Extensive Livestock Production Research Articles

Perceptions and Responses of Diversified Farm Producers in the Northern Great Plains to the Early Stage of the COVID-19 Pandemic

The initial months of the COVID-19 pandemic revealed unique vulnerabilities of the global food system with notable societal consequences, calling for the need to implement resilience strategies to support food security for all. The objective of this study was to elicit perceptions, experiences, and responses of producers of diversified farms in the Northern Great Plains of the United States to the early stage of the COVID-19 pandemic toward identifying factors for strengthening the resilience of agricultural production for supporting livelihoods and food security. Between May and August 2020, a cross-sectional online survey was administered to the emerging community of diversified farm managers in two rural U.S. states, Montana and South Dakota (n= 53), where monocropping and extensive livestock production are prevalent. About two-thirds of surveyed producers (68%) reported that they did not change their farming practices in response to the pandemic up until the survey period in Summer 2020. Almost three-quarters of producers (73%) indicated that access to commodities, farm inputs, and farm labor was not a concern for them during the early stage of the pandemic. Most surveyed producers (88%) were not concerned about their household food security and expressed confidence regarding a long-term increase in the demand for local food. However, almost half of surveyed producers (47%) reported that their anxiety increased because of the pandemic. Findings further highlight that small farms implemented a greater number of practices for enhancing ecological self-regulation while depending strongly on off-farm income compared to larger farms that were economically more autonomous. This study points to the promise of farm system diversification in strengthening the resilience of agricultural systems. We conclude by outlining pathways for increasing diversity on farms toward supporting food security during extreme food system shocks.

Environmental Conditions and Grazing Exerted Effects on Arbuscular Mycorrhizal in Plants at Southern Patagonia Rangelands

Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi play a major role in maintaining ecosystem functions. AM fungi are found in most ecosystems including rangelands currently under increasing pressures from human activities. Southern Patagonia (Argentina) is a semiarid region influenced by extensive livestock production in rangelands. There is a lack of information about the environmental conditions and functionality of AM fungi in plant species of Patagonia ecosystems associated with livestock grazing. We assessed how soil properties, climatic conditions, and grazing intensities influence the response of AM fungi colonization. We studied most palatable and representative plant species (Poa dusenii, Rytidosperma virescens, Festuca gracillima, Nardophylum bryoides, Mulguraea tridens, and Carex argentina) growing in main ecological areas of Southern Patagonia. Most of the studied plant species (except C. argentina) presented AM symbiosis. AM colonization showed a negative relationship with soil organic carbon and nitrogen and a positive relationship with soil bulk density and pH. Results suggest that plants promoted a higher root AM colonization when soil nutrients and water availability (rainfall) are limiting. Sheep stocking rates had a differential impact depending on the ecological areas and plant life forms. High grazing decreased the AM colonization in the ecological areas with palatable plant dominance, suggesting that the impacts of grazing could lead to further negative effects on the ecosystem. Moderate grazing allows to maintain higher AM colonization, which would probably benefit the aboveground production of palatable plant and, consequently, to herbivores, particularly in degraded rangelands like Patagonian steppes. This study improves the knowledge of AM association in Patagonian semiarid rangelands by increasing our understanding of the impacts of grazing on belowground ecology. This information becomes relevant for grazing sustainable management, which may contribute to food security.

Conservation for Effective Management of AnGR in India

Livestock sector forms an important livelihood activity for most of the farmers, supporting agriculture in the form of critical inputs, contributing to the health and nutrition of the household, supplementing incomes, offering employment opportunities, and finally being a dependable “bank on hooves” in times of need. India has vast Animal Genetic Resources (AnGR), which play a vital role in improving the socio-economic conditions of rural masses. AnGR is also of significant social and cultural importance, supplementing family incomes and generating gainful employment in the rural sector, particularly among the landless, small, marginal farmers and women. Global demand for livestock products is expected to double by 2050, mainly due to improvement in the worldwide standard of living. Meanwhile, extensive livestock production systems are being fast replaced with intensive and industrial production system due to change in land use, higher demand of livestock product and more and more keepers shifting to high producing improved breeds. The loss of a breed means the loss of a livelihood strategy and loss of indigenous knowledge. It also emphasizes the need for the active involvement of indigenous communities and the role of local knowledge and institutions in conservation.

