Several options are available for managing switchgrass. Stock the pasture so livestock will consume switchgrass at the same rate that it grows. Keep plant height between eight and 16 inches for six to eight weeks, then remove livestock for 30 to 45 days. Any regrowth then can be grazed to a stubble height no shorter than eight inches. Usually it is better to stock switchgrass too heavily and move animals to other pastures sooner than planned than to stock lightly and have abundant seed-head development.
Livestock remove switchgrass uniformly.
It is difficult to predict switchgrass growth rate and to stock it to maintain eight to 16 inches of stubble. Remove the livestock and allow 30 to 45 days to recover. Graze again in August if at least 12 inches of regrowth has occurred, but graze to no less than an eight-inch stubble height. Grazing that removes young stems in early summer will reduce and delay switchgrass heading and provide higher quality regrowth forage later in the growing season. Switchgrass is not good as the only forage source for all of June, July, and August.