Subdividing a holding can help organise grazing, set aside selected paddocks, protect regeneration areas and adjust occupation and recovery periods. In the dehesa, fencing is not merely a productive matter: it can also support scrub conservation and tree renewal.
A livestock holding is not a uniform area. Pasture availability, water access, slopes, tree density and vegetation condition can vary considerably from one part of the land to another.
When livestock have permanent access to the entire holding, they tend to concentrate in places offering the best forage, water, shade or shelter. Some areas may therefore be exposed to excessive pressure, while others remain underused.
The LIFE ScrubsNet document “Livestock and scrub management for dehesa regeneration” recommends subdividing the holding into a sufficient number of paddocks to control grazing more effectively, allow vegetation to recover and protect areas of particular importance for regeneration.
One holding, different needs
Not every paddock has to be managed for the same purpose. Some may be used primarily for livestock production, while others can be set aside for tree regeneration, seed production, haymaking or soil recovery.
Dividing the holding makes it easier to separate livestock species or groups and to graze intensively for a few days without maintaining continuous pressure on the vegetation.
It also allows several paddocks to remain in active growth while animals use other areas. The holding can therefore contain land at different stages of grazing and recovery.
Organising occupation and recovery
Subdividing a holding is not simply a matter of installing fences. The aim is to control how long livestock remain in each paddock and how much recovery time the vegetation receives afterwards.
Under a rational or rotational system, the occupation period should be short enough to prevent animals from repeatedly grazing new shoots. The paddock then remains livestock-free until plants have regrown and restored the reserves required for another grazing period.
Occupation and recovery times cannot be determined through an entirely fixed calendar. They must be adapted to pasture growth, rainfall, temperature and the actual condition of each paddock.
Setting paddocks aside for regeneration
One of the most valuable benefits of subdivision is the possibility of reserving selected paddocks for several years.
These areas can be used to restore scrub formations and encourage the natural regeneration of holm oaks, cork oaks and other woody species. Protection may be particularly valuable in rocky or steep areas where productive grassland is difficult to establish.
The length of the exclusion period will depend on the existing vegetation, the presence of seedlings, small shrubs or seeds, and the initial diversity of the scrub.
During this time, any grazing should involve low stocking rates, last only a few days and take place outside spring. Late summer and early autumn may be more suitable for occasional use, provided regeneration is not damaged.
Protecting patches without closing the whole paddock
It is not always necessary to exclude livestock from an entire paddock. Selected patches containing young trees or favourable regeneration conditions can be protected within a larger grazing area.
Fixed or electric fencing can exclude livestock from these patches while the remainder of the paddock continues to be used.
This makes production and conservation compatible. One part of the area can continue to provide forage, while another is temporarily protected to allow scrub and young trees to develop.
Reserved paddocks and protected patches can promote biodiversity islands and support the natural regeneration of both seedlings and shoots arising from stumps or roots.
Water shapes the design
Paddock design must reflect the actual characteristics of the holding. Herd size, forage supply, topography, the number of grazing days, available shelter and access to water are all essential considerations.
Each paddock should provide adequate forage and suitable conditions for animal welfare. In semi-arid grasslands, one of the most important design principles is ensuring that every paddock has access to water, either naturally or through fixed or portable troughs.
The position of water, feed and mineral points can also be adjusted to influence livestock preferences and distribute grazing pressure more evenly.
Flexible layouts before major investment
Permanent fencing can require significant investment, and a poorly designed layout may make future management more difficult.
The protocol therefore recommends beginning, where possible, with temporary divisions or mobile electric fencing. These solutions make it possible to observe how livestock move, how long each paddock takes to graze and whether water and shade are appropriately distributed.
The layout can then be corrected before permanent divisions are installed. Virtual fencing may also offer a way of defining grazing areas without constructing permanent physical barriers.
More than a way to increase production
Subdividing a holding can improve the regularity of pasture use, support a more even distribution of manure and reduce continuous pressure on the most palatable plants.
Its benefits can also extend beyond forage production. Subdivision can help:
- protect areas containing young trees;
- restore patches of scrub;
- conserve hedges and field boundaries;
- create islands of biodiversity;
- reserve riparian vegetation;
- temporarily reduce grazing in sensitive areas.
A fence therefore does more than determine where livestock may enter. It can also determine where vegetation is given the time and space needed to recover.
Dividing to improve management
The number, size and distribution of paddocks must be adapted to each holding. Creating many subdivisions without appropriate planning does not guarantee rational grazing or successful regeneration.
The key is to use subdivision to coordinate livestock presence with the vegetation’s capacity to recover.
The LIFE ScrubsNet message is clear: in the dehesa, dividing the land can also mean conserving it. Reserving a paddock, protecting a patch or allowing sufficient recovery time can help young trees and shrubs secure the future continuity of the system.
The LIFE ScrubsNet project is co-funded by the European Union through the LIFE programme, LIFE20 NAT/ES/000978.