Basics of Management - Intensive Grazing
Date
Authors
Major Professor
Advisor
Committee Member
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Altmetrics
Authors
Research Projects
Organizational Units
Journal Issue
Is Version Of
Versions
Series
The Iowa State University Integrated Crop Management Conference is Iowa's premier crop production education event. No other program in Iowa brings together the diverse range of topics, slate of expert presenters and results of the latest University research.
The ICM Conference offers workshops focusing on the latest in crop production technology. Experts from Iowa and surrounding states will provide research updates and results in soil fertility, soil and water management, crop production and pest management.
Department
Abstract
Management-intensive grazing is a method for regulating how often and how much to graze in order to control the quality, yield, consumption, and persistence of forage from pasture. Managed grazing attempts to optimize animal performance or limit intake to a desired level and reduce wasted forage. Depending on the grazing methods used, the amount of fresh pasture provided, the amount of forage eaten, and its quality is regulated by the size of pasture area being grazed, the duration of that grazing, and the amount of the available forage allowed for grazing. Also critical is the period that each pasture is rested between grazings. In this way, it is possible to match pasture growth with animals' requirements. Surplus growth can be conserved as hay or silage, while growth shortages can made up by careful feeding of supplements.