Pasture, Fences, and Facilities - Raising Sheep - page 110

This is a typical S-type curve that represents the growth of most living organisms. Note
how growth begins somewhat slowly, then in the middle period speeds up, and then
fi nally slows down and tapers off. (Modifi ed from André Voison, Grass Productivity, Covelo, CA:
Island Press, 1988, p. 12.)
Forage plants store extra energy in their roots when they're growing
quickly (the steep part of the S-curve). This stored energy can be used later to
jump-start new growth after the leaves have been grazed down or to make the
fi rst spurt of spring growth after the winter dormancy. Their ability to recover
quickly after grazing makes the forage plants valuable, but don't be deceived
into thinking that leaves can be continuously removed without injury. In fact,
if the leaves are grazed off repeatedly, a plant keeps drawing on the energy
stored in its roots to grow new leaves until the energy supply is exhausted and
the plant dies.
Grazing Approaches
The traditional approach to grazing has been to put animals in a pasture at
the beginning of the season and let them stay there until they run out of feed.
This approach is called set stocking , and it results in simultaneous overgrazing
and undergrazing of plants in the same pasture.
The reason set stocking causes overgrazing and undergrazing at the same
time is because critters are sort of like kids in a candy store. When they're set