THE PASTURE PREDATOR AT WORK
In natural environments, grazing animals and pasture plants have survived in the presence of each other, for many thousands of years. However, the interaction between the two is best described as a predator-prey relationship. The predators (grazing animals), through defoliation, trampling, and fouling with manure and urine, have direct influence over the growth and survival of the prey (plants). In addition, the quality and quantity of the prey influences the growth and survival of the predators. The primary reason this relationship has endured is, in the absence of human intervention, both predator and prey developed specific adaptations and strategies, and counter-adaptations and counter-strategies that provided the opportunity for coexistence to occur.
Unfortunately, in the unnatural environment of human controlled production agriculture, little consideration has been given to understanding plant-animal interactions or to promoting any kind of managed coexistence between the two.
More often than not, pasture is utilized with no plan for its management other than when it turns green, graze it! Under this level of management, the pasture predator wins, the prey loses, and what could be the most profitable crop on a farm is turned into a perennial crop failure.
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