In 2010, the National Organic Program implemented a rule for the US stating that pasture must be a significant source of feed in organic ruminant systems. This article will focus on how the pasture rule has impacted the management, economics and nutritional value of products derived from organic ruminant systems and the interactions of grazing cattle with pasture forages and soils. The use of s...

Ultrahigh stocking density (113,000 kg of beef per ha to as high as 1 million kg per ha) or mob grazing has been suggested to build soil, increase forage production and plant diversity, and improve grazing distribution compared to less intensive grazing systems. Experimental evidence does not completely support such conclusions. The overall focus of this research is based on the approach of bui...

Deron Burkepile advances a review of compelling empirical examples arguing that common mechanisms may structure grazing systems in both terrestrial and aquatic biomes. We welcome this synthesis, and on many specific points we concur. In this commentary we further develop the characteristics of grazing systems, grazing lawns in particular, reviewing their prevalence across systems wet and dry. T...

Beyond grazing, managed grasslands provide ecological services that may offer economic incentives for multifunctional use. Increasing biodiversity of plant communities may maximize net primary production by optimizing utilization of available light, water, and nutrient resources; enhance production stability in response to climatic stress; reduce invasion of exotic species; increase soil OM; re...

Despite overall increased production in the last century, it is critical that grazing production systems focus on improving beef and dairy efficiency to meet current and future global food demands. For livestock producers, production efficiency is essential to maintain long-term profitability and sustainability. This continued viability of production systems using pastureand range-based grazing...

The first motive for the determination and evaluation of an energy productionsystem is the need to change. Such system is dynamic in nature and is influenced bymany factors such as age and physiological status of individual sheep or goat, quantityand quality of available feed and environment including the management systems.Traditional pastoral resource assessments do not always account for the...

In spite of overwhelming experimental evidence to the contrary, rotational grazing continues to be promoted and implemented as the only viable grazing strategy. The goals of this synthesis are to 1) reevaluate the complexity, underlying assumptions, and ecological processes of grazed ecosystems, 2) summarize plant and animal production responses to rotational and continuous grazing, 3) characte...