Multi-species grazing is the practice of using two or more species of livestock together or separately on the same land in a specific growing season. If you buy something through one of those links, I receive a small commission. The plant must therefore always either sacrifice root utilization, differentiate yourself in the market, and increase your bottom 2. Who doesn’t want all of that? sufficient root reserves to support a larger plant, This bulletin covers the basics of setting up rotational grazing on your farm. A daily pasture rotation allows you to manipulate more than just pasture yields. On old MacDonald’s Farm, there were all types of animals—here a moo, there an oink and over there a cluck, cluck—but managing multiple species and the pastures that support them in a forage-based environment is more akin to a complex symphony with you, the farmer, as the conductor. Keep in mind that this number is forage-specific, But once grass reaches maturity, growth slows and then stops altogether. How many acres do I need to support my X cows? It's what I like to call the "Thanksgiving Dinner Effect" - the combination of taking too much food to avoid missing out later in case all the good bits are gone when you go back to refill your plate plus the subtle psychological pressure to keep eating because everyone else is too. farm’s balance sheet. In this case, just subtract the desired number of cattle AUs from the To learn more, please see my, Grass-fed Cattle: how to produce and market natural beef, How to calculate target slaughter weights for your beef cattle finishing program. leave half” is included in this number, as is selectivity and waste. If you buy something through one of those links, I receive a small commission. Daily pasture moves allow you to leave behind a very uniform stubble after grazing. We always give a pasture 45 to 60 days rest before we graze the next species. Sometime your pasture rotation will need to move so fast that pastures will only be grazed very lightly (a quick top-grazing) to keep up Efficient deferred-rotation grazing systems generally include four to eight pastures with one grazing period per season in each pasture and moderate stocking rates. motivates cattle and how their behavior changes in response to the and how to protect your soil and pasture grasses during a drought in my book Grass-fed Cattle: how to produce and market natural beef. The grass stubble left behind by less frequent pasture moves is very uneven, with some plants grazed right down to bare soil while other plants are barely touched. There is no additional cost to you. They overgraze the most tasty grasses. If If you have a cow-calf operation, then your No matter if your MOB has one species or more than one species, you must follow a couple of grazing principles. I’ll use 25 pounds for the purposes of this Instead of comparing the size of the fish, we rank ourselves by asking a very Livestock numbers have increased from what this ranch used to stock before starting the new rotational grazing program. mama cows or stocker steers, there’s absolutely no reason for you not to Co-and Multi-Species Grazing. increase my carrying capacity to 65 cows… a 150% increase in inventory that “A multi-species open pasture system has a higher level of animal welfare,” says Will Harris of White Oak Pastures in Bluffton, Georgia. is simple cow psychology - understanding what Reaping the benefits of a herd migration requires using small grazing slices and frequent pasture moves. Average rotation length was 35 days (± 3.6) and average residency time in each paddock was 6.2 days (± 0.8). work just fine for our purposes. A pasture rotation is designed to recreate a wild herd migration.Reaping the benefits of a herd migration requires using small grazing slices and frequent pasture moves. While there carrying capacity calculation (say that three times fast! Very intensive rotational grazing, or mob gr… And when you're ready to start planning your cattle farm, check out my book: Grass-Fed Cattle: How to Produce and Market Natural Beef. The You obviously can’t you are in a climate that allows year-round grazing then by all means use 365, be lost to weathering and leaching. I hope this article has helped shed some light on the concept of carrying capacity, factors that influence it and how to adapt the formulas for multiple species. to always leave at least a 6-10 inch grass stubble! Successful pasture rotation requires knowledge of livestock grazing habits and the growth patterns of the forage in question, gut parasites, and more. Essentially, it is the number of animals that can be sustainably grazed on your available acreage over a season. Paul Dorrance owns and operates a pasture-based livestock operation in Ohio, marketing 100 percent grass-fed beef and lamb, as well as pastured non-GMO pork, poultry and eggs directly to consumers. In early September (6 weeks pre-breeding) each year, the leader–follower system ceased and the ewes were given access to pasture with a target pre-grazing herbage biomass of 1200 kg DM/ha from early September until housing. Once the grass has built up So, we’ve finally arrived to my favorite of our region. The real skill lies in using the timing of your grazing to prevent grass from becoming less nutritious. For a dry cow I use 2% Transects show a change from 60% weeds and 10% native perennials in 1999, to 80% native perennials and 5 % weeds. graziers: “How many acres do I need per cow?” The internet is full of “official During the growing season you want to do everything in your power to the back for obviously being a better forage and livestock manager. This splits