ANN 111: Principles of Animal Nutrition and Feed Technology (2+1)

SYSTEMS OF GRAZING IN A PASTURE

Three system of grazing are followed. Continuous grazing. Rotational grazing and Strip grazing. In continuous grazing animals are kept on the same area through out the year. It is essential that the stocking rate (no of animals per unit area) maintains balance between the growth of new herbage and its harvesting by grazing animals in order to provide constant supply of fresh grass. Overstocking leads to inferior herbage for grazing leading to reduction in animal performance and understocking leads to uneconomical returns. In rotational grazing, the livestock are periodically moved to fresh paddocks, to allow pastures to regrow. In this system, pasture is divided into several fenced paddocks and is grazed for short time at a high stocking rate. The pasture is then rested for longer period for grasses to grow. Strip grazing is a grazing management system that involves giving the livestock a fresh allocation of pasture each day. It is usually organised within a paddock grazing system and the animals are controlled by the use of an electric fence. Strip grazing systems are often employed where there is a significant excess of forage available early in the season and where providing the livestock with access to a larger area would result in wastage - for example through trampling or spoiling by dung.

Continuous grazing. Rotational grazing.  Strip grazing.    Balance eating & herbage regrowth. Overstocking – inferior grass.         Understocking -uneconomical.