Factsheet: Managing Pasture Resources


How close to graze is key to maximizing productivity of guineagrss.


(20 animals per 10 acres). However,
the stocking density is 40 animals
per acre if the 10 acres is subdivided
for rotational grazing into 20
paddocks of 0.5 acres each (20
animals per half-acre paddock at any
given moment in time). Grazing
method is a defined technique of
grazing management (either con-
tinuous or rotational), that can be
applied over a defined period of time
without pasture deterioration. Graz-
ing intensity (how close to graze) is
a stocking rate for a pasture, or a
plant stubble height when cattle are
removed from the grazed pasture.
Grazing frequency (how often to
graze) is the length of the rest
periods between grazing. Grazing
pressure, the unit of animal
liveweight per unit of forage dry
matter and herbage allowance (kg of
forage per kg of animal weight) are
also important to give a complete
picture of the balance between
pasture productivity and stocking
rate. The closeness of grazing and
how often a pasture is grazed are


perhaps the most important deci-
sion-making tools available to graz-
ing managers.

FORAGE AND
LIVESTOCK NEEDS
 Recognizing both forage and
livestock needs is important to
developing effective grazing man-
agement systems. Matching what
the forage plant can provide and
what the livestock need nutritionally
should be the ultimate goal of
grazing managers.
 Adequate quantity (amount avail-
able) and nutritive value (crude
protein and digestibility) of pastures
are major livestock needs. Overgraz-
ing not only affects the pasture, but
also reduces animal performance
because of limited forage. Maturity
affects the nutritional value of
pastures. Grazing a pasture fre-
quendy may ensure that animals
have access to young regrowth and
high quality forage, but if the plant is
not adapted to this type of manage-
ment it may severely limit pasture


regrowth and may result in pasture
deterioration. In contrast, infrequent
grazing may result in large quantities
of forage being available for
livestock, but it may be so low in
nutritive value that animal perfor-
mance is affected.
 When grazed, forage plants must
maintain enough leaves to produce
energy for regrowth, or stored
reserves to provide that energy. If
frequently defoliated, forages may
not have enough time to grow new
leaves and replenish their supply of
reserves before another grazing
event. The result is that after each
grazing the plant has less reserve
energy than before, and eventually
its reserves are depleted. Appropri-
ate rest periods allow the forage
plant to accumulate reserves before
another grazing event.
 Differences in the requirements
of various classes of livestock are
also important. Mature guineagrass
(Panicum maximum var. Jacq.) may
be a very adequate feed fora dry beef
cow, but it may not be adequate for a