Intensive paddock pasture compared to short grass pasture

Each grazing system has its specific advantages and challenges. There is therefore great interest in site-adapted pasture systems in practice, advice and teaching. Currently, farms in Austria are increasingly relying on short grass pastures, but a paddock system might provide more stable yields, especially in dry years.

Comprehensive research project

A comparison of intensive paddock grazing and short grazing grazing under biological conditions in mountain areas has not yet been carried out. In the three-year project, the usual short grass pasture (growth height around 6 cm) will be compared with an intensive paddock pasture system in terms of individual animal and area performance on the Moarhof organic teaching and research farm of the HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein. In addition to milk performance and milk quality parameters, the effects on plant population, feed quality, root formation, animal behavior and yield as well as economic efficiency are also comprehensively examined over three grazing periods. 

Illustration: The roots are also important! In the research project, two important pasture systems at the Bio-Institute of the HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein are being comprehensively examined.