Regenerative grazing practices and the sustainability of a beef production system in New Zealand

Abstract

‘Regenerative’ grazing practices are being promoted by some pastoral farmers. A study commenced in 2022 is testing if maintaining higher pre- and post-grazing cover, longer intervals between grazing and higher stocking intensity, but shorter duration of grazing, will improve nutrient use efficiency (phosphorus (P), nitrogen (N)) and carbon (C) sequestration in the soil, while maintaining or increasing pasture and animal productivity. This ‘Adaptive’ grazing practice was compared against a ‘Control’, both under rotational grazing by cattle.  This paper reports baseline soil physical and chemical measurements collected in autumn and autumn and spring in 2022, and pre- and post-grazing herbage mass measured over two years through to autumn 2024. Soil baseline data indicate good nutrient fertility (Olsen-P, pH, exchangeable cations), physical condition, biological and microbial biomass and organic matter levels. The instantaneous stocking loading at grazing, a key indicator of the contrast between grazing treatments, was 15,500 and 150,400 kg liveweight/ha for the Control and Adaptive grazing treatment, respectively.  The high, pre-grazing target mass (3500 – 4000 kg DM/ha) was achieved at only two of the 15 grazing cycles, with the overall mean of 2850 kg DM/ha less than target.  Mean residual grazing mass was 2150 kg DM/ha.  There is no evidence after two years that grazing treatments affected on pasture productivity. Changes in these soil and pasture parameters over time will be assessed against the baseline measures reported here.