Seasonal variances in quality will be most pronounced in continuously stocked pastures while quality may be more readily controlled in a rotational system through regulation of the rest period. In continuously stocked pastures, forage quality is fairly similar from one day to the next while seasonal variances may be prominent. In rotational systems, seasonal variance is reduced, but daily variance may be very significant. If stock are rotated on a daily basis, the Short grazing periods reduce daily quality variations . As the length of the grazing period increases, the daily variance in nutrient intake also increases.
Livestock typically graze alfalfa from the top down.
Using rumen cannulated heifers to collect forage samples, it is not uncommon to measure protein levels higher than ADF levels. Alfalfa in the vegetative stage may be very high in degradable protein and low in fiber. Even though we may consider this to be very high quality forage, it may actually produce disappointing animal performance. Including grasses with the alfalfa in the pasture may enhance livestock performance. This basic difference may be due to grasses in a pasture being grazed at much less mature stages than the same grass as a hay crop.