Grazing solutions – Innovations for grazing under difficult operating conditions

Created: July 15, 2025
Last updated: March 19, 2026

The current organic grazing obligation according to EU Regulation 2018/848 presents many Austrian organic farms with new challenges in pasture management. As a central element of organic animal husbandry, pasture grazing of ruminants opens up new perspectives, but requires a high level of management expertise – especially under difficult site, infrastructure, or climatic conditions.

This is precisely where the "Pasture Solutions" project came in: its aim was to develop innovative and practical approaches that would enable the successful implementation of animal-friendly and efficient pasture management, even under unfavorable operating conditions. Through in-depth research activities in the aforementioned areas, this project complemented the EIP project "Pasture Innovations."

Research focus

The project focused on the development and evaluation of new seed mixtures and alternative grazing systems under real-world conditions. At selected locations, specially formulated grass and herb mixtures were tested on both permanent grassland and arable land. Furthermore, different grazing systems (short-grass grazing, mop grazing, and top grazing) were tested. The investigations incorporated agronomic, animal-related, and parasitological parameters and were supplemented by empirical data from Austrian farms.

Key findings and recommendations

Trampling-resistant grasses for pastures: For heavily used areas near farmyards, grass mixtures with trampling-resistant species have proven effective. In addition to the classic pasture species for intensive grazing systems (perennial ryegrass, Kentucky bluegrass), other spreading and highly trampling-tolerant grass species such as red fescue and creeping bentgrass can significantly increase sward stability on these areas.
Mob grazing improves arable pastures: The mob grazing system has proven particularly effective on cattle farms in low-rainfall regions. Short, intensive grazing with tall grass growth promotes soil structure, root growth, and a better microclimate. Herbs such as chicory and ribwort plantain noticeably increased yields under these conditions.
Parasite load in small ruminants is more strongly influenced by breed than by grazing system: In a multi-year trial with 24 rams of different breeds (Jura vs. Tyrolean Mountain Sheep), seed mixture and pasture type showed no significant influence on egg shedding (EPG). The decisive factor was breed: Tyrolean Mountain Sheep rams had higher EPG values, which, however, did not negatively affect daily weight gain compared to Jura rams.

Duration: 2022–2025