Reference Document Permaculture Report 131998 98121 5

Regenerative Cattle Grazing Management

We recommend dividing the existing cattle grazing area into 11 paddocks for regenerative
grazing management purposes, using best practice management for grazing. The
paddocks are between 2.2Ha and 2.6Ha each and can initially graze 25 head of cattle for
4 days in each paddock. The herd will need to be moved every 4 days to allow for 40
days rest of each paddock. The rest period will allow the paddock to regenerate and the
feed to become richer and thicker. Once the paddocks start producing more feed due to
this management, the herd can be increased.
We recommend the use of permanent electric fencing (solar powered) to divide up these
paddocks.

In discussion with Neil Owers from CYC, the cattle yards will be moved from the
Northwest corner to the Southeast corner to enable easier truck access. Currently trucks
access the cattle yard via the neighbour’s property, the change of yard location will enable
trucks to access the yards via the CYC site itself.

Close to the new location of the cattle yard will be the large composting area where large
material can be chipped and cow manure from the cattle yards can be added to compost.
The only issue we have with this location is the excess nutrient bleeding into the forest
system rather than being captured to be used in productive systems. However we can
see the logic in the location.
We can mitigate the nutrient bleed to lessen the environmental impact to the existing
forest by putting in a management system to harvest and manage it. For example a swale
system with nutrient harvesting plants like vetiver grass, which can in turn be used in the
composting system.

We have included 4 water tanks in the design which will be supplied by an existing
irrigation system from the dam. These tanks will then distribute water to troughs in each
paddock.

To make the spreading of cow manure more e cient, we propose a chicken tractor is run
in each paddock following the cows. The chickens will scratch the soil and distribute the
cow manure. The chickens will only be in each paddock 4 days following the cows, to
ensure maximum rest time in each paddock. Adding chickens adds diversity and is
shown to improve and add plant species.
These chickens can be egg layers and roosters can be run with these chickens to ensure
succession. There will be minimum noise pollution from the roosters to the villages as the
distance to the villages are substantial.
Regenerative cattle grazing management has had some incredible results with cattle
stations seeing the return of native grasses not seen in the area for decades. Productivity
is improved due to the improvement of soil quality and hence grass quality and quantity.
Depending on location and requirements, a rest period of between 30 and 90 days for
paddocks is recommended. It is possible to add geese and ducks to the chicken tractor
as well, which adds another element of biodiversity into the system.
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