multipasture

Multipasture is a term used in agriculture and animal husbandry to describe a system where livestock are rotated through a series of distinct pastures over a period of time. This rotational grazing strategy aims to improve pasture health, animal nutrition, and soil fertility. Instead of allowing animals to graze continuously on a single area, they are moved to fresh paddocks or fields at regular intervals. This allows grazed areas time to recover and regrow, preventing overgrazing and the degradation of forage quality.

The implementation of multipasture can vary widely depending on the type of livestock, the size of the farm, and the specific environmental conditions. It often involves dividing larger fields into smaller paddences using fencing. The duration animals spend in each pasture, known as the grazing period, and the rest period before the pasture is grazed again, are critical components of a successful multipasture system. Well-managed multipasture can lead to increased grass production, better weed control, and a more even distribution of manure, which acts as a natural fertilizer.

Benefits often cited for multipasture include improved animal health due to access to fresh forage and reduced exposure to parasites, as well as enhanced biodiversity within the pasture ecosystem. The concept is closely related to planned grazing and rotational grazing, with the term "multipasture" specifically emphasizing the use of multiple, distinct grazing areas. It is a sustainable practice that can contribute to the long-term productivity and environmental resilience of agricultural landscapes.