Growing a Grass Wedge: Rotational & Paddock Grazing Tips for Cattle & Sheep 2 – event summary

The meeting followed up the initial meeting in March about starting a paddock/rotational grazing system, by visiting a farmer who is starting a paddock grazing system, and discussing the issues that have arisen so far this year, allowing everyone to share their experiences and build participant’s confidence in managing a rotational/paddock grazing system.

The meeting covered the following discussion points:

• Setting up paddocks
• Measuring grass growth
• What to do in periods of abundance
• What to do when grass growth is too slow to keep up with demand
• How is everyone that has started a paddock/rotational grazing system managing to balance these variables.
• Nutrient Management of grassland for paddock/rotational grazing systems

The event was blessed with good weather, which enabled everyone present to have an enjoyable walk around the grazing paddocks and see the livestock on farm.  Jim & Irene Fowlie were very amiable hosts, and very honest too about what they were and weren’t doing so far, which created an enjoyable learning environment, and encouraged others present to be open and honest with regard to what they were doing, and how they were instigating a rotational/paddock grazing system.

Handouts from the day were: Handout and Healthy-grassland-soils