Short duration overnight cattle kraaling in natural rangelands: Implications for grass composition, quality, above ground biomass, species diversity and basal cover

•Study focused on a new rangeland management practice of short duration overnight cattle kraaling in natural rangelands.•The aim of this practice is to increase the proportion of palatable grasses, grass quality, biomass, basal cover and species diversity in natural rangelands.•The short duration overnight cattle kraaling was adapted from the traditional long term overnight corralling of cattle which was used to protect them from predation and stock theft.•This study was carried out in an open savanna ecosystem in central Zimbabwe.•Our findings show that short duration overnight cattle kraaling increased the proportion of palatable grass species and improved grass quality.