The Karlen Family Partnership ranch is managing a Hereford and Angus cross cow and calf herd on 482 acres using a management intensive grazing system.

Cattle graze generally from late May to mid October. The cows are being bred while in the rapid rotation. There have been no problems associated with breeding in the small paddocks.

The pasture is a good representation of Lyman county rangeland with claypan, shallow, and clayey ecological sites prevalent in the pasture. The primary plant species are western wheatgrass, sideoats grama, blue grama, sedges, and Kentucky bluegrass. Big and little bluestem are present in small areas of the shallow sites. Long-term monitoring will show changes in pasture quality under this system.

The herd is moved to a new paddock every three days. Polywire fence is used to create new paddocks. Water tanks are moved with the herd. Moving the heard takes one person about forty-five minutes each day.

Paddocks range in size from fourteen acres to one hundred four acres. Paddock size depends on the productivity and regrowth of the grass. During 2002, the average paddock size averaged 14 acres with an average of 1500 lbs of dry matter per acre.