Behavioural Indicators of Intra- and Inter-Specific Competition: Sheep Co-Grazing with Guanaco in the Patagonian Steppe.

Simple SummaryIn extensive livestock ranching, where animals are maintained at high numbers, competition between individuals is expected, but not generally assumed. To compensate for reduced food availability, herbivores modify their feeding behaviour, which can be used as an indicator of competition. We investigated behavioural changes of domestic sheep in Chilean Patagonia in response to herd size, food availability, and the presence of a wild competitor, the guanaco, considered a problem for sheep production by ranchers. Large sheep herds were associated with a decrease in sheep grazing, while food availability increased time spent feeding. Guanaco had no effect on sheep behaviours. Behavioural changes were mostly associated with competition between individual sheep and not with guanaco. We suggest that to improve sheep production, ranchers should focus on sheep management at appropriate herd sizes according to grassland capacities.In extensive livestock production, high densities may inhibit regulation processes, maintaining high levels of intraspecific competition over time. During competition, individuals typically modify their behaviours, particularly feeding and bite rates, which can therefore be used as indicators of competition. Over eight consecutive seasons, we investigated if variation in herd density, food availability, and the presence of a potential competitor, the guanaco (Lama guanicoe), was related with behavioural changes in domestic sheep in Chilean Patagonia. Focal sampling, instantaneous scan sampling, measures of bite and movement rates were used to quantify behavioural changes in domestic sheep. We found that food availability increased time spent feeding, while herd density was associated with an increase in vigilant behaviour and a decrease in bite rate, but only when food availability was low. Guanaco presence appeared to have no impact on sheep behaviour. Our results suggest that the observed behavioural changes in domestic sheep are more likely due to intraspecific competition rather than interspecific competition. Consideration of intraspecific competition where guanaco and sheep co-graze on pastures could allow management strategies to focus on herd density, according to rangeland carrying capacity.

Perception and adaptation of pastoralists to climate variability and change in Morocco's arid rangelands

Since the late 1970s, extensive livestock production in the high plateaus of Eastern Morocco, particularly of small ruminants, has been seriously threatened by climate change (CC). Negative impacts include reduction in rangeland forage production and water availability, increased poverty and inequality, and increased degradation of rangelands. Different categories of pastoralists have adopted different combinations of adaptation strategies, but the factors influencing adoption have not to date been investigated. This paper aims to identify the perceptions of pastoralists on CC, to analyze the adaptive responses of different wealth categories, and to determine the factors affecting the adoption of adaptation measures. The Mann-Kendall, Pettitt and Buishand tests and the standardized precipitation index were used to analyze the climate data. Data on adaptation were examined using the chi-square homogeneity test, Kruskal-Wallis test and binary logistic regression.The observed climate trends perfectly corroborated pastoralists' perceptions of significant changes in their local climate since the 1970s: a considerable decrease in annual rainfall and an increase in temperature and frequency of droughts and high winds. There were significant differences (Chi square = 7.603, p = 0.022, df = 2) between small, medium and large pastoralists in the frequency adoption of adaptation strategies, especially between small and large pastoralists (U statistic = 16.000, p = 0.009). The distribution of most adaptation actions also differed significantly between these two groups. Wealthier pastoralists have adopted a greater range of strategies, while poorer pastoralists have less diverse adaptation portfolios, and are more likely to adopt less advantageous strategies such as casual labor. The adoption of adaptation practices was significantly influenced by equipment, educational level, household size, herd size, training received, CC perceptions and agroecological setting. Public interventions to improve the adaptive capacity of pastoralists in Morocco's arid rangelands should be geared towards addressing these determinants and should prioritise small-scale pastoralists.

