Grazing Systems

1. Grazing Systems

2. Before We Arrived! • Migratory Grazing Animals • Small Human Population • No fences • Mother Nature Ruled • Plants and Animals Adapted to Environment • Good to Excellent Rangeland Condition

3. What Was Their Grazing System? Very Short Grazing Periods and Very Long Recovery Periods Our Rangelands Evolved Under This Type of Grazing Regime

4. What Happened Then • Prairie was fenced – individual ownership • Lack of awareness of fragile resources and/or ecological processes • Not familiar with proper grazing practices • Improper Stocking Rates • Continuous Grazing

5. Why Does Range Condition and Soil Health Decline With Continuous Grazing? • Selective Repeated Grazing of the Same Plants • Desirable plants are overgrazed • Undesirable plants are not grazed • Shift in species composition • Decreased Plant Diversity • Decreased Soil Microbial Activity • Decreased Organic Matter, Soil Aggregation, Water Holding Capacity • Decreased Annual Biomass / Forage Production

6. The Result

7. Soil ErosionSoil Development Takes Thousands of Years

8. Consequences • Decreased Native Vegetation • Increased Undesirable Plants • Invasive Weeds • Increased Bare Ground • Accelerated Erosion • Loss of Topsoil • Air and Water Pollution • Land Devaluation • Not Esthetically Pleasing • Loss of Wildlife Habitat

9. Effects of Grazing on Plants • Timing – growth stage of plant when it is grazed. • Frequency – number of grazing events during the growing season. • Intensity – amount of leaf removed when it is grazed. • Recovery – amount of time allowed for plant to regrow and restore energy reserves after being grazed.

10. Intensity of Grazing What percent of leaf volume can be removed without root growth stoppage?

11. Recovery After Grazing How many days of recovery are necessary after each grazing event in our area to maintain healthy rangeland when plants are growing slowly? • 7 – 15 • 70 – 90 • 15 – 30 • 30 – 45 • 45 – 70

12. Grazing is One Tool to Manage Vegetation • Grasslands Evolved with Grazing Animals • Is all grazing created equal? • Continuous vs rotational grazing

13. Rangeland Plants X X X

14. Continuous Grazing – Properly Stocked Some Plants Grazed X X X X X X

15. Continuous GrazingAnimals Regraze the Same Plants X X X X X X X X X

16. Continuous GrazingWeakened/Dead Plants XX X XX X XX X

17. Invasive/Increasers

18. Above Plants Compete! and Below Ground 70 – 90% of Grass Biomass Is Below Ground

19. Is Proper Carrying Capacity/Stocking Rate Enough? If rotation grazing is not practiced then range condition may not improve and may even continue to decline, even with proper carrying capacity.

20. Why? • Selective “Over-Grazing” • Desirable plants are overgrazed • Undesirable plants are not grazed (Over-Rested) • Shift in species composition

21. Rotation Grazing Systems Defined as a practice in which two or more pastures are alternately rested and grazed in a planned sequence for a period of years.

22. Essential Concepts of Grazing Systems Grazing Periods – Should be kept short. 10 days or less is preferred during the growing season. Recovery – plant must be allowed enough time to replenish energy stores after defoliation. Throughout the majority of the growing season in our semi-arid climate, 90 days of recovery is required after each grazing event.

23. Continuous Grazing One Pasture – One HerdNo Recovery Time

24. Two Pastures – Two Herds No Recovery Time

25. Two Pastures - One Herd 50% Recovery Time Per Pasture

26. Four Pastures - One Herd 75% Recovery Time Per Pasture

27. Eight Pastures - One Herd 88 % Recovery Time Per Pasture

28. Sixteen Pastures - One Herd 94% Recovery Time Per Pasture

30. Cell Center With Rotation Grazing

31. Successful Grazing Systems • Simulate migratory bison grazing • Proper stocking rate • Distribute livestock equitably • Control the length of grazing period. Formula = recovery period desired/number of pastures being rested. Prevent livestock from grazing each plant more than once during the grazing period. (10 days or less is preferred) • Provide sufficient recovery period. Dependent on growth rate. (at least 45 days during fast growth, at least 90 days during slow growth) • Rotate as one herd • Target Animal Impact • Begin grazing in a different pasture each year

32. What is “Animal Impact”?? Animal impact is everything that livestock do to the land. This includes dunging, urinating, hoof action, rubbing, salivating, etc. Animal impact is the most powerful tool we have to manage grassland resources. It effects utilization, reduces spot grazing, controls weed and brush competition, improves manure distribution, improves mineral cycling, water cycle and can produce seed/soil contact. IF APPLIED CORRECTLY

33. Applying Animal Impact Correctly • Mimic historic bison grazing • Short graze periods – less than 10 days • Long recovery periods – at least 90 days • Combine herds • Increase stock density, not stocking rate • More animals on a smaller area for a shorter period of time

34. Mob Grazing

35. Mob Grazing • Ultra-High Stock Density • 50,000 to 1.2 million pounds of beef/acre • Graze periods of hours, not days • Simulates migratory grazing animals • Most rapid improvement in range condition • Positive hoof impact • Improved infiltration/hydrology • Improved nutrient cycling/organic matter • Increased plant diversity • Increased production

36. Summary: Grazing is the Most Effective and Profit-Based Tool to Manage Rangeland Vegetation • Grasslands Evolved with Grazing Animals • All grazing is NOT created equal! • Continuous vs rotational grazing

37. THANK YOU!ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS?