What is the difference between rotational grazing and management intensive grazing?

The distinction between rotational grazing and management intensive grazing is fundamentally rooted in the number of pastures utilized and the grazing management practices employed. Rotational grazing typically involves dividing the grazing area into two to seven pastures. This approach allows the animals to graze each pasture while providing a recovery period for the vegetation, promoting regrowth and maintaining plant health.

In contrast, management intensive grazing adopts a more structured and frequent movement of livestock, often utilizing eight or more pastures. This intensive management approach focuses on maximizing forage utilization and improving pasture quality through shorter grazing periods and more frequent rest intervals between grazings. By having more pastures, farmers can fine-tune their grazing schedules to optimize pasture recovery and enhance overall productivity.

The other options do not accurately capture the key aspects of these grazing methods, such as the specific management strategies and grazing capabilities. Therefore, the correct answer highlights the core difference based on the number of pastures used in the respective grazing systems.