How Soil Health Determines Safe Grazing on Wet Pastures

By Blake Jackson

Grazing remains one of the most cost-effective ways to feed livestock, especially when compared with feeding hay, which can cost nearly twice as much per pound of dry matter. Maximizing the grazing season is therefore a priority for many producers.

However, grazing pastures when soils are wet can lead to serious soil compaction, reducing pasture productivity and long-term soil health. Careful spring grazing management is essential to avoid these setbacks.

Strong soil health is the foundation of compaction resistance. Soils with stable aggregates, high organic matter, and active biological life are better able to withstand hoof pressure and recover more quickly. Practices such as minimizing tillage, maintaining continuous plant cover, leaving surface residue, and encouraging deep, diverse root systems all contribute to healthier soils.

Including a mix of plant species with different rooting depths and growth periods improves soil structure, drainage, and biological activity, allowing fields to be grazed sooner after rainfall.

Monitoring soil moisture is equally important. A simple hand “ball test” can indicate whether soils are ready for grazing; if soil forms a ball when squeezed, it is too wet. Producers should prioritize well-drained fields first and avoid steep slopes where animals can cause damage by slipping or creating ridges.

When conditions are wet, grazing perennial grasses with strong root systems is safer than grazing annual forages, which are more easily damaged. Rotations should be quicker, leaving taller residual forage to protect the soil surface and maintain plant vigor. Ideally, pastures should retain at least six inches of growth in wet conditions.

Finally, pastures need adequate rest after grazing. Allowing 20 to 30 days of recovery gives soil organisms time to repair shallow compaction. In extreme cases, removing animals entirely is preferable to causing long-term damage. Successful grazing systems always prioritize soil care, ensuring productive pastures and healthy livestock.

Photo Credit: pexels-jan-kroon