Socialize With Cows to Promote Soil Fertility

When I studied Agronomy in Brazil, my grazing mentors recommended that farmers that walk in the paddock or grazing strips for a few minutes before moving the cows to a fresh pasture, might stimulate soil fertility. If you are wondering how this is possible, read on and I’ll try to explain. Before moving their animals, Brazilian farmers are advised to take time to walk - observing their pastures, manure distribution, trampling and height of residual pasture. While they circulate, crisscrossing slowly among the cattle, they also count and check cow health. Farmers know that cows want to be moved and when cows see the farmer, they immediately associate him/her with fresh pastures. However, by not moving them right away, cows become uneasy, with a mix of euphoria and stress. They want the fresh and luscious next strip of grass as soon as possible but the patient walk of the farmer among them seems endless. All this excitement causes them to move around. Impatiently, they walk, manure and urinate. Cows are amazing herbivorous ruminants that convert solar energy stored in forages into milk or meat and have evolved by grazing and moving into new areas seeking fresh pastures. Grazed pastures were then left behind and had adequate time to regrow before the next grazing. In addition, predators co-evolved with ruminants keeping them