Strategic Disturbance

Strategic Disturbance The power of animals never ceases to amaze me.

From a fertility perspective, the first few weeks of Autumn are the most challenging for grass fed animals.  Why?  Grass is very dry after a long summer, the nutrient values are therefore lower and so herbivores (in this case our cows) need to consume more in order to maintain condition ... the only problem is the lack of rain over summer sees the growth cycle slow right down.  I tend to use sporting analogies to explain this to others - the end of summer is the boxing match, the marathon, the grand finale to the season; the start of Autumn is the day after where you still carry the physical cost but are now sore as hell to boot.

When looking at the work our Berkshire pigs have carried out in clearing the land of weeds, it really does look destructive.

Yet in this disturbance there is also an amazing potential for nature to regenerate and repair.  Within the soil is a tremendous 'seed bank' that is waiting patiently for the right opportunity to germinate.  After the pigs disturb the landscape, they are moved onto the next area for clearing, the seed bank then has the opportunity to realise its full potential.

We had our first day of real rain for the season and the land responded like this two days later.

The growth rate was amazing in such a short time.  The fertility left behind from the pigs, the softness of the earth that allowed the seeds to not only germinate, but to absorb and hold water while letting the developing root systems establish seemed almost like a miracle.

Now think for a moment.  What if I was to bring the pigs back right away, or worse yet, never have moved them at all?  Perpetual ploughing and grazing of  grass would see heavy Winter rains wash the soil away and cause terrible erosion.  The difference between destruction and paradise can be a fine line.

This is an example of how important strategic disturbance by animals is and how their movement around a property is paramount in healing the land.