Grazing is a powerful tool for reducing feed costs, improving land use, and supporting environmental stewardship. With proper planning and active management, producers can make the most of marginal land, extend the grazing season, and improve pasture productivity.
Key Insights:
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Cost Savings & Land Use: Feed is the highest cost in cattle production. Grazing reduces reliance on harvested feed and allows marginal land to become productive through grass growth and livestock use.
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Environmental Benefits: Grazing supports soil health, reduces erosion and runoff, and can be integrated with cover crops for added land benefits.
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Grazing Plans: A comprehensive grazing plan—complete with maps, land boundaries, and rotation schedules—helps producers monitor pasture conditions, avoid overgrazing, and optimize forage use.
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Grazing Systems:
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Continuous grazing is simple but often results in overuse and uneven forage distribution.
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Simple rotational grazing improves regrowth and forage use, extending grazing periods.
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Intensive rotational grazing offers the highest productivity and forage efficiency, though it requires more management and infrastructure.
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Pasture Evaluation: Regular assessment of pasture density, plant species, and forage mass (e.g., using hula-hoop or clipping methods) helps determine productivity in lbs of dry matter per acre.
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Stocking Density: Calculating how many animals a pasture can support—and for how long—depends on forage availability and cow body weight. Overgrazing harms regrowth and animal performance, while undergrazing leads to waste.
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Pasture Improvements: Techniques like fertilizing, interseeding, and frost seeding enhance pasture quality. Severely degraded pastures may require full renovation.
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Contingency Plans: Weather and other factors can disrupt grazing plans. Tools like sacrificial pastures, concrete pads, or shelters help maintain herd health during disruptions.
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Genetic Selection: Traits like fertility, longevity, and sound feet and legs are vital for a grazing herd’s long-term profitability and adaptability to pasture-based systems.
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Supplementation: When forage is insufficient, strategic supplementation helps maintain body condition and ensures consistent animal performance, especially during transitions or drought.
By integrating thoughtful planning with active monitoring, grazing systems can be highly productive, sustainable, and profitable.
