Mob your Grazing Platform

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Phil Cooper (FCG Midwest)

With the changes in climate to an increase in hot spells, higher temperatures, and fewer, but heavier rainfall events, is it time to reconsider how we graze cattle?

Whilst attending Groundswell this year, 2026, I attended a panel discussion on Sustainable Grazing in Dairy Herds. The focus was around research that had been carried out on three farms in Dorset and Somerset looking at whether allowing grazing covers to reach 4000 kgsDM/ha before being grazed off by the milking herd had any benefits. The “mob grazing” principle was applied assuming that one third is harvested (1300 kgsDM/ha), one third trampled and one third wasted.

This still resulted in eating a similar amount of forage to a conventional paddock grazing system, which is based on turning in at 2800 kgsDM/ha and removing at 1500 kgsDM/ha, harvesting 1300 kgsDM/ha.

The stock were moved four times per day on to a fresh area of the paddock. Moving the cows led to an increased number of eating events. Automation can help reduce the labour requirement for moving more often, e.g. timed batt-latches. Moving four times per day also helped improve trampling of the grass left after grazing.

The trials on the farms all showed that:

  • There was no noticeable drop in kgsDM/ha production over the season.
  • Animal dry matter intakes increased as stock were moved more frequently.
  • Grass quality was unaffected in terms of energy and protein.
  • Rooting improved, which increases drought resistance and helps with water infiltration and drainage.
  • Mineral content of the grass increased due to deep rooting that occurred with allowing covers to grow longer.
  • Moisture retention improved due to the increase in surface trash from trampling.
  • Soil surface was protected from high temperatures during hot spells.
  • CO2 capture from the air was increased, which helps to feed the soil biology.

In terms of rolling this out on farms the key things to consider are:

  • This is not suitable for every field.
  • The first round should still be grazed conventionally to ensure early turnout. Waiting for longer covers will delay turnout and increase housing costs.
  • Gradually increase the entry covers through the round so that you have longer covers through June, July and August, when the weather is generally hotter.
  • The last round should still be used as a “reset” round preparing the paddocks for the following year.
  • The system works better on multi species leys rather than pure ryegrass stands.
  • Seed mixes being used should have varieties with later heading dates to reduce the risk of grasses heading before covers of 4000 kgsDM/ha are reached, leading to reduced quality.

The panel concluded that they would all continue to use this system on their farms, but as a management tool to help reduce the impact of droughts, not necessarily to mob graze every paddock. They would also use this system for youngstock grazing.

To discuss this further and find out how it can be used on your farm, contact Phil Cooper at pcooper@fcgagric.com or your local FCG Office.

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