Agricultural
15 April, 2025
Workshop explores theory of grazing naturally
Farm management lecturer Dick Richardson gave a presentation on the benefits of rational grazing in a ‘grazing naturally’ system at a workshop hosted by South Myall Landcare Group at Peranga Hall last Wednesday (April 2nd)
On a grey, rainy day, a hardy bunch of 27 farmers made their way to Ashley Volz’s property at picturesque Highgrove to see the principles of grazing naturally in action.
To put the Grazing Naturally strategy into the words that Mr Richardson and consultant Rob Young have used on their Natures Equity website:
“Green living plants managed by grazing animals in a Grazing Naturally pattern of use, sequester soil carbon into Humus to build soil structure.
“Humus, a carbon based compound created by soil biota from animal dung and root exudates at depth, holds mineral particles apart creating ‘space’ in the soil.
“Keeping plants green and youthful drives the flow of liquid carbon into the soil to feed the soil building biological community.”
Mr Richardson, originally from South Africa but based in North Queensland, spoke about the importance of keeping most of your paddocks in a ‘Priority’ Zone and confining paddocks with reduced grazing efficiency to a so-called Sabbath Zone, to give them a period of rest.
Mr Richardson spoke about the benefits mosaic burning in building grass and create conditions that are ideal for a sustainable productive grazing ecosystem and encouraged a ‘burn and graze’ strategy to take care of pasture dieback and weeds.
He said the benefits of a grazing naturally “are balanced ecologically and
economically and are simultaneously more productive resulting in improved quality of life.”
Mr Richardson cited Dr Christine Jones, Allan Savory, the Venter-Drewes theory and Andre Voisin as being influences in developing the grazing naturally theory.
Dr Jones, an Australian, espouses the link between carbon and healthy topsoil.
Mr Savory, a thought-provoking Zimbabwean livestock farmer has claimed that livestock can reverse desertification under certain conditions
Venter and Drewes proposed a “flexible rotation grazing management system for livestock production in subtropical regions, incorporating fire, periodic full season rest, and flexible livestock movement to maintain high-quality grass” (quote from Kirkman et al in Animal Frontiers Journal, Vol 13, Is 5 October 2023).
Frenchman Andre Voisin was a pioneer of the non-sequential “rational grazing theory” in paddocks.
Following the Peranga event, South Myall’s Graham Cooke thanked Natures Equity for the workshop and acknowledged the support of sponsor Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal.
