_{IT DEPENDS}

A Grazing Presentation

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by: Andrew Lewis

It Depends is the correct answer for almost every question an agent receives about grazing.

Because even two pastures right next to each other can have dramatically different stocking rates and carrying compacities and share a border fence.

While it depends is the correct answer this has been compiled as a guide to help you narrow down and understand how to graze your property.

Stocking Rate vs. Carrying Capacity

• Carrying Capacity:
• Max number of animals the land can support sustainably.

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• Stocking Rate:
• Actual number of animals placed on the land.

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Goal: Match or stay below carrying capacity to prevent overgrazing.

What Should You Consider?

• How many acres are grazeable?
• Are you living on the property?
• Are there steep hills or dense trees?

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These questions affect forage availability and animal access.

What is an Animal Unit (AU)?

• 1 Animal Unit (AU) = One 1000-pound beef cow
• Consumes ~2.6% of body weight daily
• Used to standardize forage needs across species

Other livestock and wildlife have AU equivalents based on size and forage intake.

Each bunch of grass equals the ability

to carry 1 animal unit.

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How many can this field hold?

5 bunches of grass equals the ability to carry five 1,000 pound cows which equals 5 animal units

But what happens if there is a drought and the grass only really produces 3 bunches of grass?

We get rid of two cows right?

We get rid of two cows right?

BUT WHICH TWO COWS?

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THAT’s a whole other conversation and one hour lesson about herd management and selection and culling. The short answer it depends.

But let's bring back in the

carrying capacity vs stocking rate.

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Three Bunches of grass equals

3 cows right?

Carrying compacity is all the animals...

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So what should your stocking rate be now?

Grazing Management: Rules of Thumb

• Livestock typically consume ~25% of total forage.
• Another 25% is lost to insects, trampling, and wildlife.
• Leave 50% to maintain plant health.

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“The best weed killer is good grass and proper grazing management.”

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Warning Signs of Overgrazing

Why Focus on Sustainable Grazing?

• Feeding costs are the highest input in beef production
• Growing and grazing your own forage saves money
• Long-term sustainability improves profitability

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Other Considerations

Rotational Grazing

• Rotating between pastures
• Allows forage to recover and regrow
• Excludes animals to prevent overgrazing
• Can reduce parasite load

Multi-Species Grazing

• Goats and Cattle
• Goats prefer different plants than cattle
• Reduces parasite pressure

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Rotational Grazing Benefits

• Improved pasture productivity
• Better manure distribution
• Increased forage utilization

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Rotational Grazing Example

Example Setup:

• Divide a 100-acre pasture into 10 paddocks
• Rotate animals every 5–7 days (or as forage needs)
• Provide water in each paddock

Tips:

• Start small—2 or 3 paddocks
• Monitor regrowth before returning livestock

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If you can, rotate every 7 days which is 63 days of growth per paddock

Multi-Species Grazing

• Cattle prefer grasses
• Goats target woody plants
• Sheep prefer forbs and short grasses
• Helps control diverse plant types: brush, weeds, grasses
• Enhances land use efficiency across variable terrain
• Reduces selective grazing patterns

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“Good Grazing Makes Better Grass

Take the Time to Measure, Monitor, and Manage.”

Take Action

• Evaluate your forage supply
• Adjust stocking rates to match carrying capacity
• Monitor pasture health
• Use tools like the NRCS Grazing Stick

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Refer to the Resource List for more tools and information.