Rotational Grazing System Increases Profit and Resilience

“With rotational grazing, what really turned me onto it and got me into it was, honestly, the economic value of it, obviously in dollar signs. I was thinking, “Oh, if we do rotational grazing I automatically should be able to put so many more pairs on a piece of pasture. That’s true to a certain extent, but equally, if not more beneficial, is just how healthy the grass is and how the grass can respond during a drought.”

That’s Lance Vilhauer of Mina, South Dakota. In this 5:33 video, he takes us on a tour of his operation, showing how he works on easements purchased from Ducks Unlimited to use cross fencing and rotational grazing to produce more and better forage.

The purchased parcels, coming out of the Conservation Reserve Program, benefited from animal impact.  Valeree Devine, NRCS District Conservationist, describes how adding cattle at the right time revives tired grasses, builds more roots, and improves conditions in the soil.

Valeree and Lance agree that it’s important to switch things up. Says Valeree, “When you do the same thing over and over again, the system gets lazy.”

Check out what Lance does with his grazing system and listen to his thoughts on the importance of rangeland and grazing for taking carbon out of the air and improving water quality.