Intensive Winter Grazing
What is Intensive Winter Grazing?
Intensive winter grazing involves grazing livestock on annual forage crops (such as kale or fodderbeet) between 1 May and 30 September. This practice is essential for maintaining animal health during the colder months but can pose risks to soil structure and water quality if not managed properly.
Why a Winter Grazing Plan Matters and What Should it Include?
A good winter grazing plan is more than a regulatory requirement — it’s your blueprint for protecting soil, water, and animal welfare through the toughest months of the year. The plan should clearly outline the practical steps you’ll take to minimise environmental risks and maximise animal wellbeing, such as:
Paddock Selection: Choose paddocks away from waterways and wet areas to reduce the risk of pugging, soil damage, and runoff during wet weather.
Weather Contingency Planning: Always plan for bad weather. Know in advance how you'll prevent soil damage and runoff during storm events.
Critical Source Area (CSA) Protection: Identify CSAs like gullies and swales early. Leave grass buffer strips around them and avoid grazing these areas—or leave their grazing until after 30 September.
Riparian Buffers: Maintain wide grass buffer zones around waterways to reduce sediment and nutrient loss. These are especially important on steeper or erosion-prone land.
Strategic Grazing: Use directional grazing and back-fencing to keep animals off already grazed ground.
On/Off Grazing in Wet Conditions: Move stock on and off paddocks during wet spells to prevent pugging and spread nutrient inputs more evenly.
Catch Crops: Consider planting cool-tolerant crops (such as oats) quickly after grazing. These crops absorb residual nutrients, preventing them from leaching out of the soil.
These actions can help to reduce the environmental impact of winter grazing while improving soil health and paddock recovery. When combined, they form a comprehensive winter grazing plan that supports animal welfare, protects water quality, and ensures your operation remains sustainable and compliant.