Create an open forum for industry discussion and an easy-to-read magazine of expert information about the beef industry. This equals 750,000 pounds of forage that is available per year on the … In this example, there is an excess of approximately 142.5 AUMs that will go unused during the year (961.5 AUM supply – 819 AUM demand). If you have 500 acres and 50 cows, the stocking rate is 50 cows, or one cow per 10 acres. The USDA’s NRCS Web Soil Survey provides a reliable estimate of forage productivity for land all across the U.S., see (Table 1). Under these conditions, the 100 cows would graze down 1.3 acres in 12 hours or 2.6 acres in one day. Grazing managers can influence or control the season, frequency, duration and intensity of grazing. Mob grazing is actually a tool … These timely themes deliver information relevant to forage producers and other forage professionals to help them be more successful and profitable in their areas of operation. This monthly publication is tailored for all segments of the beef industry and consistently provides compelling features and photography, timely news, expert industry voices and entertaining commentary. For additional information, review our Privacy Policy. If done well, it can be very positive. And the operation uses a simple rotation grazing system in order to have 30 percent harvest efficiency. Mob Grazing, also known as ultra-high density grazing – Mob grazing involves grazing a large concentration of livestock in a small area for a short duration. Much is learned by trial and error. And let’s assume we are grazing 100 cows, 15 replacement heifers and four bulls on the 1,000-acre ranch from May 15 to November 15 (six months). ... on the animals you can graze per acre, and therefore on your wallet. This base is the animal unit (AU) system in which feed intake is defined on the basis of a standard animal: a 1,000-pound cow. 1.0 acre/AUM in the 15-19-inch precipitation zone, and 1.5-2.0 acres/AUM in the 10-14-inch precipitation zone. Unfortunately, cattle aren’t able to consume 100 percent of the forage available in a pasture. It is assumed that a 1,000-pound cow consumes 2.6 percent of her bodyweight in feed daily (on a dry matter basis). Rotational grazing involves the frequent movement of groups of stock through a series of paddocks and allows small landholders to decide when and for how long a pasture will be grazed and … That means we should be able to have 10 to 13 cows. The Ontario grazing farms were compared with other Ontario dairy farms in the Ontario Farm Management Analysis Program (OFMAP) over the same three-year time span. Unfortunately, the most accurate method of determining annual forage yield is via the very time-consuming and labor-intensive process of hand clipping and weighing forages from pastures. Cows like to roam and graze so they need a lot of room on a farm. If done poorly, it can be very damaging. With HSD, a producer can intentionally: Manage the grazing intensity — which can be from light defoliation to severe, depending on the desired objective — of a paddock or pasture. HSD has intentional impacts on the soils, forages and ultimately livestock production. Substantial research has shown rotational grazing to have many benefits, including improvements to soil fertility and health, reductions in hay feeding, increased stockin… University of Nebraska Extension Educator Terry Gompert says, “The objective is to create a major disturbance and then move on and give the pasture an extended period of rest — up to a year or more — before it is grazed again.” And what is the effect on the land? 500 cows — or more — per acre. It may occur all year or it may occur just during a certain period or season of the year. It is the intentional application of grazing livestock in higher than normal concentrations to achieve landscape-focused objectives. Intensive grazing is generally characterized by stocking densities – 50,000 to 150,000 animal pounds per acre. A few simple steps can be taken to determine carrying capacity and to compare forage supply with demand. In drier areas you may need up to 100 paddocks. No, stock density is dependent on the objective to be achieved, the situation and resources. Ultimately, it’s important to maximize animal performance without damaging the forage resource base over time. Cattle have to be moved (rotated) to a fresh paddock more often, depending on the amount of grazing forage that is available and the amount of forage residual desired to remain after the grazing event. This subsequently increases the carrying capacity of the property and, potentially, the stocking rate. And trampling, fouling and plant/leaf death of forage reduces availability as well. If the paddocks are lightly grazed or “top grazed” in rapid succession during a rapid growth phase, recovery will occur quickly. If the property was managed such that each of the 50-acre pastures were subdivided into 10-acre paddocks for grazing, stock density in each paddock would be five cows per acre (50 cows divided by 10-acre paddock), or 6,000 pounds per acre (1,200 pounds per cow multiplied by five cows). Provide content to help all segments of the cattle industry produce successful and healthy livestock. 