For example, in some situations, hay fields may be grazed after the first cut of hay is taken. In other cases, hay fields may be grazed after the second cut. In either situation, livestock are not present the season-long. However, once the livestock are deployed, they may be continuously stocked until the forage supply is depleted.

During the spring of the year, the livestock in the previous example may well have been on a pasture or pastures that were also grazed with a continuous stocking method. However, as the forage growth rate declined there was not enough forage available for the entire herd or flock. As a result, some, but not all of the animals were moved to the hayfields. The pasture is still being grazed (continuously stocked) only with a reduced number of animals.

In order to reduce the amount of forage that is wasted or conversely, improve the harvest efficiency on pastures that are grazed with the continuous stocking method, it is recommended that the number of animals per acre of pasture be adjusted seasonally according to the amount of available forage. To facilitate this process, the following guidelines are recommended:

First, follow the planning procedures previously outlined for continuous stocking methods in order to balance the forage supply with the forage demand. Second, create two management units.

Management Unit I will be designated primary pastureland because, as with the rotational stocking method, this unit is primarily intended to be used for pasture. Management Unit II will be designated primary hayland. Its primary or first use will be for hay production (Figure 11).

In the spring of the year, Management Unit I would be stocked with the entire herd or flock of grazing animals. Management Unit II would be harvested for hay. When the forage supply on Management Unit II has recovered to a point where it will support livestock, rather than wait for Management Unit I to be overgrazed, split the herd or flock and re-allocate to both Management Units.

Although each Management Unit will be continuously stocked during the time period in which grazing is allowed, the periods of grazing are different for each unit as well as the number of animals present.

How effective the prescribed grazing plan will be in meeting the planned objective(s) is determined by maintaining an adequate control over the balance between the total amount of forage required by the livestock and the amount of forage available in the pasture. This controls the frequency and intensity of individual plant defoliations which ultimately has influence over forage quality, quantity, and persistence, as well as harvest efficiency, and animal performance. In some situations, the continuous stocking method will provide adequate control. In other situations, the rotational stocking method will be required. In still other situations, it may be advantageous to use a combination of both, depending on the management objectives.