The objective of intensively managed grazing is to have high quality forage available to cows through the entire growing season. The concentrations of digestible energy, protein, and vitamins are substantially less in mature plants than in immature plants.
Milk production is directly proportional to the quality of forage the cows are consuming.
In an intensively managed pasture system, a combination of mechanical harvesting and grazing is used to prevent the forage from becoming overly mature. A strip grazing procedure was used in this project to maintain forage quality. Strip grazing is not only the most intensive form of controlled grazing, but it also provides the highest quality forage to animals when done properly with forages in the negative growth stages. Cows graze only the tops of the plants and then are moved to the next strip. The top portion of plants contains a large proportion of highly nutritious, immature leaves.