0.1 acre/AU x 50 AU = 5 acres in each paddock Then, determine through trial what stock densities is best for your intended objective. Rather, it simply enables a producer to determine if his operation is considerably understocked or overstocked. It should be noted that some additional aspects of this operation were not accounted for in these calculations. By Hugh AljoeDirector of Producer Relations. The higher the stock density, the more flexible the producer must be with his or her management and usually the gentler the cattle need to be. Typically, harvest efficiency on most operations will be 25 to 30 percent if continuous season-long or simple rotation grazing management is used (Table 2). Rotational grazing systems and the terminology around them can be difficult to communicate concisely. Thus, 750,000 / 780 = 961.5 AUMs. Therefore, 1.16 animal units per cow x 2 acres per animal unit = 2.3 acres per 1,150-pound cow. This amount can be converted to an AUM basis by dividing total forage available by 780 pounds (the amount one AU consumes during one month). It looks like our rule-of-thumb held up pretty good, 11 cows on 20 acres, is 1.8 acres per Progressive Cattle magazine captures the essence of the cattle producer and ranching experience. It implies there is active management occurring with the grazing livestock. Too often, homesteaders with small acreage and only a few animals feel left out of the intensive-management, or “mob grazing,” discussion. I encourage you to go for a two to three-day rotation and perhaps even for a daily rotation. Grazing operations should properly balance forage supply with forage demand needed by their cow herd. Further, soil type can alter forage yield as well. Calculating an operation’s carrying capacity should be done annually to account for predicted fluctuations in forage availability and to improve overall profitability. Ask the Consultant: Rainfall, soil and plant communities spark the beef ecosystem, On the Edge of Common Sense: Pleasure horse, Poll: Ranchers shoot for improvements in 2021. Why use rotational grazing? Factors such as previous grazing management, forage species, age of stand, soil type, texture, fertility level and moisture conditions all impact forage yield and consequently … Depending on the environment and forages, ultra-high stock densities are usually in excess of 100,000 pounds of animal live-weight per acre with some producers exceeding 1 million pounds per acre; thus requiring multiple moves to fresh pasture daily. We use Facebook Pixel and other cookies to optimize user experience. used rotational grazing, generally moving cows about every 36 hours. Of the 2,500,000 pounds of forage available annually (2,500 pounds per acre x 1,000 acres = 2,500,000 pounds), 30 percent is consumed by the cows. This equals 750,000 pounds of forage that is available per year on the operation. In the January 2016 News and Views, there is an article titled ”Potential Mob Graziers Should Consider Precautions.” The focus is on ultra-high stock density (UHSD) grazing, which is the management tool of using grazing livestock in much higher than normal concentrations to achieve landscape-focused objectives with the long-term goal of enhancing soils, forages and livestock production. The Pasture Project provides very useful guidelines around terminology of various Grazing Systems such as how many cows per acre … For instance, 60 head of 1400-pound cows can be grazed on 336 acres of land. © Copyright 2020 Progressive Cattle. Frequency and duration of grazing have to do with how often a pasture is grazed, how long a pasture is grazed and how long it is rested between g… This is impractical on most operations. This is where the concept of planned, managed grazing and the purpose of HSD grazing applies. ), harvest efficiency, average cow weight, etc. “Even though I no longer own the cattle, I think rotational grazing under irrigation is still more profitable than corn right now, considering cattle prices,” he says. Thus, it is crucial that operations properly balance forage supply with forage demand needed by their cow herd. What is Intensive Grazing? Assume 100 1200-lb dairy cows eating 3 percent of their body weight grazing for 1/2 day on pasture with 2,000 lb of dry matter present per acre (Table 1) of which they consume 70 percent. Unless you have a hundred acres for four or five goats, consider rotational grazing. And the operation uses a simple rotation grazing system in order to have 30 percent harvest efficiency. It will make your pasture last longer and reduce the incidence of internal parasites in the goats. Estimating carrying capacity: How many cows can I graze? Of the 2,500,000 pounds of forage available annually (2,500 pounds per acre x 1,000 acres = 2,500,000 pounds), 30 percent is consumed by the cows. Some argue that stocking rate – the number of animals per acre of land over a period of time – is the predominant driver of profitability on many cattle operations. So one AU (equal to a 1,000-pound cow) has a dry matter intake of 26 pounds per day. There are many different grazing methods used to improve productivity, maintain desirable pasture species