Spatiotemporal Patterns of Pasture Quality Based on NDVI Time-Series in Mediterranean Montado Ecosystem

The evolution of dryland pasture quality is closely related to the seasonal and inter-annual variability characteristic of the Mediterranean climate. This variability introduces great unpredictability in the dynamic management of animal grazing. The aim of this study is to evaluate the potential of two complementary tools (satellite images, Sentinel-2 and proximal optical sensor, OptRx) for the calculation of the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), to monitor in a timely manner indicators of pasture quality (moisture content, crude protein, and neutral detergent fiber). In two consecutive years (2018/2019 and 2019/2020) these tools were evaluated in six fields representative of dryland pastures in the Alentejo region, in Portugal. The results show a significant correlation between pasture quality degradation index (PQDI) and NDVI measured by remote sensing (R2 = 0.82) and measured by proximal optical sensor (R2 = 0.83). These technological tools can potentially make an important contribution to decision making and to the management of livestock production. The complementarity of these two approaches makes it possible to overcome the limitations of satellite images that result (i) from the interference of clouds (which occurs frequently throughout the pasture vegetative cycle) and (ii) from the interference of tree canopy, an important layer of the Montado ecosystem. This work opens perspectives to explore new solutions in the field of Precision Agriculture technologies based on spectral reflectance to respond to the challenges of economic and environmental sustainability of extensive livestock production systems.

Voluntary intake, milk and colostrum production and lamb growth when ewes are fed high-NaCl diets during pre- and post-lambing

Nutritional requirements at the end of gestation in ewes carrying multiple fetuses are rarely fully met in pasture production systems. Thus, concentrate feeds entail an alternative for increasing herd productivity. However, daily offer of complementary feed in extensive livestock production systems is not always possible due to climatic or geographic constraints or to labor shortages. One alternative is to offer large amounts of concentrate feed with the addition of NaCl that limits voluntary consumption, eliminating the need for daily supplement delivery. Our objective was to evaluate the effect of high salt levels added to concentrate feed on pre- and post-lambing twin-gestating ewes and their responses on feed intake, colostrum and milk production and composition, plasma biochemical profile variation and lamb growth. Twenty-four adult Corriedale females were housed in individual stalls and divided into four treatments: S13: ad libitum concentrate feed plus 13 % of salt; C13: the same amount of concentrate feed consumed by S13 ewes the day before, but without salt; S17: ad libitum concentrate feed with 17 % of salt, and C17: the same amount of concentrate feed consumed by S17 ewes the day before, but without salt. Fresh water and forage were offered in ad libitum amounts. Treatments were applied in the period of highest ewe nutrient demand, from day 123 of pregnancy to day 21 of lactation. The four percentage points in salt content resulted in a decrease of organic matter daily intake of concentrate (23 % of reduction in pre-lambing and 35 % of reduction in post-lambing for S17 relative to S13; P = 0.0134 and P = 0.0164, respectively). Lamb birth weights were similar between S13 and C13 (P = 0.1002) and between S17 and C17 (P = 0.8449) treatments. Colostrum and milk production did not differ between S13 and C13 (P = 0.9776 and P = 0.8928, respectively) or between S17 and C17 groups (P = 0.4943 and P = 0.7705, respectively). Plasma insulin, hematocrit and total protein levels were not influenced by the treatments and these parameters remained within normal physiological limits. Thus, the addition of 13 or 17 % of salt to concentrate feed did not affect the reproductive capacity of ewes or offspring growth, showing that ewes are able to withstand high doses of NaCl and supporting the potential of salt as a limiter of voluntary intake in pre- and post-lambing diets.

Increases in extreme heat stress in domesticated livestock species during the twenty-first century.

