Article Summary: Rotational grazing boosts pasture productivity by moving livestock through paddocks, allowing rest and regrowth. This approach improves feed utilisation, soil health, and animal nutrition, while reducing waste. By adjusting rotations to grass growth and managing stocking density, farmers can produce more from the same land sustainably.
Rotational grazing is more than simply moving livestock from one paddock to another it’s a planned approach to managing both animals and pasture so each benefits from the other. When done well, it can produce more feed from the same land, improve soil and pasture health, and lead to healthier, better-fed animals. This guide walks through the principles behind rotational grazing, how to set up your own system, and the key practices that help it succeed.
Why Choose Rotational Grazing?
In a rotational grazing system, pastures are divided into smaller paddocks, and livestock are moved regularly so each section gets a rest period. This rest allows plants to recover, regrow, and maintain strong root systems.
In contrast, continuous grazing where animals remain in the same paddock for extended periods often leads to selective grazing. Animals repeatedly eat their preferred plants and avoid others, leaving some areas overgrazed and others over-mature. Over time, this can reduce pasture quality, increase weed growth, and create uneven manure distribution.
Research shows that under continuous grazing, only 30–50% of the forage grown is actually eaten. The rest is wasted through trampling or becomes too rank for animals to want it. Well-managed rotational grazing, on the other hand, can push utilisation up to 70–75% or more. That’s a significant difference, translating directly into more feed for your livestock and better returns from your land.
The benefits go beyond yield:
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Better plant diversity – desirable species thrive, weeds are reduced.
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Improved soil structure – less erosion and compaction.
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Even manure spread – nutrients are recycled back into the soil more evenly.
Put simply, rotational grazing ensures more of your pasture ends up in the rumen rather than going to waste.
Setting Up Your System
Divide and Conquer
Begin by splitting your pasture into a manageable number of paddocks. Even four paddocks are enough to start, though many farmers expand to 8, 12, or more for finer control. The more paddocks you have, the shorter the grazing period per paddock and the longer the rest period – both of which boost grass recovery and total yield.
Fencing can be permanent or temporary:
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Permanent fencing works well for main divisions.
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Temporary electric polywire allows flexibility for subdividing larger paddocks into smaller strips.
Leave Enough Behind – Avoid Overgrazing
Overgrazing is one of the most common mistakes in pasture management. Grazing too low or too often weakens plants, slowing regrowth. For ryegrass, aim to leave a post-grazing residual of 1,500–1,700 kg of dry matter per hectare.
Practical rule:
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Start grazing when pasture height reaches about 2800-3000 kg DM/ha).
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Stop grazing when it’s no shorter than about 1500-1600 kg DM/ha).
This balance keeps pastures in their vegetative growth stage, which is when the nutritional value is highest.
Rotate Based on Grass Growth – Not the Calendar
A fixed schedule (e.g., moving every 7 days) doesn’t account for seasonal changes in growth rates. In spring, ryegrass might regrow in 15 days; in summer, it could take 40 days. The key is to move livestock when the next paddock is ready and the current paddock has reached its target residual.
Rules of thumb for temperate ryegrass:
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Cool, fast-growing seasons: 21–30 days rest.
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Hot or dry seasons: 30–60 days rest.
Adjust your rotation to prevent over-mature pastures and to keep plants in their prime grazing stage.
Manage Stocking Density and Grazing Duration
Stocking density – the number of animals in a paddock at one time – affects how evenly they graze and spread manure. High density for short periods encourages animals to graze more uniformly, even the less palatable plants.
For example:
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Strip grazing – moving a temporary fence once or twice a day – forces livestock to graze evenly.
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Short grazing periods (no more than 3 days per paddock) help avoid re-grazing fresh shoots, which weakens plants.
Many intensive systems use daily moves for maximum benefit, though the right level of intensity depends on your labour availability and farm goals.
Infrastructure and Planning
For rotational grazing to run smoothly:
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Ensure each paddock has water access or use movable troughs.
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Provide shade if animals are in open paddocks during hot weather.
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Plan gateways and laneways for easy stock movement.
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Keep a grazing chart – either on paper or with an app – to record grazing dates, rest periods, and observations.
Good planning means fewer surprises and better decision-making over time.
Using Tools to Support Your Grazing
While you can manage rotations with a notebook and visual checks, technology can make the process easier. For instance, Pasture.io offers a grazing planner that:
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Records when paddocks were last grazed.
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Calculates rest periods.
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Suggests the next paddock based on actual growth rates.
These tools reduce the guesswork and help ensure no paddock is overgrazed or left too long.
Seeing the Results
A simple comparison demonstrates the impact: two pots of grass, started the same way. One is “continuously grazed” (cut very short each week), and the other is “rotationally grazed” (cut, then rested). The rotational pot grows back thicker and healthier. Research confirms that rotational grazing can produce up to 50% more dry matter than continuous grazing.
When you give pasture time to recover, you’re not just growing more grass – you’re building a healthier, more resilient farm system.
Final Thoughts
Rotational grazing isn’t complicated, but it does require observation and flexibility. Watch your grass, understand the seasonal changes, and be ready to adjust your plan. The rewards – more feed from the same land, healthier animals, and stronger pastures – make it a cornerstone of sustainable livestock farming.
Until we meet again, Happy Grazing!
- The Dedicated Team of Pasture.io, 2025-06-12