The bottom line is to make a profit regardless of which grazing system is used. Several methods of grazing have been developed to accomplish various objectives. However, the method of grazing generally has less influence on production than stocking rate. See Figure 1 for a schematic drawing that illustrates grazing system options. One disadvantage of the traditional continuous grazing system is that it allows animals to selectively graze the more palatable forage and leave the less palatable ungrazed.
Selective grazing diminishes as the stocking rate on the single pasture increases.
Typically, this type of continuous grazing results in some plants being undergrazed and others being overgrazed. The stocking rate may be nearly ideal part of the year and too high or too low at other times. Continuously grazed pastures commonly produce higher average daily gains per animal than rotationally grazed systems. This does not necessarily translate into more total production per acre in animal gains or milk production, since animal numbers carried per acre on the continuously grazed pasture will likely be less than with other grazing systems. Alternative Continuous Grazing Continuous grazing has often been equated with overgrazing and poor management.