Ultra High Density Grazing: How Our Soils Have Changed

On April 19, we did an ultra high density grazing experiment on one of our farms. We used a small herd of cattle to graze a diverse, high biomass cover crop at 500,000 and 1,000,000 pounds per acre. Today, we are back on this farm to evaluate cover crop regrowth and turn the soil over to see what’s going on below the surface.

Our ultra high density grazing area is relatively small, and on either side we have two distinct areas. To the south, is an area with mature cover crop that has not been grazed. To the north is an area we grazed at a low density and then gave 2 weeks of rest. Our high density grazing area has had 24 days of rest.

Today, we are taking soil samples from each area to send to Regen Ag Lab for Haney Soil Tests. These tests will help us compare how each type of grazing impacted our soil and determine which type of grazing is most likely to help us improve our soil and grow better crops going forward.

You may enjoy these videos if you want to:

• Apply the principles of soil health on your farms

• Plant green into mature living cover crop

• Reduce erosion and loss of nutrients

• Increase beneficial soil biology

• Increase earthworm populations

• Increase soil organic matter

• Capture "free" nitrogen from the atmosphere for your crops

• Learn more about regenerative agriculture