Agriculture Uncovered: Pasture Management and Rotational Grazing

By John Williams

Agriculture is a major industry in the Chesapeake Bay; consequently, increasing agricultural sustainability is a key component of the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay’s mission. Since the Alliance’s founding in 1971, our work with farmers and rural landowners has expanded to include projects in every watershed state with teams based in Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia. In industry, the Alliance works to introduce relevant conservation practices that reduce pollution while making farmers’ jobs easier. All of this critical work is informed by the immense geographic, cultural, and historical diversity of the Chesapeake Watershed.

The Chesapeake Bay watershed stretches across six states, from central New York down to southern Virginia, covering nearly 44.5 million acres. Of that area, approximately one-third is used as farmland. While less applicable with poultry and row crops, pastures are a huge component of agriculture in the watershed. Runoff and erosion are often associated with cropland or heavy use areas in barnyards, but pastures can also contribute to this if over fertilized or not properly managed. From large-scale beef operations to hobbyist miniature horses, everyone grazing has an opportunity to not only sustain, but also to regenerate their pastureland.

Stocking Rate

The stocking rate is described as the number of animals within an entire grazing system, while stocking density is the number of animals within one pasture or section of a grazing system.

The goal of farmers is often to have as many animals as possible while still maintaining the forage base within a pasture. The rate at which this goal is achieved is called the carrying capacity of the system. Through holistic grazing and stockpiling methods, we can improve the carrying capacity of the land so that profits can still be made while maintaining the integrity of the forage base.