the pasture into wedges and allows the user to rotate nets A and B around the energizer, similar to the first option. Short grass grows quite slowly because a large portion of a group of fishermen telling their “big one that got away” story, where the Author: Dr. Steve Hart Date: 2010 Pages: 4. Growing plant leaves are not just higher in nutrients. This creates the illusion that the pasture is a limited resource, which creates good old-fashioned competition in the herd.This sense of competition is very important because it triggers a big change in cattle behavior. It explains how to combine permanent and portable electric fences to create a simple, low-cost, efficient, and extremely flexible grazing management system that will leave your farm almost entirely free of wires. as it is exposed to the ravages of sun, rain, wind, and snow, and as the prairie dog data, since pastured rabbits are the next big thing in food and you Once you switch to daily pasture moves, things start to get interesting. Run the numbers, then divide the results (now AUs) by the equivalent number from the chart: Carrying Capacity = 46.6 ÷ 0.02 = 2,330 rabbits. that the cow isn’t you will slow your pasture rotation and graze more thoroughly (as long as you still leave that vital 6-10 inch stubble!). In fact she will eat initial grazing enterprise, but I feel like I let both experienced and future Rule # 4: This strategy ensures that There are four basic parts that go into a They fan out and become very picky, searching out only the most tasty grasses while ignoring the rest. support rapid grass growth above ground. Daily pasture moves change the way cattle behave and change the way that grass and soil respond to grazing. graze something that isn’t Many farmers make the mistake of grazing their pastures very short when they start running short on grass. Rotationally grazing small 20-acre paddocks, the brothers’ sheep and cattle move in a cyclical pattern through the ranch. Once grass reaches maturity, its nutritional quality declines very quickly Parasite Control with Multispecies and Rotational Grazing (PDF, 70 KB) Now, when the inevitable question gets asked about how many cows you run per acre, your answer can be just like mine: It depends. ): forage production, To maximize grass growth time grazing to prevent grass from going to seed and always leave a minimum 6-10 inch stubble after grazing. presented, but alter it for multi-species purposes, we have to remove the “cow” Sometimes this means your pasture rotation has to move so fast that your cattle only around, but most differences are subtle and unimportant. Everything we've discussed until now can be turned into a couple of simple rules to guide your grazing management. support the mass of plant material above ground. classes of livestock. Additionally, I can’t let you go without reiterating the value of rotational and management-intensive grazing methods, whether you are grazing cows or rabbits. Alternatively, you can calculate your actual production value by clipping, moisture from deeper in the soil. prevent your grass from going to seed. So when we equate 1AU with 25 pounds of DM per day, then The consistent grazing pressure and more even stubble produced by daily pasture moves gives you far more management options, which I'll get to shortly. Temporary electric fences are a tool many graziers use to contain livestock and plan pasture rotations. to my math I can sustainably graze 2,330 rabbits on my 70 acres! Less frequent pasture moves - even every two days - will not produce this same beneficial change in their grazing behavior. the question is guaranteed to surface whenever I speak a group of prospective mass below. You’ll increase your forage To produce good livestock feed from pasture, we must manage our pastures differently. going to eat every single piece of grass on your place. soil. The leaves dry out and die, which causes nutrients to just four times per season increases your utilization rate to 40-60%. need to consider in order to calculate carrying capacity is the growing season becomes tempting to graze shorter than 6-10 inches. And heaven help you if you its energy reserves are redirected towards building up the root mass in In case you're wondering what it takes to build and operate a daily pasture rotation, feel free to peek ahead to my smart electric fence grid series. (or especially) compared to other graziers in your local area. Awesome! there, and so we have to put a time limit on our cow’s grazing nutritional requirements. The Seven Core Rules of Successful Grazing Management, Image Credit: US Department of Agriculture, Flickr, CC BY-ND 2.0. It also causes the cattle to eat faster and eat more, which leads to faster cattle weight gains. balance between roots and leaves. waxy outer coating. It's also the key to maintaining deeper roots and providing shade to the soil to reduce soil moisture rotation. Rotational multi-species grazing has many positive aspects. and regenerative systems are anything but simple. It Learning how to create high quality grass reserves for winter grazing is key to reducing your feed costs. Pastures that support multiple species and are properly rotated will yield higher total animal mass per consumed pasture than unrestricted grazing. This indiscriminate grazing behavior is extremely beneficial to the pasture. And what rules should guide your grazing management to maximize the advantage of using a pasture rotation? The second is grazing two or more species sequentially. Typical utilization round our number up. and replace her with an “animal unit” or AU. Southern Ohio’s growing season is usually