Spatiotemporal Distribution of Cattle Dung Patches in a Subtropical Soybean-Beef System under Different Grazing Intensities in Winter

Francine D Da Silva,Fernando M Pfeifer,Pedro A De A Nunes,Ibanor Anghinoni,Christian Bredemeier,Lúcio P Amaral,Monica Cadenazzi,Paulo C De F Carvalho

doi:10.3390/agronomy10091423

Abstract

Cattle dung distribution in pastoral ecosystems is uneven and affects nutrient availability to plants. Thus, identifying its spatiotemporal patterns is crucial to understanding the mechanisms underlying the system functioning. We aimed to characterize the spatiotemporal distribution of dung patches in mixed black oat (Avena strigosa Schreb.) and Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) pastures grazed at different intensities (sward heights of 0.1, 0.2, 0.3 and 0.4 m) in the winter stocking period of an integrated soybean-beef system in southern Brazil. All dung patches were located and georeferenced every 20 days. Dung distribution was analyzed using Thiessen polygons and semivariogram analysis. The spatial pattern of dung deposition was virtually similar over time but created distinct patterns in paddocks managed at different grazing intensities. Dung patch density was greater close to attraction points, resting and socialization areas regardless of grazing intensity. Lighter grazing intensities presented stronger spatial patterns with increased dung density in those areas, but those patterns weakened with increasing grazing intensity. Dung patches covered 0.4%, 0.9%, 1.1% and 1.5% of the area in paddocks managed at 0.4, 0.3, 0.2 and 0.1 m sward heights, respectively. Geostatistics proved useful for identifying spatial patterns in integrated crop-livestock systems and will potentially support further investigations.

Highlights

Increasing agricultural yields following global food demand is a major challenge faced by the sector in the 21st century
Of the existence of an increasing trend in dung deposition toward the paddock managed with a sward height of 0.2 m, which probably resulted from a combination of stocking rate and greater individual dry matter (DM) intake in moderate grazing intensity
Geostatistics showed to be a useful tool for identifying the spatiotemporal patterns of cattle dung deposition in the stocking period of integrated crop-livestock systems (ICLS)

Summary

Introduction

Increasing agricultural yields following global food demand is a major challenge faced by the sector in the 21st century. Projections foresee 9.8 billion people in 2050, a 30% growth from the current world population [1]. Associated with greater individual wealth, population growth will increase the Agronomy 2020, 10, 1423; doi:10.3390/agronomy10091423 www.mdpi.com/journal/agronomy. Agricultural intensification propelled yields over the last decades [3] but the disconnection of crop and livestock production and the concentration of these activities in specialized farms impaired nutrient cycling, which is a fundamental feature of sustainable agricultural systems [4]. Integrated crop-livestock systems (ICLS) can promote sustainable intensification through diversifying revenue sources, which buffers market fluctuation risks [9] besides improving nutrient recycling and use efficiency [10]. ICLS are already present in many regions of the world, from ancient smallholding systems in Asia [13] to large-scale commercial operations in Brazil [7]

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