Grazing shock

Grazing shock is the effect on a plant of being grazed hard or slashed. Because there is now less plant above the ground, there is less root needed to support the top. So the plant sheds roots.

The loss of roots leaves gaps and food for soil organisms and for future root growth. It's a great way to build soil and improve pasture quality.

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When animals hard graze a plant or when it is cut for hay, the plant goes into the plant equivalent of a state of shock.

The top (the part of the plant above the ground) is now much smaller and cannot support as great a volume of roots. Plus it doesn't need as much nutrient or water that the roots get from the soil. So the plant drops off some of the roots it no longer needs.

First it withdraws nutrients from the root in much the same way as a deciduous tree does from the leaves it sheds in the autumn (the fall). When it can draw no more back, it cuts off the root and any nutrients that are still in the roots are left for soil organisms.

The root has become thinner and shorter in the process and so leaves a gap in the soil that enlarges as the root breaks down after being shed. This is often the right size for earthworms and other soil organisms and it allows better gas exchange and water infiltration.

More common with electric fences?
Grazing shock is more common on farms with electric fences, but it's not given by the electric fence. Grazing shock is a handy tool, even for those who would be shocked to know that they are using it
Grazing shock is an important technique in managing pasture, because it allows you to provide
These all suit soil organisms and encourage them to multiply.

The process builds soil structure by releasing substances that help to glue soil into crumbs.

If the plant that dropped off roots is a legume and it has been colonized by nitrogen-fixing bacteria (rhizobia), the rhizobia and their nodules will be released to the soil. This will make nitrogen available to other plants, particularly grasses. They cannot provide their own nitrogen but respond well to it by growing more green leaf.

However, if this nitrogen is not used fairly soon, it can contribute to soil acidity. If it is allowed to percolate down through the soil, it can contribute to subsoil acidity that is uneconomic to remedy or even treat.

And what is the connection between grazing shock and electric fences? Having your farm subdivided permanently or temporarily to allow you to rotate stock more frequently allows for more hard grazing and more rest time for the pasture.

Hard grazing and enough rest time are two of the things you need to get the full benefit from grazing shock. Electric fencing is often cheaper and quicker than other forms of fencing and as a result makes it more likely that you will use grazing shock effectively and to your advantage.

Grazing shock is enhanced by

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This page was updated on December 27, 2007