Best practices for grazing management

Effective grazing management is essential for maintaining the productivity, resilience and biodiversity of multispecies swards. The following practices will help optimise pasture utilisation, support animal health and ensure long-term sustainability.

Rotational grazing allows a diverse sward to thrive by giving each species time to recover, enhancing productivity and persistence.

A good rotational grazing plan includes:

1. Dividing pasture into paddocks – Subdivide fields into smaller paddocks and rotate livestock through them. This allows time for rest and regrowth, preventing overgrazing and promoting plant recovery.
2. Short grazing periods – Graze each paddock for a limited time – typically 3–7 days depending on growth rates and the time of year.
3. Adequate recovery time – Avoid reintroducing livestock before the sward has sufficiently regrown. Allowing plants to rebuild their energy reserves is vital for regrowth, root development and long-term resilience.
4. Rest periods – Rest intervals of 21–30 days are recommended. Longer rests may be needed during dry conditions or slower growth periods.

Excessive stocking can damage plant crowns and soil structure, while under-stocking may allow dominant species to outcompete others, reducing biodiversity.

The right stocking levels should:

• Be monitored and adjusted to reflect pasture growth and ground conditions
• Avoid high densities that lead to overgrazing and soil compaction
• Avoid low densities that risk under-utilisation and species imbalance
• Balance animal numbers with available biomass to ensure consistent pasture quality and prevent loss of diversity

Optimal grazing heights can protect plant crowns and support balanced regrowth.

This can be achieved by grazing down to 5–7 cm and allowing regrowth to 20–25 cm before re-grazing. This encourages deep rooting and supports energy storage in plant crowns.

Avoiding overgrazing. Grazing too low harms slower-growing herbs and can impair regrowth capacity, leading to sward degradation over time.

• Spring – Take advantage of rapid growth by grazing more frequently, avoid allowing swards to become overly mature and stemmy
• Summer – Reduce grazing pressure in dry spells to prevent drought stress, consider supplementary feed or irrigation if necessary
• Autumn – Gradually reduce stocking pressure to allow plants to build root and energy reserves for winter
• Winter – Avoid grazing when soils are waterlogged or frozen, use deferred grazing or alternative forage to minimise soil damage and plant stress

Check livestock frequently for signs of stress, illness or nutritional deficiency. Ensure constant access to clean water and shelter, particularly during hot weather.

Multispecies swards provide a naturally varied diet, rich in nutrients and secondary compounds that can reduce the need for supplementation and improve gut health.

• Continuous grazing – Avoid set stocking as it leads to selective grazing, reduced plant diversity and compacted soils. It also prevents adequate recovery for many plant species
• Excessive stocking – Overcrowding damages plant crowns and limits regrowth. It also increases soil compaction and erosion risk
• Ignoring sward condition – Monitor sward health regularly to identify overgrazing or poor species balance. Use visual assessments or tools like sward sticks and remote sensing to support decision-making
• Inconsistent grazing management – Stick to a planned grazing schedule. Irregular patterns reduce productivity, limit regrowth and favour dominant species

• Seed mix diversity – A well-balanced seed mix ensures better resilience to grazing and environmental pressures while supporting livestock nutrition
• Soil health and fertility – Maintain appropriate soil pH and fertility through targeted applications of lime and nutrients. Avoid excess nitrogen, which can promote grass dominance over herbs and legumes
• Record keeping – Keep accurate records of grazing dates, rest periods, stocking rates and pasture conditions. This helps refine management practices year-on-year