Summer temperatures and moisture conditions generally mean our
cool season grass pastures exhibit slower growth. This slower
growth calls for a different management strategy than was used
in spring and early summer. As pasture growth slows, the
rotation through the paddocks also must slow because it will
take a longer rest period for grass to grow back to grazing
height. Remember providing adequate rest periods is one of the
key principles of rotational grazing. The challenge is in how to
slow down the rotation without violating the other key grazing
principle of take half, leave half. It is vital adequate leaf
cover be left in a paddock for several reasons. First, by
allowing at least 50 percent of the plant to remain after a
grazing pass the plant root system continues to provide
nutrients and moisture to the plant. Remove more than 50 percent
and the plant begins to experience large diebacks in roots,
slowing down plant recovery. Second, leaving 50 percent or more
of the plant insures there is adequate lea