Practice

Rotational grazing

Also known as: Adaptive multi-paddock grazing, AMP grazing, Mob grazing

A family of grazing practices that move livestock between paddocks to allow rested pasture to recover before being grazed again. The simplest version uses a few paddocks and weekly moves; the most-rigorous (Holistic Planned Grazing, AMP) uses dozens of paddocks and daily moves. The shared principle: grazing is a tool, not a constant, and grass needs rest to regrow vigorously. Done well, rotational grazing builds soil, increases pasture productivity, and supports more livestock per acre than continuous grazing.

What it is

Rotational grazing divides pasture into multiple paddocks and moves livestock between them. The simplest version uses two or three paddocks and seasonal moves; intensive forms use dozens of paddocks and daily moves with portable electrified fencing. The unifying principle: graze, then rest. Grass given full recovery time produces more biomass, deeper roots, and more soil-building input than grass kept under constant grazing pressure.

The continuum of practice

Continuous grazing — animals on the same pasture all season. Selectively-eaten plants get hammered; ignored plants take over. Common in industrial systems.
Simple rotational — a handful of paddocks, weekly or biweekly moves. The minimum viable form.
Management-intensive grazing (MIG) — dozens of paddocks, frequent moves, calibrated rest periods. André Voisin’s tradition.
[[mob-grazing|Mob grazing]] — high stock density, short residence, long rest. Less planning rigor than HPG; same general intent.
Adaptive multi-paddock (AMP) grazing — daily or sub-daily moves, rest periods adjusted to plant regrowth. The form most-studied in academic soil-health research.
[[holistic-planned-grazing|Holistic Planned Grazing]] (HPG) — the rigorous planning framework within Savory’s [[holistic-management|Holistic Management]].

What it produces (when done well)

More forage produced per acre per season
Increased [[soil-organic-matter|soil organic matter]]
Better water infiltration and drought resilience
Higher pasture biodiversity
Reduced or eliminated need for hay, supplemental feed, and external inputs

Sources

Grass Productivity, André Voisin (1959)
USDA NRCS rotational-grazing technical materials
Multiple soil-health research programs (Texas A&M, [[detroit|Michigan]] State, Univ. Arkansas)

Rooted in life.

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Scientific

practices

Earthvox Farm managed paddock rotation across the 50 acres
Lilliputopia animals rotated to keep soil and forage cycling

shares approach with

Pasture-raised pasture-raising at scale depends on rotation — continuous grazing degrades the pasture the method relies on

Practical