Advanced cell grazing – permaculture livestock systems at Zaytuna farm, Australia
Name of sustainable practice or practices Advanced cell grazing – permaculture livestock systems at Zaytuna farm, Australia
Name of main actor Article by Nick Burtner, Method by Geoff Lawton
Type of actors involved Family farmers
Livestock Species Cattle
Country Australia
Agro-ecological region Tropical and Sub-tropical, Temperate
Main feature of best practice Improving environmental sustainability including biodiversity conservation, Contributing to better animal health and welfare, Furthering grain-free strategies in animal feed
Key features of livestock farming system Holistic livestock management, Permaculture
Year practice/management strategies started to be implemented 1996
Key practices implemented to improve sustainability of livestock management The Zaytuna Grazing Method (ZGM), invented by Geoff Lawton, hybridizes a multitude of different animal management systems from Allan Savory to Joel Salatin and Regen Ag. The method adds permaculture principles that can regenerate landscape and grow both productive food, crops, and vegetation for other uses such as timber, nutrient accumulation, and wildlife habitats.
The method starts with the construction of permanent solar powered 9000 watt electric fence called a “laneway” (in the attached picture red lines are the laneway), which is created according the features of the land. On Zaytuna farm (66 acres large) the laneway goes through a a variety of landscape including forest, pasture, swales, ponds, road frontage, and regrowth forest. The diversity of such landscape provides a multitude of benefits to grazing animals. such as biodiversity in their diet to ensure animal health and proper nutrition. Ideally the grazing cells, after a herd has grazed on it, should remain fallow (left alone) for up to 70 days at a time for regrowth. This cuts down on pest and disease infestations.
The laneway has a series of gates about every quarter acre to half acre and also has switches about every five acres that turn large portions of the laneway on or off to consolidate energy when not in use. The gates allow access to grazing pastures that are created using spindles of electric fence woven through pigtails to create temporary grazing cells where the animals stay two, four, or seven days at a time before being moved to another pasture. It is also important to note that large animals typically enjoy tree leaves and the cells should be placed just out of reach of the food forests, unless we are wanting to thin them holistically with the herd.
Key impacts of the best practices on sustainability of farming system By using the slope of the land the manure from grazing animals can be washed into swales where their nutrient is then spread via rain that fills the swales — causing it to travel and infiltrate across the property. Below the swales are food forests which take up some of the nutrient for the production of food and biomass. The area below the food forest and before the next swale is called the interswale. In this system the interswale is a grazing cell where the animals are eating fresh pasture and depositing more manure for even further nutrient penetration further down slope. It is important to note that the diversity of animals and manures that hit the pastures and swales will have a great beneficial impact on the soil.
Constraints and opportunities observed during implementation of described practices By using these methods a farm can maintain a healthy, disease- and pest-resistant landscape that benefits all life in both created and natural ecosystems. Savings on purchases of food, antibiotics, and medical treatments for the animals will be of great value using the ZGM as well. Many farmers are also looking for multiple income streams and gaining the best possible yields while improving the soil structure and resale value of their land. This system allows for just that. With swales and ponds on the property there is the additional option of aquaculture. The food forest systems can grow food for not only aquaculture, but also the grazing animals, and for humans that live on the farm or to sell in markets. The pastures produce beautiful organic and lush grasses that provide for a healthy herd that can be used for dairy or meat — products that will call top dollar as this method of grazing far out-produces organics in nutrients. And a large crop can be planted in an interswale. The crop can be rotated every growing season which will allow the grasses in the interswale to regenerate when not being used for a crop or grazed on.
This system also allows for just a few employees or ranch hands, because once set up, moving the cattle between cells is the hardest part of the job – which isn’t that hard at all.
Contacts
Article available at: http://permaculturenews.org/2013/07/16/advanced-cell-grazing-permaculture-livestock-systems-at-zaytuna-farm/
