Intensive Grazing Systems and Methods for Beef Cattle

Three experiments were conducted to determine effects of grazing systems and methods on beef production. In experiment 1, cows, calves and stockers grazed tall fescue-clover (Festuca arundinacea-Trifolium repens) in a l 6-paddock system using rotational stocking or a 3-paddock system using continuous stocking as grazing methods. In experiment 2, stocker steers grazed orchardgrass-clover (Dactylis glomerata-Trifolium pratense) using buffer grazing with continuous stocking or a 14-paddock rotational stocking method. In experiment 3, 4 grazing systems were compared using sequence grazing combinations of cool-and warm­seasoo perennial and annual forages. In experiments l and 2, there were no differences in animal performance between rotational and continuous stocking. In experiment 3, tall-fescue and caucasian bluestem (Bothriochloa caucasla) in sequence-grazed paddocks improved (P<0.01) gain/ha over systems using all cool-season forages or inclusion of annuals. Maximum gain/ha (503 kg/ha) was achioved by sequence grazing fescue and bluestem.