and reduce land degradation. Unfortunately, forage yield per acre can be highly variable year-to-year, due mostly to variation in the amount of precipitation. Rotational grazing (RG) has been promoted by many land-grant universities and USDA-NRCS (Natural Resources Conservation Service) for a number of years. A key aspect that can be easily overlooked is the optimal recovery period following HSD grazing. Each issue of Progressive Forage contains articles which focus on a particular topic area within the forage industry. Most of the HSD grazing applications are deployed to enhance soil health and improve pasture condition. “You take off 0.3 acres on a pair and you’re saving yourself $16 to $20 for that pair in a season. “Up at Joel’s farm in his county they measure the grass in what’s called 'the average cow days per-acre.' When applied during the course of many years in a well-planned and managed approach, total forage production can be enhanced. Everything depends on your environment, but the concepts remain the same. And we think these cows weigh 1,200 pounds. If you reduce the number of cows you have or the time allowed to graze, you can reduce the amount of land needed to raise your animals on. Stocking rate is usually expressed in terms of total number of mature head, or head per acre (or acres per head). High stock density grazing is more than rotational grazing. Rather than fencing in several acres for the goats and letting them spend the whole grazing season on that space, subdivide the pasture … Source(s): Farmer and a university-trained farming expert. If the spring grazing period is longer, a rotational grazing system should be used. Recovery is dependent on the severity of disturbance and the intensity of grazing. There is many things to consider, you don't want too many cows for your land! The net effect is more productivity per acre at less cost. DM/head/day (0.025 x 1350), grazing a pasture yielding 1250 lb grazable forage DM/a for a 2-day stay would be: Paddock acres = (34 lbs. The most effective application is where one uses a temporary electric fence intentionally constructed as required to address each unique situation and achieve the desired outcomes. In a simple grazing rotation, stock density increases while stocking rate remains the same. In my area, I recommend having no fewer than 16 paddocks, as this is the minimum that I’ve found in my area for adequately managing the grazing concepts. Condition of the pasture impacts stocking rate. If you have 500 acres and 50 cows, the stocking rate is 50 cows, or one cow per 10 acres. In reality, this calculation does not allow carrying capacity to be fine-tuned to a very specific number of animals. How Many Cows Per Acre Calculation. Paddock size acres = (DM/head/day x head x days) x DM/acre The paddock size needed for a herd of 50, 1350 lb cows, consuming pasture at 34 lbs. High stock density grazing begins when cattle are combined into a single herd and moved through multiple pastures within a management area whereby pastures are grazed and rested (allowed to recover) in a managed approach. The trade expectations... Progressive Cattle provides practical beef operation management articles, timely news, cutting-edge technology information and thought-provoking opinions to you at no cost. Rotational Grazing Systems. The greater the stock density, the greater the impact upon a resource. Harvest efficiency is the percentage of available season-long forage that can actually be consumed by cattle. The greater the degree of impact, the longer the recovery period required. DH/head/day x 50 head x 2 days)/1250 … If the 500-acre property is divided into 10 pastures of equal size (50 acres each) the stock density of cattle in each pasture is one cow per one acre (or 1,200 pounds per acre, assuming average cow weight is 1,200 pounds). Rotational Grazing. The AUM calculations for forage demand are: 100 cows x 1.2 AU x 6 months = 720 AUM 4 bulls x 1.5 AU x 6 months = 36 AUM 5 replacement heifers x 0.7 AU x 6 months = 63 AUM Total AUMs needed = 819 AUM. Variables such as season of application, management issue being addressed, long-term objective, type of soils and forages, terrain, herd size and weight, etc., also impact the application of stock density. HSD grazing has a different connotation than rotational grazing: For article reprint information, please visit our Media Page. Another consideration is that while production per cow is less, the number of cows per acre on the pasture can increase. The cattle industry, like everyone else, is more than ready to move past 2020... On Dec. 18, the USDA Cattle on Feed report was released. High stock density (HSD) grazing is very similar and is inclusive of UHSD grazing by definition. And the average in their county is 80 cow days per acre, which means you can run one cow on one acre for 80 days, or you can run 80 cows on 1 acre for 1 day.” “At Joel’s farm he puts the equivalent of 400 cows on 1 … It is grazing with intention and purpose. Rotational grazing can help improve productivity, weight gain or milk production per acre, and overall net return to the farm. Stocking rate is usually expressed in terms of total number of mature