
Why Ash Scattering Services Should Use Rotational Grazing with Cattle
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What is Rotational Grazing?
Rotational grazing is a pasture management technique where cattle are moved between multiple paddocks or grazing areas to allow forage in previously grazed sections to rest and regenerate. This approach mimics natural grazing patterns of wild herbivores, optimizing land use and improving forage quality.
Key Features:
- Dividing Pastures into Paddocks: The grazing area is divided into smaller sections (paddocks). Cattle graze one paddock while others rest and recover. Our eight paddocks range from four to nine acres.
- Timed Movements: Livestock are rotated to a new paddock when forage in the current one reaches a specific utilization level, generally leaving enough residual plant height to encourage regrowth. At Farmstead Scattering Garden, we tend to rotate cattle every four days, and it allows our cattle to stay on pasture over a month longer than before we implemented rotational grazing.
- Recovery Period: Grazed paddocks are left undisturbed for a period that allows grasses to regrow, rebuild root systems, and replenish nutrients. Our 4-day schedule allows our paddocks to recover for 28 days on average throughout the summer and early fall months.
Five Important Aspects of Rotational Grazing for Cattle
Here are five important aspects of rotational grazing for cattle:
1. Improves Pasture Health
Rotational grazing involves dividing a pasture into smaller paddocks and moving cattle frequently to allow grazed areas to recover. This practice promotes healthier grass growth, reduces overgrazing, and helps maintain soil fertility. By giving plants a rest period, they can regrow more robustly and sustainably.
2. Increases Forage Utilization
Cattle can graze more uniformly when confined to a specific area, reducing waste compared to continuous grazing. This efficient forage utilization helps maximize the nutritional value of the pasture and supports better cattle growth rates.
3. Reduces Soil Erosion
Regular movement of cattle prevents soil compaction and overgrazing, both of which can lead to erosion. Healthy root systems in rested paddocks help stabilize the soil and improve water infiltration.
4. Supports Animal Health
Rotational grazing minimizes exposure to parasites and diseases that accumulate in soil and feces in continuously grazed areas. It also allows for better control of the herd's diet, ensuring access to higher-quality forage.
5. Environmental Benefits
By optimizing plant growth, rotational grazing can enhance carbon sequestration and biodiversity. It supports the development of diverse plant species, which can provide habitats for wildlife and reduce the need for chemical inputs like fertilizers.
Why Do We Worry About The Soil Nutrients When Spreading Cremated Ashes?
Cremated remains, also known as cremains, are not naturally ideal for soil because of their chemical composition and physical properties. There are several considerations when introducing cremains to an agricultural environment.
1. High pH Levels
Cremains are highly alkaline with a pH of about 12 due to their calcium phosphate and sodium content. This can significantly raise the pH of the surrounding soil, making it less hospitable for many plants, which prefer slightly acidic to neutral soils.
2. High Salt Content
Cremains contain high levels of salt, which can inhibit water absorption by plant roots and create an environment unsuitable for plant growth.
3. Nutrient Imbalance
While cremains contain minerals like calcium and phosphorus, they lack nitrogen, which is crucial for plant health. The imbalance can make the soil less fertile and disrupt its natural ecosystem.
If spread in large quantities in one area, cremains can alter the soil's micro-ecosystem, affecting microbial activity essential for healthy soil.
Rotational grazing is a management-intensive approach but offers significant ecological and economic benefits. It’s widely used on cattle farms to sustain productivity while promoting environmental stewardship. At Farmstead Scattering Garden, it allows for a healthier, more sustainable farm which contributes to the year-round beauty.
The cattle have just been brought down for the winter months which protects them during hunting season, provides shelter from cold, rain, and snow and provides easy access to food and water. During this time, we scrape out the pen several times per week and store the waste in a manure handling area.
When the ground is frozen or when spring hits, we will spread the manure onto the fields to provide extra fertilizer and nutrients for the soil. This allows us to minimize our need for chemical fertilizers making the farm more sustainable both financially and ecologically.
Much like rotational grazing, Farmstead Scattering Garden scatters ashes in different places all across the farm property. We track the weight and location of each scattering which allows us to better understand any impacts to the soil’s micro-system and prevent oversaturation of cremains in any one area.
Maintaining a healthy soil micro-system through the use of rotational grazing is important if we expect that same soil to process cremains without damaging the micro-system as a whole.
Making Ash Scattering Simple and Meaningful
With Farmstead Scattering Garden, you can mail cremated remains from anywhere in the United States, and our farm family can create an afterlife farming legacy for your loved ones. We will honor your loved one by scattering their ashes on our working farm at your chosen location, with photos and updates on our Farmstead Scattering Garden Facebook page so you can enjoy the beautiful views and adventures. Learn more today.