Fodder Production and Grassland Management

DEFERRED GRAZING

• This system consists in delaying grazing in a part of the grassland area until after seed maturity in order to give a chance for the herbage to make sufficient growth and to accumulate sufficient reserved food material to maintain vigour of the plants and produce new shoots next year from the seeds that are shed. This system is applicable where perennial grasses are predominant.
• In practice the grassland is divided into three compartments. One compartment is completely closed to grazing during the growing season, while the animals are allowed to graze in other two compartments alternately.
• Grazing is allowed in the closed "compartment later on, before the herbage becomes too old and unpalatable. Grazing at this stage help in the disposal of seeds and their placement in the soil, thus favour good germination.
• Grazing in the other two compartments gives the benefit of early growth, to the grazing animals, while the alternation of grazing in two plots enables the plants to recoup their vigour after grazing, the grass in the deferred plot though less nutritious makes up for it by its greater quantity.
• Each year one compartment is deferred in this manner, so that in three years, each compartment gets an adequate period of rest, during which the plants would recoup their vigour.
• In deteriorated grass lands, where the perennial grasses are in a badly weak condition, grazing can be deferred for two years in each compartment or even longer, until the desired improvement is seen.