Intensive rotational grazing is a type of controlled grazing. With good forage and animal management, returns from intensive rotational grazing compare favorably to confinement feeding systems. Perennial legumes may need to be introduced to many post-CRP fields to achieve more uniform yields of high quality forage throughout the season. Grazing and rest periods, height of grazing, stocking rate, and herbage allowance are some of the other important variables of a controlled grazing system. For the many CRP acres that are highly erodable, grazing might be the most effective way to harvest forage.
Grazing systems can provide adequate forage for livestock while maintaining environmental quality.
With continuous grazing, the livestock decide what and when they eat. Fencing, watering, and labor inputs are lower for continuous grazing than for controlled grazing. With controlled grazing, the farmer manages and controls the duration and extent of pasture use. Fields are rested between grazings. For example, milking cows usually graze new forage every 12 hours, providing them with fresh forage and minimizing the waste from defecation and trampling.