1. Grazing Basics Central Wisconsin Grazing Meetings March 2008
Craig Saxe
UW-Extension, Juneau Co.
211 Hickory Street
Mauston WI 53948
(608)

2. We’ll be covering What is rotational grazing
Why use rotational grazing
Understanding plant growth
Setting up a grazing system
Fencing, watering and frost seeding
Grazing tips
Here are the items we will be covering in this presentation

3. What is Rotational Grazing?

4. Farming is all about capturing the sun’s energy and converting it to usable products.
L. Paine, 2005

5. If we start by maximizing the amount of energy we capture, all other steps in the process have greater potential to yield profits.
L. Paine, 2005

6. Number of Days of Bare Soil
L. Paine, 2005

7. Many Pastures are Continuously Grazed
This usually means:
Lower yields due to selective grazing
Greater weed problems
Potential for erosion problems in certain areas
No management or poor management of forage resource W S
S = Shelter
W = Water

8. Rotational Grazing
Pastures are subdivided into smaller areas (paddocks)
A portion of the pasture is grazed while the remainder “rests”
Lane
Rest allows pasture to:
Recover from grazing,
Rebuild energy reserves & plant vigor
Increase forage production

9. Management Intensive Rotational Grazing
Management Intensive Rotational Grazing (MIRG) involves even greater numbers of paddocks and/or subdivision within paddocks to increase amount of rest and decrease days grazing each rotation W W
Corral
Lane W W

10. Strip Grazing
Lane

11. Strip Grazing

12. Which grazing system is right for me?
CONSIDERATIONS:
What’s best for the grass
What’s best for the livestock
What moves you toward your goals!!!
CONSIDERATIONS: Quality of pasture forage, Species of grazing animal, Costs, Time – yours, Existing facilities, Water, Fencing

13. Why use Rotational Grazing?