Rangeland Grazing Strategies to Lower the Dependency on Imported Concentrates in Norwegian Sheep Meat Production

Muhammad Azher Bhatti,Geir Steinheim,Lars Olav Eik,Reinert Horneland,Tormod Ådnøy,David L Hopkins,Leif Jarle Asheim,Peter Wynn

doi:10.3390/su12135340

Abstract

Norway has vast rangeland resources (292,361 km2) with an estimated carrying capacity of nearly four million sheep and lambs, twice the current number. However, the intensive production system currently applied has led to more concentrate dependency, resulting in heavier animals in addition to poorer utilization of rangelands and homegrown feed. Intensive feeding systems indirectly influence the sustainability of ecosystems by promoting intensive cropping that can deplete soil fertility and threaten landscape preservation and biodiversity. By contrast, extensive grazing systems can produce environmentally and animal-friendly food products and contribute to regulating soil health, water and nutrient cycling, soil carbon sequestration, and recreational environments. In this paper, the economics of current sheep feeding practices in Norway, using a linear programming model, were compared with more extensive systems which allow for higher usage of on-farm feed resources. Changes in current sheep farming practices have the potential to increase lamb meat production relative to mutton production, in addition to improving the year-round supply of fresh meat. The investigated alternatives, using the Norwegian White Sheep (NWS) breed, suggest that delayed lambing is useful only on farms with abundant pastures available for autumn feeding. Lambs achieve a better market price than hoggets and mature sheep. Therefore, based on the current Norwegian meat market and price offered per kilogram of meat for lamb, an increase in NWS lamb production improves farm profits. On the other hand, when the aim is on greater use of homegrown feed and rangelands, this can be achieved through hogget production, and the quantity of concentrates required can be reduced substantially.

Highlights

Sheep farming is important for Norway with two million sheep and lambs producing ca. 25 thousand tonnes of meat, thereby ranking Norway as the largest Scandinavian sheep meat producer [1].Only 3.7% of the total area is arable land in Norway, and 30% of that is used for grains and vegetable production, while the rest of the area can only be used for grass production [2]
On the other hand, when the aim is on greater use of homegrown feed and rangelands, this can be achieved through hogget production, and the quantity of concentrates required can be reduced substantially
The potential gross margin (GM) of the current semi-intensive and intensive sheep feeding practices were compared with more extensive feeding practices using a linear programming (LP) model

Summary

Introduction

Sheep farming is important for Norway with two million sheep and lambs producing ca. 25 thousand tonnes of meat, thereby ranking Norway as the largest Scandinavian sheep meat producer [1].Only 3.7% of the total area is arable land in Norway, and 30% of that is used for grains and vegetable production, while the rest of the area can only be used for grass production [2]. Sheep farming is important for Norway with two million sheep and lambs producing ca. 25 thousand tonnes of meat, thereby ranking Norway as the largest Scandinavian sheep meat producer [1]. Sheep graze in the mountains in the summer season. Sheep farming based on non-cultivated rangeland grazing has the potential to double sheep production [3]. Sheep farming is a part-time activity for most Norwegian farmers that keep sheep, and their primary source of income is from off-farm activities. The sheep are fed indoors during the winter season (November to March) and during lambing in April, while farm pasture and rangeland grazing (common resource) are practiced in the summer months from June until September [3]

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Conclusion