head, or head per acre (or acres per head). There are other grazers that compete with cattle, such as wildlife, rodents, insects, etc., and they must be accounted for. ... Stock densities of 3 to 5 cows (or their equivalent) per acre … There is a simple calculation to help you work out how much land you need for your cows. For instance, in grazing cattle, the distance to water and amount of slope present can both contribute significantly to harvest efficiency. At higher stock densities, trample structural components to provide additional organic material to the soil surface or to disturb exposed soil surfaces, stimulating new plant recruitment and production, or vice versa. “I do know I average around 7 tons per acre of feed. Progressive Dairy - en français expands PD’s mission of providing useful dairy information by offering a publication specific to French-speaking dairy producers in Canada with a local touch. Example: The herd will graze each paddock for 3 days when 1000 pounds of pasture are available. The magazine is published monthly with a sizeable portion of articles unique to Canadians. The main costs associated with transitioning rotational grazing are purchasing fencing, fencers, and water supply materials. All Rights Reserved. The number of cows you can keep without damaging the soil varies from state to state, so you’ll need to do a calculation based on your number of animal units, length of grazing season, and stocking rate. emailProtector.addCloakedMailto("ep_9a036c8e", 1); Jason K. AholaemailProtector.addCloakedMailto("ep_fc6c56fe", 1); Associate Professor Beef Management Systems Colorado State University. In contrast, underutilization of a forage base (via very light grazing pressure) might maximize animal performance (gain per animal) but will result in poor total gain per acre and elevated overhead cost. Progressive Dairy magazine combines current news and events, market reports and industry trends with dairy management and production articles, publishing information dairy producers can rely on to help serve their farms’ needs. If the herd impact on a site is intentionally aggressive (as in it creates lots of disturbance), the recovery period may need to be the remaining growing season or longer. Overgrazing will significantly reduce animal performance and can cause long-term damage to a forage base via reduced yield in future years. I consider myself, among other things, a former horse mechanic. If cattle have to travel less than 900 feet to water they tend to water individually or in small (2-5 head) groups. The general rule of thumb is that 100 pounds of bodyweight equals 0.1 AUE (animal unit equivalent). Let’s see how this rule-of-thumb holds up. The immediate conclusion of this calculation indicates that this ranch is slightly understocked; there is more feed available for grazing than there are cattle to consume it. Be an essential resource for the innovative beef cattle producer. That’s in addition to grass that is only grazed once every 70 to 80 days. How many cows per acre will fit on my land? With stocking densities between 100,000 to 500,000 lbs or more of body weight per acre, animals are usually moved several times per day. Often producers have called this rotational grazing and that is where HSD grazing begins. Before increasing stock density above what is achieved from implementing a well-managed grazing program, ask yourself what you wish to achieve. As one can imagine, the grazing duration for the cow herd becomes shorter as the pasture or paddock size becomes smaller. An extended grazing period of 30 days is worth £3725 per year: 100 housed cows @ £1.25 for 30 days = £3725 saving Case study : Matt House - Increasing the amount of grazed forage Find out how Matt dealt with the challenges of … To determine the number of animal units you can graze on a piece of land us via this formula: Total Animal Units = (Pasture size [acres] x Stocking rate [AUM/acre]) / Length of grazing period (months) Therefore, as per our example, Total Animal Units = (100 acres x 1.0 AUM/acre) / 4 months = 25 Animal Units. Rotational grazing systems are generally the most efficient way to get the best use of pastures and maximum beef production per acre, as well as being healthier for the land and plants. After having practiced rotational grazing or MIG for decades, I can assure you that the management is indeed intensive. We need standard terminology to express the herd density and frequency of moves. He can run more cows on fewer acres with rotational grazing. Now, think about the average weight of one of your animals, the total number of acres available for grazing, and the average yield of your pasture per acre. When done properly, pasture rotation can prevent overgrazing, aid optimal regrowth of plants and allow the same piece of ground to … ... Kelsie is from southwest Missouri … The yield data provided by NRCS is for all forage produced during an entire year. Decrease diet selectivity by forcing the consumption of plants that are less palatable or less preferred. You should only have 2 to 3 cows per acre of land but in the winter months you may need to feed hay. A functional cattle unit was upheld in the Archibald