Prescribed Grazing

Prescribed grazing is the controlled harvest of vegetation with grazing animals, managed with the intent to achieve a specific objective.

This practice may be applied on all lands where grazing and/or browsing animals are managed. Removal of herbage by the grazing animals is in accordance with production limitations, plant sensitivities and management goals. Frequency of defoliations and season of grazing is based on the rate of growth and physiological condition of the plants. Duration and intensity of grazing is based on desired plant health and expected productivity of the forage species to meet management objectives. In all cases enough vegetation is left to prevent accelerated soil
erosion.

Application of this practice will manipulate the intensity, frequency, duration, and season of grazing to:
1. Improve water infiltration
2. maintain or improve riparian and upland area vegetation
3. Protect stream banks from erosion
4. Manage for deposition of fecal material way from water bodies
5. Promote ecological and economically stable plant communities which meet landowner
objectives

A prescribed grazing schedule will be prepared for all fields and pastures and recorded in a manner that is readily understood and useable
by the decision maker. The grazing schedule should include the following information:
1. Expected forage quality and quantity for all lands providing forage.
2. Numbers and kinds of animals utilizing available forage on the unit.
3. Inventory of all sources of forage and supplemental feed including documentation of surpluses and deficiencies.
4. A planned grazing schedule for livestock showing periods of grazing, rest, and other activities for all fields and pastures included in the grazing plan.
5. A contingency plan that details potential climatic problems and a guide for adjusting to insure proper management of forage resources.