Regenerating Land With Grazing Livestock
Grazing livestock are the most powerful tool we have available to regenerate land. This has been the mantra I have been preaching for 20 years. To achieve this outcome the movement of livestock across the landscape has to be coordinated in tune with natural cycles.
The initial objective was to use the cattle to incorporate as much of the dry standing herbage mass, predominately Coolatai grass, into the soil to increase soil carbon and enhance soil health. All with a view to enhance biodiversity and improve the productive potential of the pastures and landscape.
The limiting factors were;
- the relatively small number of cattle used to start with, 50 cows and calves (750 DSE) on an estimated 400 grazeable hectares, a stocking rate of 1.9 DSE/ha
- the location of the water points on the property. A total of 9 dams and 9 troughs were all within one corner of the property
- the supply of water. During the past 2 summers all except 1 dam was dry and the existing bore was pumping 24/7 to keep water up to the cattle.
- the very low quality pasture on offer. Pasture quality analyses conducted during early winter indicated pastures had an average of 6 MJ ME/kg and 6% CP. Some form of feed supplement was necessary for animals to survive and maintain weight over the first few seasons.
Moving constantly across the land, paddocks (or subdivisions) are grazed on average 2-3 times each year and usually not more than 15-20 days in total each year. That means for more than 95% of each year any given area is not exposed to grazing livestock.
With the improvements to the water supply up to 60 subdivisions have been achieved to date using temporary fencing. Stocking rate has been up to 3.75 DSE/ha and the stocking rate this winter is currently at 3.2 DSE/ha. Stock densities typically range from 115 to 320 DSE/ha.
The initial objective was to use the cattle to incorporate as much of the dry standing herbage mass, predominately Coolatai grass, into the soil to increase soil carbon and enhance soil health. All with a view to enhance biodiversity and improve the productive potential of the pastures and landscape.
The limiting factors were;
- the relatively small number of cattle used to start with, 50 cows and calves (750 DSE) on an estimated 400 grazeable hectares, a stocking rate of 1.9 DSE/ha
- the location of the water points on the property. A total of 9 dams and 9 troughs were all within one corner of the property
- the supply of water. During the past 2 summers all except 1 dam was dry and the existing bore was pumping 24/7 to keep water up to the cattle.
- the very low quality pasture on offer. Pasture quality analyses conducted during early winter indicated pastures had an average of 6 MJ ME/kg and 6% CP. Some form of feed supplement was necessary for animals to survive and maintain weight over the first few seasons.
Moving constantly across the land, paddocks (or subdivisions) are grazed on average 2-3 times each year and usually not more than 15-20 days in total each year. That means for more than 95% of each year any given area is not exposed to grazing livestock.
With the improvements to the water supply up to 60 subdivisions have been achieved to date using temporary fencing. Stocking rate has been up to 3.75 DSE/ha and the stocking rate this winter is currently at 3.2 DSE/ha. Stock densities typically range from 115 to 320 DSE/ha.