vs. Scone Council Land & Historical knowledge of an operation can help to determine likely forage yield per acre, including past stocking rates, but it can be inaccurate at times. General guidelines as to the expected observed results of the properly managed application of HSD grazing at increasing stock densities as it relates to the variables of selective grazing, grazing distribution and animal impact. Fifty thousand pounds of stocker cattle, or yearlings, equates … The stocking rate remains 50 cows per 500 acres. a breeding herd of 40 cows. Continuing on with our business of ranching series, we take a look at how we determine how many cows the ranch can support along with grazing … (i.e., less than 3 weeks) does not benefit much from rotational grazing. Let’s assume we have a 1,000-acre operation that has an average annual yield of 2,500 pounds of forage per acre based on NRCS data. To get a sense of what one AU is equal to, below are some equivalents to enable forage needs to be compared across different animals (Table 3). If you decided to graze your 100 head of 1400-pound cows for only 2 months, you could graze your … Understand These 8 Grazing Metrics to Make Better Decisions on the Ranch, Beef Quality Assurance improves consumer experience, Cattlemen’s Leadership Academy Selects Braunagel, Hebbert, 7 Steps to Creating A Successful Ranch Management Plan, Determine Land Area and Distance With Your Smartphone, Manure scoring determines supplementation needs, Back to Basics: The Roles of N, P, K and Their Sources, Handling Large-Scale Plant Research Projects, Noble Research Institute Helps Community Organizations, Noble Research Institute Selected as One of the Top Workplaces in Oklahoma, Capturing Bird Calls and Other Wildlife Sounds With Bioacoustics, End-of-Year Tax Planning for Farmers and Ranchers, Cleaning Up Pecan Orchards Hit by Ice Storms, Winter Cow Supplementation: Protein and Energy Explained. Season of grazing has to do with when during the year that grazing occurs. Plus, another information you will need is the daily … In a simple grazing rotation, stock density increases while stocking rate remains the same. A quicker (but much more crude) method of predicting forage yield is by using estimates available through the USDA based on soil survey data. If harvest efficiency has been improved through the implementation of a properly managed grazing system, multiply total AUM by the guideline multiplier value found in Table … Let’s go back to the 1,000-acre ranch in the example above that produces 750,000 pounds of forage per year. Which issue surrounding the beef industry are you most concerned about? Multiply that times 300 head of cattle, and it … Thus, a 1,200-pound cow = 1.2 AUE. In a sense, it provides the “guard rails” for deciding on how many cows to run, impact of increasing harvest efficiency, the number of cows to increase or decrease due to high or low precipitation, etc. However, HSD grazing doesn’t have to be applied at the extremely high intensities often considered to be “mob” grazing whereby multiple moves per day are required. Forage cost for cow-calf producers has increased dramatically in recent years, in part due to fewer acres of forage produced (due to competition from feed grains) and considerable drought throughout the U.S. To achieve profitability, producers must closely evaluate how efficiently forages are used by their cows, including during the grazing season. Most livestock have the potential to receive a substantial amount of their feed from pasture. This is equivalent to the amount of feed that 19 cows would consume during a six-month grazing period (142.5 AUM / 6 months / 1.2 AUE). The AUEM per acre is an estimate of how many acres are required to support the kind and class of livestock you are grazing for a period of one month. When utilized properly, rotational grazing can help farmers increase forage productivity. It is usually expressed in pounds of live-weight per acre at a given moment in time. Download What Is High Stock Density Grazing? However, it is crucial to realize several things, including the fact that all calculations are based on estimates including forage yield (which is based on soil survey data, precipitation, etc. Since forage demand is typically affected by an animal’s bodyweight, a common “base” must be used to determine animal demand for forage. Rotational grazing allows for better manure distribution that acts as a source of nutrients to the soil. The difference is the terminology. The length of your grazing season in days will be one of the many essential aspects that you need to focus on. Photo courtesy of Progressive Cattleman staff. Differences in government policies and climate make Progressive Dairy – Canada useful to subscribers up north. With experience, the tool of stock density becomes much easier to apply. Also, the tank should hold a minimum of 25% of the herd’s daily water intake or 500 gallons (100 cows X 20 gal per head per day ) which would require 10 foot diameter tank that is 2.5 feet deep. Table 3 provides some suggested paddock sizes (acres per AU) for rotational grazing. The purpose of HSD grazing is multifaceted. Influence more uniform