"Mob Stocking": Much Ado About Something

by Dave Pratt, Ranching For Profit

Theres a lot of talk about Mob Stocking these days.  It has left me scratching my head, because what seems like a new and revolutionary concept to many is something weve been teaching at the Ranching For Profit School for over 30 years.  Mob Stocking is simply the intense application of the five cell grazing principles, with particular emphasis on two of them.

Cell grazing involves five things:

Providing adequate recovery for a pasture, after it has been grazed, for regrowth of both the foliage and roots.

Using short graze periods, consistent with the recovery period, to keep animals on fresh feed.  This practice significantly increases the quality and quantify of forage consumed which improves animal performance.  In mob stocking, animals may be moved several times each day.

Use the highest stock density possible.  In true Mob Stocking, densities can exceed 1,000 head to the acre.

Use the largest herd consistent with good husbandry.  Using large herds makes it easier to achieve herd effect, which can break capped soils, knock down lignified forage and jump start successional processes.  Combining herds is usually the most practical way to increase herd size.  This has the added benefits of increasing stock density and the number of paddocks available per herd, which leads to shorter graze periods. 

Match the stocking rate to the carrying capacity.  This is as simple (and difficult) as matching the forage demand to the forage supply.

Mob Stocking is simply the very intense application of these principles with emphasis on #3, using very high stock densities and #2, moving animals frequently.  The results can be impressive, both positively and negatively.  Dramatic improvements in the ecosystem health and productivity have been documented when Mob Stocking is done well. But done carelessly (e.g. leaving animals in one spot too long, or stressing them during the frequent moves) can lead to poor animal performance, an ecological wreck and a financial disaster.

A lot of people are riding the Mob Stocking wave these days.  Several ranchers Ive met with recently have said they are using Mob stocking, but they dont even approach the intensity that one could reasonably call Mob Stocking. Whats that intensity?  Its a little like the Supreme Courts definition of pornographyI cant define it but I know it when I see it.

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