Believe it or not the best tool you have at your disposal for pasture management is your grazing animals. They harvest their own pasture feed and the grazing maintains pasture plants in the leafy stage.

Grazing animals are the best tool for pasture management.

Older stock are great for cleaning up pasture that younger animals are reluctant to eat or for grazing pasture that has gone to head. If stock are really reluctant to touch pasture that has gone to head topping it (the grass, not the stock) can make it more palatable.  The same applies to weeds.

Rotational grazing refers to a controlled system whereby areas of a paddock are grazed in rotation using temporary fencing.   The fence – usually electric – is shifted regularly to allow the stock their daily rations.  

You must ensure water is available to stock at ALL times.  Rotational grazing allows you to see which paddocks are growing the most feed which makes decisions on rotation length – the number of days it takes before the stock will be back in the paddock they have just grazed – easier.

 Newly-calved cows might  be on a 20-day rotation or round, as feed is plentiful and growing fast during spring, while in the winter when cows are dry the rotation round could be 100 days.

Slowing up the rotation and using supplemental feed will give pasture ahead of the stock extra regrowth time before they are grazed; this is especially helpful if pastures are not growing satisfactorily.

Most lifestyle farmers set-stock pasture where animals are kept in a paddock and left there until the paddock has been grazed to a satisfactory level.

For set-stocking to be successful it is important to match the right number of animals in each paddock with the number of days they need to be left there. Keep in mind  a large paddock can be divided for set-stocking using electric fences.

It is vital to work out how many animals your block can carry.  If you have too many you will constantly be short of feed and your stock will not perform well.

You will also need to constantly buy in supplemental feed which can quickly become a costly exercise. There is also the risk of finding yourself in trouble with the law for not providing adequate feed and running stock in poor condition.

Conversely if you have too few animals, your block will always be out of control and you will end up with too much hay or silage.

Your overall stocking rate should be based on what you can winter – the winter carrying capacity.  Check what neighbouring blocks are carrying or ask a consultant.