How to graze the deferred or stockpiled area

When we have been total grazing half the ranch in the growing season (total grazing half means it doesn’t get away from the cows and thus maintains higher quality). There is the other half that will have the full growing season to grow, deepen its roots and allow for the full expression of each individual plant.

This is where we enhance the humus production the most by having deeper, stronger roots and having more carbon remain in the soil after the following total grazing on the next non-growing season.

We have observed where this is practiced that the rested or spelled area develops a mellow, darker soil.

In this rested area, there is no human or animal traffic, is where most wildlife will be concentrated and meshes well with a goal of enhancing wildlife habitat which improves biodiversity, essential for good resiliency of the land.
This is where ground resting birds have the best habitat to reproduce unmolested.

It is also the time to recruit seedlings of desirable species as most of them take longer to establish than a normal rotation length.

Once growth stops and the other half (grazed in the growing season) has been finished it’s time to start strip grazing at ultra high density the stockpiled area.

It is a simple matter, after a week of total grazing the stockpiled area, to calculate how many acres our herd is consuming per day and then, knowing how many acres we have left of stockpile, calculate if we have enough forage, have a surplus or need to find some other alternative.

This means that we have around 180-240 days, if we planned well, to adjust.

Remember: plan, monitor, adjust and re-plan.

This is explained in detail in the Total Grazing Course, 1st Pillar of Real Wealth Ranching.