Information and Resources
This publication has been developed to address concerns of grazing livestock in woodlands and to offer considerations and general management recommendations that will help to meet the needs of livestock producers while protecting woodlands and timber assets. Woodlands and pastureland are innate to the Tennessee landscape, and the production of both livestock and timber are vital to Tennessee’s commerce. Tennessee’s landscape, with its rolling hills, is well-suited for the production of both livestock and timber commodities.
Controlled grazing includes any system in which the producer controls the grazing pattern of the cattle known by many names, such as rotational grazing, intensive grazing and strip grazing.
For most livestock producers extending the grazing season for their animals, or otherwise filling gaps in pasture forage availability to reduce stored feed needs, should be a high priority objective. This can be accomplished by forage growth distribution, stockpiling of forage, taking advantage of unique grazing opportunities, and other forage or livestock management approaches.
Rotational grazing should follow a formula to assure proper paddock size.
Native warm-season grasses can be a valuable tool for mid-South forage producers and complement existing cool-season forages. They can provide large volumes of high-quality forage produce excellent gains and provide considerable protection against drought. They require minimal fertilizer or lime to sustain productivity, and have few known insect or disease pests.