Demonstrating Mob Grazing Impacts - Conservation Innovation Grants-USDA
Welcome to the Demonstrating Mob Grazing Impacts project site at the Univeristy of Nebraska-Lincoln Department of Agronomy & Horticulture. The project aims to show the influence of mob grazing on rangeland vegetation composition and productivity, soil and water quality, and soil carbon sequestration, alongside conventional rotational grazing systems currently used in the Sandhills of Nebraska. We document the effect of mob grazing systems on rangeland health on both upland and meadow sites at different stocking densities.
Proposed benefits of mob grazing
- Reduced selective grazing
- Increased harvest efficiency
- Increased diversity of plant species
- More uniform manure/urine deposition
- Increased pasture productivity
- Improved soil quality
Hypotheses are that the trampling of vegetation and incorporation of litter through hoof action, together with a uniform manure and urine distribution promote microbial activity and the rapid recycling of nutrients, which can favor increases in soil organic matter and water infiltration. The pastures benefit from the rapid recycling of nutrients and the incorporation of seeds into soil resulting in more vegetation diversity and productivity. The extended recovery period allows for deeper root development resulting in drought resistance and improved wildlife habitat.