There is more control of what the animal eats, and typically, better growth and persistence of pasture plants. When managing an intensive rotational grazing system, it is important to remember that the stocking rate is very high within one paddock and that overgrazing can occur very rapidly. Animals must be moved when the available pasture falls below its optimum range. Allow grazing to begin when tall grasses reach 7 to 8 inches, and remove animals when grass heights fall below 3 inches. To maintain milk production levels, you may need to remove highly productive dairy animals from paddocks before the plants reach these heights.
Growth rate is affected by soil productivity and fertility levels.
In most pasture systems, areas vary in soil productivity, and growth rate also varies. Therefore, rest periods may vary even within a pasture system. The best way to manage this situation is not to use a set rotational scheme, but to move animals to those paddocks that have reached their optimum available pasture. Keep animals off a particular paddock until it reaches this level. Paddock size depends on the number and class of animals being grazed, the amount of available pasture at the beginning of grazing, and the desired grazing period.