“The definition of a paddock is a subdivision of a grazing management unit,” said Daren Redfearn, extension forage and pasture management specialist at Oklahoma State University.
According to Redfearn, continuous grazing is the traditional form of grazing management, but it has some disadvantages. The common problems are reduced harvest efficiency, spot grazing and no grazing deferment to allow for plant recovery.
“A well-managed grazing system can improve harvest efficiency and increase flexibility in managing both the forage resource and livestock as a result of more frequent observation while monitoring the pastures,” Redfearn said.
“Grass grows at different rates depending on the time of year and weather conditions,” said Ted Probert, regional dairy and extension specialist at the University of Missouri. “Pastures are usually more productive when animals are provided small allocations (smaller paddocks), frequent moves and short grazing periods on a given paddock.”
Creating a regular, more frequent rotation within a pasture will allow better growth if it has a good established pattern of grazing and resting. “With continuous grazing cattle will utilize 30 to 35 percent of the forage available in a pasture,” Probert said. “If you increase this rotation to every three to five days, this utilization rate could increase to 50 percent. By rotating daily or even twice daily forage utilization can improve to as high as 70 percent.”
When it comes to fencing, paddocks have a variety of options that depend on the purpose of the cattle and goals of the producers. “Paddocks can be constructed using traditional barbed wire fencing, high tensile electric fencing, temporary poly-braided type electric fencing, or even wood fencing,” said John Jennings, professor in the animal sciences department at the University of Arkansas who specializes in extension forages.
Redfearn reminds producers that regardless of the grazing used; stocking rate is the most critical management factor in successful forage management for animal performance and forage plant productivity. “Overgrazing results in a continued cycle that reduces plant vigor, forage yield, stand persistence and results in a shift towards less desirable plant species (weeds),” he added.
The three pieces of information needed for calculating stocking rate are a realistic estimate of forage yield/production, utilization factor, and a realistic estimate of animal/size/class/number.
“We teach producers the three “M”s – Measure, Monitor and Manage,” Probert said. “If you measure your pastures on a regular basis such as weekly, you can monitor plant growth, and manage your pastures from this information. This will allow producers to make sure their plants are healthy and providing the best nutrition possible. It also provides information that will indicate in advance that a period of pasture surplus or shortage is in the near future.”
According to Probert, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) office offers a cost share program that provides economical and environmentally beneficial options for producers to graze their cattle. Producers should contact their local NRCS office to see what options are available in their area. The Missouri Department of Natural Resources also has cost share available.
“Rotational grazing may take more effort to set up, but is easy to maintain if it is designed to fit the farm operation,” Jennings concluded.
