Quote of the Moment:

“I don’t know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody.”
B.C.

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Environmental Management

PULSED MOSAIC GRAZING

“Pulsed grazing” implies high animal densities for a short duration and controlled recovery periods for the plants and microorganisms.

For landscape revitalization (pumping up biological succession) we generally use animal densities between 300 and 1200 head/hectare all depending on what exactly it is that we are trying to achieve at the time. Anything less would be like trying to pump up a tyre with what comes out of the end of a wind sock. Obviously we can only run those densities if we manage the feed accordingly, or we would be stressing the animals too much.

These high densities create a high level of edge effect at the micro environment level. To favour biodiversity we also create edge effect at the paddock level by creating a planned “mosaic”. We skip strips or only hit some areas once a year. As we progress we aim for more complexity in our mosaic.

Animal maintained landscapes are "scale neutral": What we currently do on fifty square kilometres with 50 to 100 head of cattle, we could do on five thousand or more square kilometres with more animals. However, the viability of such actions depends on the value society places on fresh air, clean water and healthy biodiverse landscapes.

While we are understocked we also use fire during the wet season for patch and spot burns.

 

See the mosaic effect in a brittle area north of Cockatoo Creek
during the dry season 2005.