What is rotational grazing? Everything you need to know.
Every day, ranchers around the world use millions of acres of land for grazing livestock.
Animals like cattle, sheep and goats naturally graze on pastures for the nutrients they need to stay healthy and grow.
In North America, grazing has a long history. A few hundred years ago, bison roamed the land and grazed on millions of acres of prairie ecosystems.
But today, if grazing animals stay in one area too long, it leads to overgrazing. This happens when plants are eaten faster than they can grow back. Overgrazing can deplete the soil’s nutrients, reduce plant growth and leave livestock with fewer nutritious options.
Rotational grazing — also called regenerative grazing or adaptive multi-paddock (AMP) grazing — offers a solution. Ranchers move livestock between different sections of the pasture, giving the land time to recover.
This method not only revitalizes grasslands but also helps address challenges such as drought, soil erosion and carbon emissions. Let’s explore how rotational grazing benefits both ranchers and the environment.
What is rotational grazing?
Rotational grazing can help keep grasslands healthy and livestock thriving.
Looking for a simple rotational grazing definition? We can define rotational grazing as a land management method where ranchers frequently move their livestock across different pasture areas, allowing each section to rest and regrow after grazing.
As livestock rotate, they feed on fresh plants while pastures recover. This process improves soil health, increases water infiltration, enhances biodiversity and boosts pasture productivity. Healthier soil can also capture more carbon, which helps combat climate change.
“Making a grazing plan that mimics how migratory animals move allows land to recover and rejuvenate,” says Paige Sorensen, Cargill sustainability manager. “This process is essential for regenerating healthy ecosystems.”
What are the benefits of rotational grazing?
Now we’ve covered the definition of rotational grazing, what are its advantages? The answer: There are many advantages of rotational grazing for livestock, the land and ranchers. Let's explore.
Better soil health, less erosion
One benefit of rotational grazing cattle? Healthier soil on the farm.
Healthy soil is essential for ranching and protecting the environment. Rotational grazing helps rebuild soil, reduce erosion and improve fertility. That’s because, when pastures rest, the soil absorbs more nutrients and organic matter.
“Rotational grazing allows pastures to regain their strength and fertility, which is key to long-term productivity,” Paige notes.
Fewer greenhouse gas emissions
Moving animals through a cattle rotational grazing system can help store more carbon in the soil. (Photo courtesy of NFWF)
Healthier soils in regenerative agriculture grazing systems have the potential to capture more carbon, helping lower greenhouse gas emissions. Plus, rotational grazing reduces the need for synthetic fertilizers and heavy machinery, which further cuts emissions.
Pastures can hold more water
Regenerative cattle grazing can help ranchers with water management practices.
With droughts becoming more common, managing water is crucial. Rotational grazing makes soil better at holding water, which helps plants survive during dry periods. This reduces the need for irrigation and makes pastures more resilient.
Increased biodiversity
When plants grow in pastures, they help wildlife and strengthen the ecosystem. (Photo courtesy of NFWF)
Rotational grazing encourages different types of plants to grow, which provides food and shelter for wildlife and strengthens ecosystems. A wider variety of plants also helps control pests naturally.
“We’re not just increasing adoption of rotational grazing — we’re also integrating it with other regenerative practices,” Paige said. “This approach maximizes biodiversity, which benefits both the land and the livestock.”
Healthier livestock
Regenerative grazing practices also can improve animal health. (Photo courtesy of NFWF)
Rotational grazing allows animals to feed on a variety of plants, which improves their nutrition. This leads to healthier, less stressed animals that require fewer antibiotics and are more resilient overall.
Better long-term productivity
Rotational grazing can help both livestock and the land to thrive.
Resting pastures between grazing allows the grass to regrow and roots to deepen, increasing the land’s long-term productivity. This helps ensure that both the land and the livestock thrive in the future.
Stronger, more resilient farms
Ranchers who use rotational grazing can help make their farms more resilient to extreme weather.
Rotational grazing makes farms more resilient to extreme weather events, like droughts or floods. It helps ranchers protect their land and livelihoods, ensuring their farms can stay productive for generations to come.
How does rotational grazing support regenerative agriculture?
Rotational grazing is one way ranchers can practice regenerative agriculture.
Rotational grazing is an important regenerative agriculture practice because it improves soil health by giving pastures or paddocks time to rest and recover. This helps rebuild the soil, boosts biodiversity and makes the land more resilient.
By rotating livestock, ranchers can raise healthier animals while protecting natural resources like soil and water. This practice not only helps restore the land but also meets the demand for sustainable food production.
What are we doing to help ranchers with rotational grazing?
At Cargill, we partner with ranchers, customers and NGOs to promote regenerative grazing and sustainable agriculture practices.
Ranchers don’t have to tackle these challenges alone. At Cargill, one of the largest beef processors in North America, we’re here to help.
Our BeefUp Sustainability initiative promotes regenerative grazing and sustainable agriculture practices. Our goal: reduce the intensity of beef emissions from our North American beef supply chain by 30% by 2030.
“Through our BeefUp Sustainability partnerships, we’re working to scale regenerative agriculture practices like rotational grazing,” Paige says. “These methods strengthen ecosystems, improve soil health and reduce carbon emissions, creating more resilient farms.”
We partner with NGOs and companies such as Burger King, Darden, McDonald’s, Nestlé, Sysco, Taco Bell and Walmart on projects that promote sustainable land use. Farmers and ranchers receive technical and financial support to adopt regenerative practices on their lands. At the same time, our programs help restore healthy rangelands and wildlife habitats and remove invasive species.
Our regenerative grazing programs include:
- National Sustainable Grazing Lands Project: To help combat climate change, Nestlé and Cargill are collaborating with The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) to support sustainable grazing practices across 1.7 million acres in the United States over five years. This project stands as one of the largest private sector regenerative ranching initiatives in the U.S. to date.
- Grazing Forward Canadian Project: A collaboration with A&W Canada and ALUS, this project engaged more than 180 farmers and ranchers in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba to adopt regenerative agriculture techniques and restore 6,500 acres of land. By expanding regenerative agriculture to rebuild soil organic matter, the project is estimated to sequester more than 19,000 metric tons of CO2e cumulatively over the next five years.
- Managed Grazing Project: In pursuit of parent company Yum! Brands’ broader climate efforts, Taco Bell is partnering with Cargill and NFWF to implement conservation and regenerative agriculture practices on cattle grazing lands stretching seven U.S. states. With $2 million in grant funds, this project provides beef producers with technical and financial tools to expand their regenerative ranching practices.
Learn more about our programs.
Key takeaways
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