38 



MASS. EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN 262 



Rotational Grazing 



The need for rotational grazing and its values are set forth clearly and con- 

 cisely in the following quotation from an article by J. S. Stewart, Ministry of 

 Agriculture and Fisheries, in the October 1929 issue of "Farm Notes", an Eng- 

 lish paper published by Nitram Ltd. of London. "Where rotational grazing 

 is practiced, the first grazing should be a light one. Plants must have an op- 

 portunity to develop leaf and root, otherwise degeneracy results. Adequate 

 supplies of nutrients and moisture tend to lessen this deterioration, but the 

 m:ore luxuriant leafy species are most seriously weakened and take some time 

 to recover, their place tending to be taken by the more lowly and comparative- 

 ly worthless grasses and weeds, the complete defoliation of which is more dif- 

 ficult" (because of their lack of palatability). Thus under the old system of 



Fig. 2. Pasture Scene in August, 1927, before the Experiment Began. 

 Note the uneven appearance of the pasturage. 



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unrestricted grazing, the more palatable grasses are weakened by continuous 

 close cropping, while the unpalatable weeds are allowed to grow and repro- 

 duce unhindered. Under the new system, the regular rest periods permit the 

 more luxuriant grasses to make an adequate top growth during the recuperat- 

 ing period and to strengthen their root system before being eaten down agaift. 



The college dairy herd consisting of Holsteins, Ayrshires, Guernseys, Jer- 

 seys and milking Shorthorns and a part of the college flock of sheep were 

 used for the experiment. In order to make the most efficient use of the pas- 

 tures, the cattle were divided into three groups: the higher producers (Group 

 1), the lower producers (Group 2), dry cows and young stock (Group 3). At 



