Rotational grazing

ROTATIONAL GRAZING

  • In this type of grazing, animals are allowed for grazing into different sub units of the grassland area in rotation at suitable intervals during the grazing season, so as to bring about uniform grazing without making it too close.
  • The quick change over from one compartment to another provides the advantages of giving the animals a nutritive, young herbage and at the same time provides a period of rest during the growth season. The disadvantages in this method is that it gives no chance for seed formation.

Hohenheim System:

  • This is an improved system of rotational grazing developed in Germany during the 1st world war to produce sufficient milk without any need to feed concentrates to milch cattle.
  • It consists of dividing the pasture into several equal sized plots or paddocks and applying large quantities of nitrogenous fertilizers in these paddocks.
  • The dairy cattle are separated into 3 groups high, medium and poor milkers and are let into the paddocks in rotation, so that the best milkers will get the youngest and most nutritious grazing.
  • Assuming a growing period of 3 months from July to September the plan of grazing in this system, will be

July

August

September

1st Year

I

II

III

2nd Year

II

III

I

3rd Year

III

I

II


Last modified: Saturday, 30 July 2011, 7:14 AM