Mob grazing

[Hornet]

What would be the merits of a mob grazed, one or two year fertility break? Would be interested in the value of that for:

1. A livestock farmer in terms of what rent would be fair to have access to summer grazing or even silage?

2. Value in next crop margin to an arable grower as opposed to a break crop such as linseed or beans (assuming fixed costs are paid for per operation so lowering of FC's achievable)

 

[Poorbuthappy]

@The Ruminant

Huge thread on mob grazing in the direct drilling general discussion section. Shame it's not in the livestock section as I find it really interesting and it would get wider viewing here. But I think the serious enthusiasts get fed up with the cynicism from many here.

 

[Al R]

@The Ruminant

Huge thread on mob grazing in the direct drilling general discussion section. Shame it's not in the livestock section as I find it really interesting and it would get wider viewing here. But I think the serious enthusiasts get fed up with the cynicism from many here.

There's far more sense spoken here mind and by a large number of people doing the job. I gave up on the arable section of TFF years ago!

@Hornet define mob grazing.

 

[martian]

Not sure a one or two year ley would justify expense or hassle of laying on water and fencing. We've put in some 3 or 4 year herbal leys for mob grazing. Got the first mob on last night

settled in to a blackgrass/sow thistle/herbal ley diet very happily. This morning:

 

[martian]

If you're really interested then the mob stocking tread in the Direct Drilling section has all the chat. But briefly, mob grazing involves keeping a mob of animals tightly coralled into small cells of grazing for high impact grazing and trampling of forage, followed by long rest periods for the pasture to allow it to grow back. The theory being that you are giving the grass opportunity to grow to its full potential. Grass growth follows a sigma curve, ie it starts very slowly after it's grazed tightly, speeds up as more leaves are formed (each a tiny solar panel) and its roots develop, then it slows down as flowers form and seeds set etc. So mob grazers like to leave a good proportion of the grass uneaten before moving the mob, to speed regrowth.

The benefit for the animals is that they always have fresh grazing in front of them, so parasites become less of an issue and, because you see them move every day (or multiple times a day for the keen), any problems can be dealt with before they become serious. We've found that problems very rarely show up and our vets are strangers to us. It is an extremely pleasing way of raising cattle and our pastures are improving all the while and the beasts thrive on a pasture only diet. So we buy no 'inputs' beyond some fencing and water tanks and sell top quality beef at the end of the day, ie when the cows come home. Happy days. It does seem to annoy 'traditional' grazers for some reason. What's not to like?

 

[It was already broken.]

Surely huge advantages for both livestock producers and arable farmers if the right rotation is in place. But as much as anything how do you value healthy soil? One year of PRG with clover heavily stocked then cultivated would mean rocket fuel grazing and no worms, electric fence and water bowsers I would suggest. Expensive to establish but excellent output for livestock.

Follow with high value arable crop. One tonne of extra spuds per acre is worth having.

20 years of modern mixed farming would make a big difference to soil structure.