Regenerative grazing management

Although ultra-high-density grazing is still quite controversial in some circles, many farmers have had good results when using it as a means to restore veld and increase carrying capacity. Susan Marais reports.

- Susan Marais

FAST FACTS

Regenerative grazing management entails controlling where and for how long animals graze.

Initial study results on a farm near Reitz in the Free State showed that the diversity of grass species increased after the implementation of ultra-high-density grazing.

North West cattle farmer DF Fyfer says that his regenerative farming system reflects the link between healthy soil and healthy, productive cattle.

In a society where ‘economies of scale’ has been the buzz phrase for decades, it seems strange that a farmer could be more profitable on a smaller scale.

Yet this is exactly what happened when Hannes Botha, a farmer running a mixed enterprise near Carolina, Mpumalanga, introduced regenerative farming practices on his farm, Fairview.

“I was able to double my farm’s carrying capacity in a single season; it was like buying a second farm,” Botha said during a recent regenerative agriculture webinar.

A few years prior to this journey towards restoration, Botha had tried to implement precision farming. It had cost an arm and a leg, yet had brought very little improvement to his operation. He began researching alternative farming techniques and started learning from regenerative farming pioneers, including Allan Savory, Elaine Ingham, and Dr. Christine Jones.

“This opened a new world to me. I came to realize that conventional agricultural practices have a negative impact on the environment and people.”