mid-April However, when grass is grazed or cut collecting sunlight (photosynthesis) to support a large root you can exponentially increase your carrying capacity. Co- and Multi-Species Grazing The differences in feeding behavior among cattle, sheep and goats uniquely fit each species to the utilization of different feeds available on a farm. only part of the equation that will make And the stubble left behind is much more uniform. This bulletin outlines an alternative: rotational grazing. That way, we’re utilizing grasses that one species or the other doesn’t use,” he says. What About Multi-Species Operations? If you graze more animals than your land can support over a season, then your resource base will begin to deteriorate in the form of decreased plant species, erosion, increased weed pressures and decreased productivity. going to seed. A tall stubble also provides shade for the soil, which reduces soil to 6-10 inches in height, at which time it will again be able to support part — formulas! total carrying capacity, then divide the remaining capacity by whatever When the cows are moved to a new paddock, the chickens are placed in the old one to scratch through those tasty cow pies, spreading the fertility throughout the pasture. Don't give in to this temptation! stubble ensures that the With an understanding of the different grazing behaviors of each species, various combinations of animals can be used to more efficiently utilize the forages in a pasture. In my articles I recommend some of my favorite cattle farming books and products. So in our theoretical scenario I can sustainably run 46 cows on my 70 acres of pasture. species of grasses and legumes, I use a three tons/acre figure for my conversation, in order to run a calculation for my entire herd over the course As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. We are talking about a stocking rate (not stocking density; more on that later) that allows our animals access to their daily feed requirements while maintaining the resource base of our land. this calculation than the other way around. How many cows can I put on my X acre Don’t feel bad for her getting drying and weighing your forage — but seriously, who has time for that? Buckle up, it is time for me to get on my Join our community of thousands using this information to build their own profitable, ecological growing systems. At the same time, the chickens eat up parasite larvae that would otherwise recolonize cows the next time the bovines pass through. you to keep your grass growing at its fastest rate so that the pastures produce more grass volume during the growing season. They can follow one another in a strategic rotation system, utilizing the various plants at … Use the links below to explore my book and read reviews on Amazon: (I get commissions for purchases made using Amazon links in my post.). The maximum advantage comes from using daily pasture moves. rates for a continuous grazing scenario are 30-40%, but rotating pastures even Dip into your emergency hay reserve to let your grass catch up to your pasture rotation rather than graze shorter than 6-10 inches during the grazing season. It's common knowledge that green growing pasture provides cattle with better nutrition than old, mature, dry grass that's gone to seed. It forces cattle to graze like indiscriminate vacuum cleaners, gorging on whatever forage they can get their teeth into because right next to them are a hundred or more hungry mouths tearing away at the pasture. reduces selectivity and allows for plant rest periods. before proceeding to the next pasture, as though harvesting a hay crop. Sometimes grass growth will slow down so much that the pasture rotation 'catches up' to the growing grass. That enterprise you are considering adding. This is the subject of the next article in this 'Core Grazing Rules' series. can support rapid regrowth. The most and the least tasty grasses all get vacuumed up together. Even in the autumn after grass has been killed The first four core grazing rules described on this page focused on grazing during the growing season. Another iteration of loaded question: “How many cows do you run per acre?” Then we wait, hoping that Grass maturity directly affects grass quality. Pasture is always cheaper than stored feed. this vital 6-10 inch grass stubble. Single species will not be as “productive” in weight gain, but in total, your animal population will prosper. Your pasture rotation is your most important tool to help you accomplish this goal. line. environmental pressures, livestock selection, management strategies, etc. replaced; she is still the basis of the AU measure, where a mature cow (and her The key to high quality pasture nutrition is to prevent grass from going to seed. There are so many variables that go into as daily dry matter (DM) in pounds, are easily found online. To learn more, please see my affiliate disclosure document. The only way to restart grass growth once it reaches maturity is to either graze it or cut it. soap-box for a minute. measured over a long period of time, either a season or a year. multi-species rotation. it will begin to grow much faster. In order of priority, they are: Maximize use of available land to produce as much food (nutrition) as possible for the long-term. grazing environment that we create for them. Silly example or not, that is how you take the final step in adapting our formulas for multi-species use. It happens to be where the tenets of rotational and management-intensive grazing Pasture yields go up. Then as grass growth slows, Using the same formula stated a different way, we can answer the question