Is your pasture ready to be grazed? Initial grass growth in the spring comes from energy reserves stored in the roots and crowns of the grass plant. The number of collared leaves that wrap all the way around the plant stem like a shirt collar indicates whether the plant is ready to be grazed. If grazing before pastures are ready is unavoidable, the negative impacts can be spread lightly across multiple pastures by only grazing each pasture for a few days before moving. However, impacts can be limited if the plant is not grazed repeatedly and sufficient recovery time is allowed before being grazed again.