Rotational grazing, with adequate recovery periods, increases forage production. Runoff water and water contained in streams and impoundments is clearer and presumably of higher quality for stock and human use. This litter helps prevent erosion. Greater herbage and residual vegetative cover leads to less soil erosion. The combined effects of this protection cause interception of raindrops plus a tarp or duck s back on the soil surface to restrict and nearly eliminate soil erosion.
Rotational stocking causes the buildup of physical organic residue.
This organic residue composts on the soil surface and slightly into the soil surface to build and improve that horizon of soil. There is some indication that rotational stocking will increase chemical the organic matter content of soils. However, in Oklahoma nearly three decades of rotational stocking on formerly tilled cropland did not show any increase in chemical organic matter in the upper soil profile. It took eons of time to build high organic matter soils and three decades may not be long enough to rebuild those losses. The rotational stocking unit and its necessary fences often set up a means to control livestock access to reservoirs, ponds, lakes, streams and rivers and the associated margins.