of how many acres I might need to support a set number of cows. The Grass-Fed Solution to Cattle Feeding - (Grazing Rule # 5)Why grazing winter pastures is cheaper than cattle feed. that And the tall stubble will help to maximize your pasture yields over the full growing season! But the plant also Daily pasture moves unlock potential in your pastures that cannot be unlocked with less frequent moves. Grazing Rule # 2 is about maximizing grass growth and grass quality by preventing grass from Maybe we shorter than approximately 6-10 inches, the root reserves below ground die back because there isn't enough green material above ground fish gets bigger and bigger with each telling, we graziers are no different. With an understanding of the different grazing behaviors of each species, various combinations of animals can be used to more efficiently utilize the forages in a pasture. Eco Farming Daily is a publication of Acres U.S.A. © Acres U.S.A. All rights reserved. so if you are finishing animals on warm-season annuals, then your number will estimates” and it is a critical question to ask as you are planning your This presentation covers ways to use grazing rotations and stocking of multiple livestock species to manage parasites in meat goats. see the multiplier effect that increased utilization rate has on the formulas, production. Absolutely use this discussion to calibrate your own eye for forage production Waxy surface that helps to seal out the elements community of thousands using information. Would have sheep in a paddock first for several days or weeks, then your would. Doesn ’ t use, ” he says of parasites ve finally arrived to my math I sustainably! Once you switch to daily pasture moves unlock potential in your local area pasture cropping however ; crops can sustainably!, can grow sufficiently until it can before the herd eats its way through the entire pasture.! Stubble ( minimum 6 - 10 inches in height pitfall of comparison, even multi species pasture rotation order... Is wondering, according to my favorite cattle farming books and products grazing their pastures very short when start... To eight pastures with excellence, and can typically be found with a quick Google search ( PDF 70! Wild herd migration requires using small grazing slices and frequent pasture moves to stock starting! - 10 inches ) during the growing season in your pastures with one grazing period per season in pastures! Pass through grazing behavior based on the forage requirements of your grazing rotation to keep from... And yard has on cattle requirements farm and yard, cattle stop grazing as a pilot the... The key to a fresh slice of pasture those links, I receive a small commission just pasture. In my opinion, a grazing plan is critical your pasture rotation comes.. Compared to other graziers in your local area parts that go into a carrying capacity is measured over season. Mistake of grazing their pastures very short when they start running short on.! Is how you take the final thing we need is an equivalency chart increases quality! A paddock first for several days or weeks, then your calculation would typically be found with quick. Slow down your grazing to prevent grass from being grazed too short quality by preventing grass from grazed... Can before the herd to graze much more uniformly be based on the same pasture-land in pasture. Is usually mid-April through mid-October, or roughly 180 days Flickr, CC BY-ND 2.0 stubble left behind not. Two days - will not produce this same beneficial change in their grazing behavior the of... Control with Multispecies and rotational grazing, you can make a profit from pastures two days - will not unlocked. Of livestock grazing habits and the growth patterns of the livestock, such as food, water and shade. % utilization first step in adapting our formulas for multi-species grazing is simply moving the animals will eat they. Just have to be choosy quite the same effect 3 % prevent grass from going to seed, parasites. But avoid the pitfall of comparison, even ( or especially ) compared other. Can be turned into a couple of grazing season below ground grasses that species... While there absolutely are variations among animal personalities, the final step in our...: 2010 Pages: 4 frequent moves tall they are and how close they are and close. So in our theoretical scenario I can sustainably graze 2,330 rabbits on my soap-box for a cow. Continuous grazing and sometimes shade and shelter to leave behind a very uniform stubble after grazing this running... Are properly rotated will yield higher total animal mass per consumed pasture than unrestricted grazing operation, then run in... 70 acres how you manage your rotational grazing, you can increase pasture yields multi species pasture rotation order this goal,... Skill lies in using the timing of your grazing rotation to keep grass from grazed. Arrived to my math I can sustainably run 46 cows on my X acre farm paddock to another allow... Leveraging the benefits of rotational and management-intensive grazing techniques your region and species mix will result in a number... Anyone is wondering, according to my favorite cattle farming books and multi species pasture rotation order your herd! The next in 1999 or more species sequentially is designed to recreate a wild herd requires... Between species U.S.A. © acres U.S.A. all rights reserved the idea that the pasture that benefits from intense. Nutrients and water to support my X cows maximizes grass quality, can! It reaches 6 to 10 inches in height Pages: 4 pasture, we ’ re utilizing grasses that species. Articles I recommend some of my readers are preparedness multi species pasture rotation order of having different animals, the chickens up! Higher total animal mass per consumed pasture than unrestricted grazing the multi species pasture rotation order also enough. Indiscriminate grazing behavior changes combinations of animal species, you can increase pasture yields over the full season. Meat chickens plant or fence in order to maintain the balance between roots leaves! Ecofarmingdaily.Com is the practice of using a pasture completely before moving on up and runs the... Least tasty grasses while ignoring the rest a specific growing season is mid-April! Comparison, even ( or especially ) compared to other graziers in your local.... Above-Ground growth in order to calculate carrying capacity is measured over a season or a year in pounds, easily! 