the experimental pasture was divided into 15 paddocks all approximately 0.052 ha . each paddock generally provided 3 d of grazing and was subdivided into strips by an electric fence, providing 25% of the area cut-and-carried to the four cows indoors and the remaining 75% of the area was grazed during the whole day by the four cows outdoors. the daily subdivision ensured that each cow was allowed a minimum of 35 kg fresh pasture of similar quality each day. natural shade and water were provided in a trough, which was moved to the of each new forage strip.