 5: Monitoring efficacy of the system, changing rotation periods and extend recovery time for grazed land, if land becomes degraded.
- Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO),2018. Restricted breeding and rotational grazing. Rome, Italy.
- WOCAT, 2008. Rotational Grazing, allowing livestock to graze in pasturelands in a periodic and regular manner. Turkey.
Benefits
- Controlled rotational grazing is an effective conservation practice to apply that improves animal management, increases soil fertility, forage productivity, and reduces soil nutrient depletion and soil erosion.
Drawbacks
- Appropriate land access is a issue, with farmers requiring substantial land or approval and agreement from the community to operationalise the approach.
