Rapid Rotation

In areas of high temperature and humidity, helminth eggs hatch very quickly and can develop into infective larvae in a short period, however they also expend their energy reserves quickly and cannot survive as long on pasture as they might in cooler or drier areas. This feature can be exploited by moving animals round a number of grazing areas ensuring that they have left an area before the eggs have developed into infective larvae and that the animals do not return to that area until all the larvae have died.

In practice it is best for animals to be moved every three and a half days, say Monday morning and Thursday lunch-time. They are rotated round eight to ten areas before they return to the original area.

It is very important that the rotation discipline is maintained since the whole system relies on animals not returning to any area before the month is finished. Also animals must move as planned or they will begin to be infected if they spend any longer on the initial area.

This system lends itself to places where the grazing area is controlled by one livestock owner and is particularly suitable for use in tethered grazing systems. It is unlikely to prove practical in communal grazing systems.