• Economical - low cost
• Animals spread manure
• Good for the environment: nutrients and erosion
• Saves labor
• Accepted by consumers
• Healthy for animals
• Fewer facilities
• More efficient use of land
• Less equipment
• Can graze untillable land
• Pretty (aesthetic appeal)

MIG (Management Intensive Grazing)

Intensive grazing according to a prescribed plan, aiming to maximise forage utilization (usually including rotational grazing)

Rotational stocking/grazing

A prescribed pattern of stocking/grazing, with repeated periods of grazing and rest periods, on 2 or more paddocks

(having a defined frequency and intensity)

Continuous stocking/grazing

Prolonged stocking of an area by a fixed number of animals (can result in under- or over-stocking)

Grazing frequency, rotation length, rotation rate

The return period for grazing a particular paddock or area

Rotation length =
= days per paddock * farm area / mean paddock size
= days per paddock * number of paddocks

Grazing intensity

The closeness/severity of grazing a particular paddock or area

measured as:

• residual height after grazing (often around 1-4") or mass (1,200 - 2,000 kgDM/ha)
• utilization rate = residual mass / initial mass
  ("graze half and leave half" = utilization rate of 50%)

Stocking rate

stocking rate =
= the number of livestock / the total grazed (farm) area

Stocking density

stocking density =
= the number of livestock / the current grazed area
= stocking rate/rotation rate

Advantages

• allows greater stocking rate, higher profit
• Animal husbandry

Daily moving ® animals are viewed more frequently than for extensive grazing, unusual behavior is usually more obvious

• Plant husbandry

  Deliberate or subconscious daily observations of pasture mass
  spatial variability, pasture mass, insect/disease/weed problems, drought effects

• Better nutrient (manure) dispersal

Less opportunity for animal transfer within fields
Opportunity for managed nutrient transfer between fields
1200 lb cow @3% = 36 lbs
36 lbs at 0.3% P = 0.1 lb P

• Ease and accuracy of monitoring whole-farm pasture mass
• Precise grazing management must monitor the available pasture mass
• It is easier to measure the variable pasture mass of MIG than the uniform pasture mass of continuous grazing
• Easier to convert surpluses to stored forage (hay/silage)

(usually spring growth exceeds animal requirements) a field can easily be omitted from being grazed and made into hay/silage

• Easier to constrain animal intake immediately deficits are identified

  e.g. if forage needs to be conserved with an imminent drought
  Must have pasture cover targets

• Animals easier to manage for animal remedy treatments

  e.g weighing, de-worming
  they are used to being handled
  mob-up more easily
  are already grouped ® require less time to coral

• Botanical composition

  MIG usually favors the desirable species
  avoids selection of clover
  gives advantage to the faster growing species

Disadvantages

• requires more labor
• requires more fencing and water than continuous grazing
• higher risk (from a higher stocking rate)
• restricted intake ® potential for poorer per animal performance