Short-Duration Grazing in Retrospect—A Practitioner’s Experience

Abstract

“Short-duration grazing” (SDG) is a common- sense approach to rangeland management that has been implemented, criticized, lauded, altered, and renamed since it was exposed to world scrutiny over 40 years ago. We now call this South Af- rican/Rhodesian–originated method of matching herbivores to plants “holistic planned grazing” (HPG). It has become an economic, environmental, and social improvement to the way land owners and managers approach animal use of grazing lands. Here I offer my own account of its history and my per- sonal viewpoint as to its current and future utility for range managers faced with the task of contributing to world food production in the face of climate uncertainties.

DOI: 10.2458/azu_rangelands_v35i5_goodloe