When pasture is at a relatively young stage of growth, it is a very nutritious feed, being superior to the common farm supplements such as hay, silage, and crops. If a herd is to milk well, or if the cows are to put on condition when dry, the inclusion of pasture in a ration is advantageous. Good farmers give much thought to the problem of how to achieve this. Paddocks are frequently “shut up” or “saved” to be used at a later date. Sometimes supplements are fed in the autumn when grass is still plentiful, and this provides a reserve for feeding later on when growth is poor in winter and early spring. To give effect to these ideas, some control of grazing is necessary, and this is achieved by the use of fencing. Fencing enables stock to be confined to certain areas of the farm and the grazing available to them is then restricted.

At times severe restrictions may become necessary to maintain a steady ration of grass and supplements over a prolonged period, and temporary fences are used to give added control. The single-wire, electrified-type of fence is popular as it is cheap to erect and easy to shift. Such temporary fences are also frequently used to ration fodder crops.