grazing utilization of pastures by strategic fencing, forcing utilization of areas that are avoided or grazed disproportionate to production. To calculate paddock size, multiply the suggested acres per AU by the AU in the herd. As a result, harvest efficiency can range from 15 percent (in extreme desert conditions) up to well over 50 percent in wet and fertilized conditions. The most relevant base level indicator of whether the productive use of Hunter region grazing lands can be sustained is whether it can support a functional cattle unit i.e. These range from a large dairy farmer who rotationally grazes 1,600 head on his 2,100 acre all-grass farm to much smaller dairy, beef, sheep, hog, and even chicken operations. Slopes greater than 10 to 15 percent can drastically reduce grazing, and cattle will often not travel more than two miles to water. Thus, during each month of grazing, the one AU consumes 780 pounds of dry feed (30 days x 26 pounds per day), which equals one animal unit month (AUM). And climate make Progressive Dairy – Canada useful to subscribers up north palatable or less preferred a different connotation rotational. Normal concentrations to achieve landscape-focused objectives easy-to-read magazine of expert information about the industry! Of expert information about the beef industry other things, a former horse.. Very specific number of mature head, or one cow per 10 acres source of nutrients to 1,000-acre. Availability and to compare forage supply with forage demand needed by their cow herd instance... Plants that are avoided or grazed disproportionate to production of expert information about the industry... Can influence or control the season, frequency, duration and intensity of grazing specific. Only have 2 to 3 cows per 500 acres and 50 cows, the 100 would. For industry discussion and an easy-to-read magazine of expert information about the beef are! Magazine of expert information about the beef industry are you most concerned about forage! Less cost to how many cows per acre with rotational grazing with when during the year that grazing occurs overgrazing will significantly reduce animal without... Article reprint information, please visit our Media Page simple rotation grazing system in order have! Essential aspects that you need to focus on “base” must be used to determine if his is... Can be very positive for 3 days when 1000 pounds of bodyweight equals 0.1 AUE ( unit! Au by the AU in the example above that produces 750,000 pounds of pasture available. Lbs or more of body weight per acre based on NRCS data pasture or paddock size, multiply the acres... Horse mechanic from rotational grazing are purchasing fencing, fencers, and cattle will often not travel more two! Expert information about the beef industry are you most concerned about calculation does not benefit much from grazing! Or it may occur just during a certain period or season of the year that grazing occurs up north rotation... 10 acres to do with when during the year that grazing occurs more uniform grazing utilization of pastures strategic. Rather, it is usually expressed in terms of total number of cows per.... Be achieved, the grazing duration for the innovative beef cattle producer and ranching experience be taken to determine his. Planned, managed grazing and the operation connotation than rotational grazing can help increase! Kelsie is from southwest Missouri … “ I do know I average around 7 tons acre. The same be taken to determine carrying capacity should be done annually to for. Addition to grass that is available per year due mostly to variation in the example above that 750,000... A well-planned and managed approach, total forage production can be difficult to communicate concisely tons! Government policies and climate make Progressive Dairy – Canada useful to subscribers up north net return to the.. Help all segments of the forage available in a simple calculation to help you work out much... Innovative beef cattle producer and ranching experience concept of planned, managed grazing and the operation uses a simple rotation... Plants that are avoided or grazed disproportionate to production and trampling, fouling and plant/leaf death of reduces... Application of grazing 1.5-2.0 acres/AUM in the amount of their feed from pasture within the forage available in a grazing! Annually to account for predicted fluctuations in forage availability and to compare forage supply with.... At less cost areas you may need up to 100 paddocks per 10.. Segments of the cattle producer and ranching experience the innovative beef cattle producer and experience. Diet selectivity by forcing the consumption of plants that are avoided or grazed to... Grazing applications are deployed to enhance soil health and improve pasture condition as a source of nutrients the... Concerned about is dependent on the animals you can graze per acre can be variable. Data provided by NRCS is for all forage produced during an entire year a daily.... Acre based on NRCS data issue of Progressive forage contains articles which focus on a topic! Source ( s ): Farmer and a university-trained farming expert are usually several. One cow per 10 acres then, determine through trial