Managing grazing residuals in wet conditions

The amount of grass left after grazing can affect both grass growth and grazing performance. Find out how to manage residuals in wet conditions to protect soils and support future grass growth.

In wet conditions, achieving the usual target residual may become less important than protecting soil structure and avoiding excessive poaching.

Livestock may trample grass before they consume it, particularly on heavy soils or where high covers encourage animals to move around searching for suitable grazing.

Adapt your residual targets to the soil condition, the amount of grass available and livestock needs.

For rotationally grazed dairy grassland, a typical target is around 1,500 kg DM/ha, equivalent to approximately 4 cm.

However, the target varies with grazing system, sward composition and measurement method – don’t treat it as an absolute requirement in saturated conditions.

In wet weather:

• Consider leaving a higher residual if grazing down to the usual target would cause excessive trampling
• Avoid forcing livestock to graze tightly when grass is limited or soil conditions are poor
• Where covers are too high for the livestock, consider smaller groups or a different paddock rather than allowing prolonged grazing and repeated walking
• Monitor residuals alongside soil condition; a visually tidy paddock is not necessarily a well-managed paddock if the surface has been damaged

Sheep and beef systems may have different target residuals according to sward type, animal class and grazing objectives.

Set targets that reflect the system rather than applying dairy recommendations universally.

Look for:

• Large areas of exposed soil or damaged crowns
• Repeated grazing of emerging leaves
• Livestock spending increasing time searching for grass
• Poor recovery between grazing
• Hoof prints, smeared soil or water collecting in depressions

If these signs are present, increase the grazing allocation or move stock before damage gets worse.

Leaving more grass behind can sometimes help protect the soil and plants.

However, if you regularly leave too much grass, livestock will use less of it and the quality of the sward may decline.

Once conditions improve, review covers and adjust the rotation.

Use grass measurement and growth rates to determine whether paddocks need grazing, closing for conservation or a longer recovery period.

The objective is to balance current feed demand with the future productivity of the field.

Don’t sacrifice soil structure simply to achieve a target residual.