What tips should I keep in mind?

Move cattle when grass is grazed to 3-4 inches — never let them graze below 2 inches. More paddocks = longer rest = more forage. Diminishing returns above 20 paddocks. Extend rest periods in late summer and fall when grass growth slows.

Pasture Rotation Calculator

Calculate paddock count, grazing days per paddock, and rest periods for a rotational grazing system.

Results

Visualization

How It Works

Rotational grazing divides pasture into paddocks and moves animals frequently, giving forage 30-90 days to rest and regrow. Compared to continuous grazing, rotational grazing produces 20-30% more forage and supports higher stocking rates.

The Formula

Paddocks = (Rest Period ÷ Grazing Period) + 1
Acres/Paddock = Total Acres ÷ Paddocks

Variables

Rest Period — Days forage needs to regrow (cool season: 30-45 days spring, 60-90 fall)
Grazing Period — Days stock stays in one paddock (1-3 days for intensive, 7-14 for moderate)
+1 Paddock — The extra paddock accounts for the one currently being grazed

Example

100 acres, 45-day rest, 3-day graze: paddocks = 45/3 + 1 = 16. Each paddock = 6.25 acres. Full cycle = 48 days.

Tips

Move cattle when grass is grazed to 3-4 inches — never let them graze below 2 inches.
More paddocks = longer rest = more forage. Diminishing returns above 20 paddocks.
Extend rest periods in late summer and fall when grass growth slows.
Temporary electric fence is the cheapest way to create paddocks for rotational grazing.
Back-fence to prevent cattle from returning to recently grazed areas.