If you are new to the livestock industry or have been here for a while, it’s almost a guarantee that you have heard of the term “Rotational Grazing”. This widely popular practice has been a staple in the industry for several years now. This practice will continue to grow in popularity as research institutes all over are finding more benefits. So, what is it?
Rotational grazing, in short, is moving cattle from field to field (rotating) based on forage availability.
Rotational grazing can be simple, extremely complex, or somewhere in between. It all depends on what is available to the producer at the time of converting to a rotational grazing system. Simple grazing systems can have anywhere from 2 to 8 fields while extremely complex systems can have upwards of 365+ fields. We’ll get to the complex grazing systems in a later blog, right now, let’s just stick to the basics.
When setting up a rotational grazing system for the first time, there are a few things to keep in mind. 1) Each and every field has to have a water source. Like humans, livestock need water to survive. So, ensuring that a water source is in each field, is a major factor. 2) Make sure fences fit the livestock type. Cattle are pretty easy and tend to respect any fence you put them behind, for the most part. Goats and sheep on the other hand, will need a net wire or tight woven fence in order to keep them in your field. Making sure fences that properly hold the livestock will save a lot of time and stress later down the road.
Once the proper infrastructure is in place, we are ready for the next step, a rotation schedule. Rotation schedules are important to keep the operation organized and for having a reference point. Keep in mind that every piece of property is unique. Reaching out to local resources like the extension service or web soils survey may be helpful. The most important aspect to remember when setting a rotation schedule is the minimum days of rest your forages need. Proper rest will allow forages to fully recover and produce more in the future.
For example: Where I am, common bermudagrass needs a minimum of 18 days rest before grazing again. Once that 18 day period has passed, I can rotate cattle back onto that field.
At this point, you have the infrastructure needed and a rest based rotation schedule for your operation. The very basics are covered and you are ready to start rotating livestock!