Grazing Distribution
What is Grazing Distribution?
 Pattern
created by livestock grazing an area of
rangeland or pasture
 animals tend to graze in spotty patterns
 forage
availability is reduced
 grazing selectivity is lost
 reduced animal performance
What causes uneven grazing patterns?
 Pasture
shape “L”
 Terrain
 Water
Location
 Vegetation
 palatability
 stage
of growth
 water content of plants
 soil fertility level
Managing for Grazing Distribution
 Salt
& Mineral Feeder Location
 placed
away from water
 may need to move when trampling begins
 Oilers,
Rubbing Posts, or Dust Bags
 attract
 Winter
livestock
Feeding Location (move around)
Managing for Grazing Distribution
 Riparian Areas
 provide
(streams, lakes etc)
alternate water and salt away from riparian
area
 may need to fence off area
 Prescribed
Burning -livestock prefer regrowth
after burning
Water Developments
 Quantity
& Quality are most important
 Cattle consume up to 15 gal per day per 1,000 lbs
animal
 Stock Ponds - can have poor water quality
 silting
 animals
 Pit
walking in
Ponds (Dugouts)
 Wells - should have 2-3 day storage
Water Developments
 Windmills
 high
initial cost
 unreliable as a continual source of power
 Electric
Pumps
 can
pump water to several locations, long distances
 requires electrical source
 requires constant monitoring (power outages)
 Solar-Powered
 can
Pumps
move solar panel & pump to different locations
 requires constant monitoring
Water Developments
 Pipelines
and Troughs
 can
be placed at the best locations
 multiple waterings
 initial cost & maintenance
 Spring
Developments
 provides
clean water away from wet areas
 with continuous flow, water seldom freezes
 Stock
Tanks should provide 2-3 days reserve
 concrete
pad
Cross Fencing
 Dividing
large pastures into smaller ones
 Conventional materials (barbed wire)
 High Tensile Steel - more maintenance
 High Energy - Low Impedance
 cheaper
than barbed
Grazing Strategies
 Influence
grazing patterns
Season-Long Grazing
 One
pasture for the entire season
 Difficult to maintain adequate grazing distribution
Management-Intensive Grazing
Systems
Sequential Forage Grazing
 Using
2 or more forages in combination
 best utilization of forage
 must have different growing seasons
Partial-season Grazing
 Only
allowed to graze for part of the growing
season
Deferred Grazing
 Rest
pasture during season of growth, grazed or
hayed during dormant time
 poor quality forage
 cheaper than haying
Rotation Grazing
 Move
livestock from pasture to pasture
 Only graze each pasture once per season
Rapid Rotation
 Fewer
than 6 pastures
 short grazing periods, long rest periods
Cell Grazing
 Intensified
rapid rotation
 more than 6 pastures
Which grazing system if for YOU?
 Things
to consider:
 water
 fencing
 animal
 time
nutrition