Is the 'second bite' really so bad?

One of the most common misconceptions among grazing managers is that allowing animals to graze grass regrowth is harmful, says Richard Fynn, professor of Rangeland Science at the Okavango Research Institute, University of Botswana.

- By Izak Hofmeyr

This approach suggests that animals should take only a single bite from each blade of grass before moving on. The belief is that a second bite will damage the grass and ultimately lead to veld degradation. Based on this view, animals should only return to a specific tuft after a long rest period.

Differences in grassland types

Speaking at the 2025 congress of the Grassland Society of Southern Africa, Prof Fynn said this perspective fails to account for differences in grassland types. “In arid regions, where grasses grow slowly and mature grasses retain much of their nutritional value, restricting animals from grazing regrowth has a limited impact on animal production. However, in mesic areas with annual rainfall exceeding 600mm, grasses grow more rapidly, and quality declines significantly as they mature. Forcing animals to feed only on long-rested, mature grass in these areas can harm production,” he explained.

Ultrahigh-density grazing
Linked to this misconception is the commonly held belief that ultrahigh-density (UHD) grazing – with very short grazing periods and extremely long rest periods – accurately mimics the natural behaviour of large wildlife herds. “In reality, herds move into areas with young, green grass, such as recently burnt patches, a few weeks after good rains. They graze the area down and move on, returning after several weeks when the grass has regrown to provide fresh, highly nutritious regrowth.”

Extensive evidence from studies (e.g. in the Serengeti and elsewhere in Southern Africa) shows that herds frequently return to the same area throughout the wet season. Research on buffalo in the Kruger National Park indicates that they revisit specific sites approximately every ten days. This differs from the holistic approach.