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ARS Home » Plains Area » Miles City, Montana » Livestock and Range Research Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #163079
Title: GRAZING SYSTEMS AND STRATEGIES

Author
item ALLEN, VIVIEN - TEXAS TECH UNIV
item Heitschmidt, Rodney
item SOLLENBERGER, LYNN - UNIV OF FLORIDA

Submitted to: Book Chapter
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/15/2004
Publication Date: 6/1/2004
Citation: Allen, V., Heitschmidt, R.K., Sollenberger, L. 2004. Grazing systems and strategies. IN: C. Jerry Nelson (ed.) Forages, Vol. 11. Book Chapter.

Interpretive Summary: Chapter describes the fundamental management principles, strategies, and tactics associated with various planted pasture grazing systems. As grazing systems encompass the animal, plant, soil, and other environmental components and grazing method(s), they vary depending upon forage species, grazing animal species, and climate. Discussion focuses on the management of planted forages within beef cattle cow-calf, replacement heifer, stocker, and finishing grazing systems, lactating and non-lactating dairy cows and replacement heifer grazing systems, and sheep ewe-lamb, stocker, and finishing grazing systems. The management of integrated grazing systems using a combination of planted forages, crop residues, and silvoculture species is also examined. Discussion outlines merits and demerits of various systems as they relate to persistence of forage species and animal performance and their affect on the ecological, economic, and social sustainability of rural agriculture.

Technical Abstract: The objective of this chapter is to elucidate the fundamental management principles, strategies, and tactics associated with various planted pasture grazing systems. As grazing systems encompass the animal, plant, soil, and other environmental components and grazing method(s), they vary depending upon both grazed and grazing species and climatic region (i.e. ecoregion). Discussion focuses on the management of planted forages within beef cattle cow-calf, replacement heifer, stocker, and finishing grazing systems, lactating and non-lactating dairy cows and replacement heifer grazing systems, and sheep ewe-lamb, stocker, and finishing grazing systems. The management of integrated grazing systems using a combination of planted forages, crop residues, and silvoculture species is also examined. It is concluded that although there is an abundance of underlying scientific understandings of grazing systems, there is a need for enhanced multidisciplinary research projects to better quantify the dynamics of grazing systems as they relate to ecological, economic, and social sustainability of rural agriculture.