The species and class of grazing animal may determine the grazing period. Beef cows, brood ewes, and most other ruminants do not require as consistent a quality of forage, and a grazing period of 3 or more days may suffice. Stocking rate and available pasture also are important to managing a rotational grazing system. Spring management usually involves diverting some of the pasture for hay or silage. This can be achieved by raising the electric fence high enough to allow young animals to walk under but low enough to restrict the movements of larger, more mature animals.
Animal species differ in the types of forage they prefer.
Beef cattle prefer legumes over grasses, while sheep prefer immature grasses and weeds over legumes. Goats consume shrubby vegetation, in addition to forage plants. Goats also help control weedy vegetation. For purposes of stocking, a cow and calf may be considered equivalent to six average-sized ewes and lambs or nannies and kids.