Winter hay requirements for cows using rotational grazing compared to cows using continuous grazing were 32 percent less. The similarities in calf weaning weights and cow conception rates indicate that, on average, forage quality was not different. In this grazing scheme, access to a pasture is given first to animals having high nutritional requirements. For example, growing animals with high potential for gain are first allowed to top graze a pasture. Then they are moved to another pasture.
Beef cows follow into the first pasture to graze the remaining lower-quality forage.
This approach also works well with lactating and non-lactating dairy cattle. Pearl millet, small grains, clovers, lespedeza or alfalfa work well for creep pastures. Creep grazing is particularly effective in summer when low forage availability restricts calf gains and when nutritive quality of perennial grass pastures is low. Calf gain and cow condition usually improve. Grazing Movable electric fences are used ahead of and behind the grazing animals to ration daily forage when strip grazing is used.