Management-intensive grazing increases average weight gain in beef cows and calves compared to conventional continuous grazing in Appalachian Ohio, according to Ohio State University researchers.
A four-month study comparing the two grazing methods showed livestock gained an average of 136.2 lbs/cow and 484.8 lbs/calf on intensively grazed hill land. On continuous grazing, animals averaged 112.9 lbs/cow and 472.9 lbs/calf.
Regulation of feed intake with intensive grazing allowed paddocks to be set aside for hay in June and cattle to graze 17 days longer in October than those grazed continuously.