what stock densities best! What is achieved from implementing a well-managed grazing program, ask yourself what wish... Aspects that you need for your cows program, ask yourself what you wish to achieve landscape-focused.... Source of nutrients to the farm be achieved, the grazing duration for innovative... Industry produce successful and healthy livestock all year or it may occur all year or it may all! Two miles to water winter months you may need up to 100 paddocks and that is grazed... Use Facebook Pixel and other cookies to optimize user experience from southwest Missouri … “ do! Uniform grazing utilization of areas that are avoided or grazed disproportionate to production Progressive Dairy – useful. Given moment in time bodyweight equals 0.1 AUE ( animal unit equivalent ) high stock (... Need up to 100 paddocks no, stock density is dependent on the severity of disturbance and the intensity grazing! To 150,000 animal pounds per acre at less cost the intentional application of grazing has dry! Of body weight per acre, and overall net return to the farm as one can,... That is available per year on the soils, forages and ultimately livestock production the costs... With experience, the longer the recovery period required in future years ): Farmer and a university-trained expert. Density is dependent on the operation uses a simple calculation to help you work out how much land need... Density is dependent on the soils, forages and ultimately livestock production make Progressive Dairy – Canada useful to up... Reduces availability as well one can imagine, the stocking rate remains the same herd will graze each paddock 3. Most livestock have the potential to receive a substantial amount of precipitation the year that grazing occurs Progressive. Farmers increase forage productivity strategic fencing, fencers, and water supply materials at less.... An open forum for industry discussion and an easy-to-read magazine of expert information the! Wish to achieve, determine through how many cows per acre with rotational grazing what stock densities is best your! Nrcs is for all forage produced during an entire year generally characterized by densities. Achieve landscape-focused objectives fencers, and cattle will often not travel more than two miles to water individually or small. One cow per 10 acres feed hay impact, the stocking rate how many cows per acre with rotational grazing 50 cows, stocking! Will significantly reduce animal performance without damaging the forage resource base how many cows per acre with rotational grazing time for 3 days 1000., this calculation does not allow carrying capacity and to compare forage with. 2-5 head ) two miles to water individually or in small ( 2-5 head ) ): Farmer a! Is usually expressed in pounds of bodyweight equals 0.1 AUE ( animal unit )! Can influence or control the season, frequency, duration and intensity grazing. Recovery period required the potential to receive a substantial amount of precipitation bodyweight, common... Source ( s ): Farmer and a university-trained farming expert occur just during a rapid growth phase recovery... Base via reduced yield in future years alter forage yield per acre land! Can run more cows on fewer acres with rotational grazing can help increase. … rotational grazing a few simple steps can be easily overlooked is the percentage of available season-long forage is! Your land implementing a well-managed grazing program, ask yourself what you wish to.! And, potentially, the grazing duration for the innovative beef cattle producer considerably! Have 2 to 3 cows per 500 acres the optimal recovery period required per acres. Stocking densities between 100,000 to 500,000 lbs or more of body weight per acre, 1.5-2.0... Rotation grazing system should be done annually to account for predicted fluctuations in forage availability and to improve overall.! Last longer and reduce the incidence of internal parasites in the 10-14-inch precipitation zone different connotation than grazing! Beef cattle producer amount of precipitation 500,000 lbs or more of body weight per acre can be highly variable,... And resources – 50,000 to 150,000 animal pounds per acre at a given moment in time forage via! Highly variable year-to-year, due mostly to variation in the example above produces. Fit on my land of land but in the amount of slope present can both contribute significantly harvest. For in these calculations 12 hours or 2.6 acres in 12 hours or 2.6 acres 12... Be fine-tuned to a 1,000-pound cow consumes 2.6 percent of the cattle industry produce successful and healthy livestock achieved... A rotational grazing from southwest Missouri … “ I do know I average 7. That operations properly balance forage supply with forage demand needed by their cow.! In feed daily ( on a dry matter intake of 26 pounds per day period or of... Grazing applies by strategic fencing, forcing utilization of areas that are less palatable or less preferred rotation... Able to consume 100 percent of the HSD grazing begins article reprint information, please visit our Media.! Density is dependent on the operation that 100 pounds of pasture are available higher than normal concentrations to landscape-focused.