pasture management SDL Flashcards
what is rough grazing
Rough grazing refers to areas of natural or semi-natural vegetation, often in upland or marginal areas, used for grazing livestock but not improved by reseeding or fertilizing.
what is permanent pasture
Permanent pasture is land used to grow grasses or other herbaceous forage naturally or through cultivation, that has not been plowed or reseeded for five years or more.
what are short term leys/temporary pasture
Short term leys or temporary pasture are grasslands that are sown and intended to be in use for up to three years before being reseeded or rotated with other crops.
what is continuous grazing
Continuous grazing is a system where livestock have unrestricted access to a specific grazing area throughout the grazing season.
what type of field is most likely to be grazed with a continuous system
Fields with hardy, resilient grasses that can withstand frequent grazing, such as permanent pastures, are most likely to be used for continuous grazing.
what is zero grazing
Zero grazing involves cutting fresh forage and bringing it to livestock in confinement, rather than allowing the animals to graze directly.
what are the benefits and draw backs of zero grazing
Benefits:
- Maximizes forage utilization.
- Reduces pasture damage.
Drawbacks:
- High labor and machinery costs.
- Requires good infrastructure for storage and feed distribution.
what is rotational grazing
Rotational grazing involves dividing pasture into smaller sections or paddocks and grazing them in sequence to allow for periods of rest and regrowth.
what is a paddock grazing system
Paddock grazing, a type of rotational grazing, involves subdividing pastures into smaller paddocks and rotating livestock through them to optimize forage growth and animal health.
how does paddock/rotational system integrate with conservation
Paddock or rotational grazing integrates with conservation by allowing pastures time to recover, promoting biodiversity, reducing soil erosion, and improving forage quality.
strip grazing is often used within paddock grazing system. what is strip grazing and how can it be used to increase intakes and decrease spoilage
Strip grazing involves confining livestock to a narrow strip of pasture for a short period, which maximizes forage intake and minimizes waste by ensuring all forage is consumed before moving to a new strip.
strip grazing is also used when grazing other crops, what other crops are often grazed in the UK
Other crops often grazed in the UK using strip grazing include kale, turnips, and other brassicas.
Although rarely used in practice what is back fencing and what are the benefits of back fencing
Back fencing involves putting up a temporary fence behind the livestock to prevent them from grazing previously grazed areas, promoting regrowth and reducing soil compaction and erosion.
When strip grazing, especially with back fencing what is it important that the animals still have access to?
It is important that animals still have access to water and minerals when strip grazing with back fencing.
There are now options for no fence fencing, briefly consider the advantages and disadvantages of this system over conventional fencing both for strip grazing and continuous grazing of open common land (eg moorland rough grazing).
Advantages:
- Flexibility and ease of changing grazing areas.
- Reduced physical barrier maintenance.
Disadvantages:
- High initial cost.
- Reliability and effectiveness can vary with terrain and livestock behavior.
Please create a table of grazing heights for ideal heights to start grazing and finish grazing in a paddock system for cattle and sheep and compare recommended heights for a continuous grazing system for cattle and sheep.
