grazing (redirected from grazing behavior)

grazing,

n See irregular feeding.

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grazing

1. actions of herbivorous animals eating growing pasture or cereal crop.

2. area of pasture or cereal crop to be used as standing feed. See also pasture.

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grazing behavior

most grazing species prefer grazing in daylight hours and graze as a social or herd unit, all performing the same function at about the same time.

block grazing

see rotational grazing (below).

continuous grazing

the livestock are left in the field for long periods without rotation; a common practice in extensive farming systems where internal parasites are not a problem.

deferred grazing

a field is closed up and not used for grazing for the spring and summer but is then grazed as mature autumn feed. This may be a tactic to provide grazing at a time when pasture is usually in short supply, or it may be to allow a pasture to regenerate. Called also autumn saving.

grazing fee

see agist.

leader-follower grazing

the age group most susceptible to helminth infestation grazes the pasture first and are followed by the less susceptible older groups.

grazing pattern

the way in which each herbivorous species grazes a pasture, including closeness of cropping, preference for grass over clover over browse.

rented grazing

see agist.

rotational grazing

the herd or flock is moved frequently (days to weeks) from field to field in a management system aimed at reducing worm load and increasing production of dry matter. In many circumstances it does neither. Called also block grazing. See also rotation programs.

strip grazing

the field is grazed in strips which are changed every 1 to 3 days. This is done by careful placement of an electric fence so that the grazing strip is moved further and further away from the entrance to the field.

zero grazing

an animal husbandry strategy in which the plant material is harvested daily and fed to livestock in a dry lot. Avoids damage to pasture by cattle walking on it but requires much higher capital investment for harvesting machinery, construction and maintenance.