06/22/2026
Intensive rotationally grazed system with sheep and cows!
This is arguably one of the most intensively grazed systems in Iowa, but definitely northern Iowa. Everyday a new paddock is set up, sometimes bigger or smaller than the last paddock to account for changes the sheep may need. The whole goal is that we are giving 90% of the pasture rest at any given time. If you let livestock have a whole pasture, they are going to constantly eat in their favorite areas and it’s going to be hard for that forage to grow back. With this system, each paddock is getting 30 days of rest after the sheep/cows have grazed it. With these systems, you can graze longer into the year due to livestock not being on it all summer, but instead only for about a day at a time.
Not my sheep or cows, just the people I work for 🙂
