What is deferment?
delay of grazing until seed maturity of key species has begun
Why is deferment a good idea?
allows for strengthening and reproduction of quality forages
What is rest?
when land is not grazed for one year or more
What is rotation?
movement of livestock on a scheduled basis
What is the critical feature of most grazing systems?
a rotation
What is continuous grazing?
no rest and no rotation.
When can continuous grazing be more superior to a rotational system?
at a moderate stocking rate
when does continuous grazing the primary benefit to land?
in areas receiving greater than 20 inches of precipitation
What are the advantages of continuous grazing?
allows the highest degree of selectivity, lowest fencing costs, requires little labor, and least amount of disturbance to livestock
What are the disadvantages of continuous grazing?
preferential grazing occurs, heavier grazing near water, waste areas are found near water, and man not allow for annual plants to get established
What is seasonal suitability grazing?
dividing available land for grazing by vegetation type
How are seasonal suitable grazing systems stocked?
by vegetation status and animal needs
what lands are well suited for a seasonal suitability grazing system?
Areas that have diverse range types
What is the Best pasture system?
Same concept as seasonal suitable system but applied to arid regions
Graze the best pasture at that time unless it was grazed during te same period the previous year
Best pasture system
What was the first specialized grazing system developed in the US?
Deferred rotation grazing
How is the range handled in a deferred rotational grazing system?
one half with one pasture receiving deferred grazing every other year
Where does deferred rotation work best?
when there are large differences in palatability of the plants available
Where is Merrill 3 herd/ 4 pasture system good?
Areas where plant growth and precipitation can occur anytime
What is the timing for Merrill 3 herd/ 4 pasture rotation?
12 months of continuous grazing with 4 months of rest for each pasture
What is the key component to the Merrill 3 herd/ 4 pasture rotation?
after 4 years each pasture has had rest at all times of the year
What is late season non-grazing?
removal of animals in late season during seedset and maturation
Increasing stocking rate and density in early season when growth is young, nutritious, fast growing, and succulent
Intensive early stocking
Multiple pastures with 14 days of grazing then 60 days of rest
High intensity/low frequency grazing
Grazes 5 day then rests for 26 days or more during rapid growth
Short duration grazing
Allow warm season grasses to grow and then don't graze until dormant
Stock pile
What is cross fencing?
Dividing large pastures into smaller ones
What is limit grazing?
supplemental grazing
What is the common rule of thumb for water facilities?
no more than 50 cattle or 300 sheep per watering facility
What type of vegetation will livestock choose?
the vegetation that best meets there nutritional needs