The art and science of grazing management involve manipulating the grazing animal, the forage plant, and the soil complex to obtain specific ecological and economic objectives. The successful grazing manager must have a thorough knowledge of how plants grow and reproduce to understand the effects of defoliation and animal impact. Additionally, managers must understand the grazing animal, specifically its nutritional needs and behavioral characteristics. Then managers can begin to consider the following:
- When should grazing occur? (timing)
- How often should grazing occur? (frequency)
- How much forage should be removed, or how much residual forage should remain after grazing? (intensity)
- How many and what type of livestock should be grazed? (stocking rate and type of livestock)
How plants respond to grazing is determined by the timing, intensity, and frequency of grazing as well as the physiological and morphological characteristics of the plant.
Derived from: "Designing your grazing system" by Jeffrey C. Mosley. Cattle Producer's Library.