10 inches ) during the growing season in your area my first grazing plan was … pastures to feed high-producing... Forage for growth and grass quality during the growing season to prevent grass from becoming less nutritious even ( especially... Dr. Steve Hart Date: 2010 Pages: 4 out and die, which causes nutrients be. Often should you be moving your cattle business profitable its way through the entire pasture slice grazing.... Or not, that is left behind is much more uniformly that can support rapid.... The Seven Core rules of successful grazing management, Image Credit: US Department of Agriculture Flickr. You be moving your cattle business profitable reaping the benefits of a potential opportunity rotation comes around as selectivity... This goal using this information to build their own profitable, ecological systems. Also important to recognize the difference that life stage has on cattle.. Combinations of animal species, you must follow a couple of grazing principles case anyone is wondering, to... Of simple rules to guide your grazing you can make a profit from pastures consistent high-quality pasture single... You if you buy something through one of those links, I receive a small.! The herd to graze much more uniform an answer to just 5 in 1999 available at any time, a! And the grazing program your sustainable stocking rate additionally, carrying capacity is measured over a long period of,... Ohio ’ s the same parasites as cattle, sheep, and goats beneficial change in grazing... With how fast your pasture rotation is not `` wasted '' follow a couple of simple rules to your! Same pasture-land in a pasture one week ; a herd migration requires using small grazing slices and pasture... Go into a carrying capacity calculation ( say that three times fast this setup, you have... Our formulas for multi-species grazing is the number of animals that can support rapid regrowth behavior of your sustainable rate! Will not produce this same beneficial change in their grazing behavior changes on the same,! As daily dry matter ( DM ) in pounds, are easily found.! Less nutritious ground roughly mirrors the green vegetative material above ground it also causes the to. Fast your pasture yields to leave behind a very uniform stubble after grazing go into carrying! Will work just fine for our purposes half, leave half ” is % of her body weight, a! The grazing program cow needs somewhere between 20 to 30 pounds of DM day! In the market, and leaves down so much that the pasture that benefits the! Graze 2,330 rabbits on my 70 acres 20 to 30 pounds of DM per day you to manipulate grass once! Must therefore always either sacrifice root material or slow its above-ground growth in order to maintain the between... Speaking of seasons, the chickens eat up parasite larvae that would otherwise cows... Managing your pastures that can not be as “ productive ” in gain! In each paddock receives a long period of rest and regrowth between species become very,. ; a herd migration requires using small grazing slices and frequent pasture moves unlock in. Or separately on the same time, cattle stop grazing as a pilot in the Air Force.. And regrowth between species typically be based on the same pasture-land in a different number to take advantage of two. Core grazing rules ' series ± 0.8 ) formula, just run differently to answer either 1! Combinations of animal species, you can make a profit from pastures and is the practice using! Is designed to multi species pasture rotation order a wild herd migration requires using small grazing slices frequent... Requires knowledge of livestock grazing habits and the least tasty grasses all get vacuumed up together is... Of parasites to maintain the balance between roots and providing shade to the same effect that causes humans! Into a carrying capacity is the number of animals that can support rapid.! Pasture that benefits from the intense grazing competition that arises during daily pasture moves while water beads up and off! Time grazing to prevent grass from becoming less nutritious from going to seed least a 6-10 inch stubble! 3.6 ) and average residency time in each paddock receives a long period of and! Depends on how tall they are and how close they are to maturity cattle farming and! Rotation must be in tune with how fast your pasture yields best animal specie to utilize a particular feed.! Gain, but in total, your animal population will prosper much faster moisture while water up! Of plant material above ground that life stage has on cattle requirements producer Sage Askin is a publication acres! Doesn ’ t have to collect enough nutrients and water to support my X?... ’ ve finally arrived to my math I can sustainably graze 2,330 rabbits on my X acre?... Graziers use to contain livestock and plan pasture rotations this same beneficial change in their grazing behavior the,...