ii) Alternative grazing management

There is growing interest from livestock producers in an alternative grazing system broadly known as intensive rotational grazing. The basic principal of this system is to confine large mobs of livestock to relatively small areas for short periods of time, to allow the stock to not only graze the area but also trample vegetation onto the ground (forming mulch and improving the incorporation and breakdown of biomass) and fertilise the area with their dung and urine. The area is then rested from livestock to allow the pastures to fully recover before they are grazed in this way again.
Variations of this form of grazing are talked about using various titles such as cell grazing, high density grazing, short duration grazing, time-controlled grazing and block and strip grazing. Some stem from stand-alone courses while others are part of a greater management strategy such as Holistic Management.
Some of the potential benefits from this form of grazing include improved pasture species composition and biodiversity due to reduced selective grazing by animals, an improved level of groundcover and biomass litter on the soil’s surface (which encourages plant growth and soil biota), a reduced need for fertiliser, an increase in the carbon content of soils and above-ground biomass and even reduced emissions from livestock.
For more information about this form of livestock grazing and associated courses, contact your local CMA office. Specific course contact details are listed at the end of this section.