Rotational Grazing for Beef Cattle

Fresh grass two or three times a week.

Continuous grazing

Cattle stay in one large pasture for the season. They graze their favorite plants down repeatedly, ignore others, and wear the ground in high-traffic spots. Manure builds up where they gather, and so do parasites.

Rotational grazing

The pasture is split into smaller sections with fencing. The herd grazes one for a short time, then moves on, and that section rests and regrows before they come back.

How we do it

Divide the pasture. Permanent high-tensile fence marks the main pastures, and portable electric fence cuts them into sections. Water lines reach across the ranch.
Move often. We move the herd to a fresh section two or three times a week. That is before the grass gets tough or is grazed too short to recover.
Rest each section. Rest is longer when growth is slow and shorter in spring. We adjust the rotation to the grass.
Come back. After every section has been grazed, the herd returns to the first. It has regrown.

What it does

Feed. The herd is on fresh, young grass most of the time, which is more nutritious than mature or overgrazed grass.
Pasture. Rest periods let grass recover and support soil health. Manure is spread more evenly than when cattle bunch in one place.
Parasites. Moving on before the herd regrazes its own manure helps reduce reinfection.

We have not measured our carbon footprint and do not make claims about it. The practice is better for the pasture than leaving cattle in one field all season.

What it costs us

It takes daily attention, fencing, and water in every section, and it takes a few seasons to learn the timing. It suits a family ranch and does not scale to a feedlot, which is part of why pasture-raised beef costs more.

Common questions

Is rotational grazing the same as regenerative agriculture?: It is one part of it. Regenerative agriculture also covers practices like cover cropping and managing for plant diversity. For us, rotational grazing is the core of how we manage the land. More here.
Does it make the beef taste better?: Not in a way you would pick out. Cattle on fresh pasture are well nourished. Finishing and aging shape flavor more.
Do you graze in winter?: Grass growth slows or stops in winter. We feed hay when there is not enough grass.
Is this the same as mob grazing?: Similar idea, different intensity. Mob grazing uses dense herds for a day or less. We move ours more moderately, two or three times a week.

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