Anthropogenic climate change is expected to have major impacts on domesticated livestock, including increased heat stress in animals in both intensive and extensive livestock systems. We estimate the changes in the number of extreme heat stress days per year for animals raised outdoors that can be expected in the major domesticated animal species (cattle, sheep, goats, poultry, and pigs) across the globe during this century. We used the temperature humidity index as a proxy for heat stress, calculated using temperature and relative humidity data collated from an ensemble of CMIP6 climate model output for mid and end century. We estimate changes in the proportions of different livestock species that may be at increased risk of extreme heat stress under two contrasting greenhouse gas emission scenarios. Results are discussed in relation to changes in the suitability of different climate conditions for domesticated livestock during the current century. We find that by end century, extreme heat stress risk is projected to increase for all livestock species in many parts of the tropics and some of the temperate zones, and to become climatically more widespread, compared to 2000. Although adaptation options exist for both intensive and extensive livestock production systems, the increasing pervasiveness of extreme heat stress risk in the future will seriously challenge the viability of outdoor livestock keeping, particularly in the lower latitudes in lower and middle‐income countries where the costs of adaptation may be challenging to address.

Tree diversity and composition in Mexican traditional smallholder cocoa agroforestry systems

The cultivation of cocoa is a commodity of great importance worldwide. In Mexico, cocoa is grown in Tabasco and Chiapas states in agroforestry systems since pre-Hispanic times, where cocoa is grown under the canopy of shade trees. Crops such as sugarcane and extensive livestock production have gradually reduced the area devoted to cocoa cultivation in the region. Yet, farmers keep small portions of the cocoa agroforestry systems to maintain the local floristic diversity. This practice seems to be a successful contribution to plant conservation. To determine the management practices used by farmers in the agroforestry cocoa systems and the diversity of products they harvest, a non-probabilistic sampling was carried out in 38 shade cocoa plots of 20 × 50 m each (19 in Tabasco and 19 in Chiapas). We counted and identified all trees with DBH ≥ 5 cm, recording their height. We estimated canopy cover at 20 points within each plot. Our results show no tree species richness differences between states, but there were differences at the municipality level; Pichucalco (Chiapas) had the highest tree species richness. Considering all tree species, there was a higher tree density in Tabasco than in Chiapas. Regarding only cocoa trees, there was also a higher abundance in Tabasco than in Chiapas. In both cases, farmers obtain a wide variety of products for self-consumption and local market sale from their cocoa agroforestry systems (e.g., timber, fruit, and grains). The wide floristic diversity in these agroecosystems aids native plant species conservation and could favor the increase of agroforestry plantations associated with cocoa cultivation.

Progress With Livestock Welfare in Extensive Production Systems: Lessons From Australia.

The extensive livestock production industries are vital to the national economy of Australia. Continuing improvements to extensively-raised livestock welfare is desirable, necessary and in some situations mandatory, if the social license for animal sourced food and fiber production is to continue sustainably. However, meeting increasingly high welfare standards is challenging. The changing climate in this millennium, has seen the occurrence of two of the most severe drought periods on record in Australia, resulting in complex welfare issues arising from unforeseen disease, trade and environmental catastrophes. The onset of the first drought coincided with an uncontrolled epidemic of ovine paratuberculosis. It ended just prior to a temporary ban on live export of tropical cattle to Indonesia that induced a major market failure and led to severe morbidity and mortality on some beef properties. The second drought period progressed in severity and culminated in the most extreme bushfires recorded, causing unprecedented levels of mortality, morbidity and suffering in farmed animals and wildlife. Temperature extremes have also caused periodic heat-associated or cold-induced hyopthermia losses, requiring increased vigilance and careful management to reduce both temperature-induced stress during transport and the high ovine peri-parturient losses traditionally observed in extensive sheep farming. Several issues remain controversial, including surgical mulesing of wool sheep to manage flystrike, and the continuing live export trade of sheep and cattle. However, in reviewing the increasingly complex welfare challenges for the extensive livestock population industries that are export trade dependent and remain vulnerable to welfare activism, it appears progress has been made. These include development of prescribed livestock welfare Standards and Guidelines and the introduction of the Exporter Supply Chain Assurance System (ESCAS) to address export concerns. Further, the sheep mulesing crisis led to improved producer welfare attitudes and practices, including pain management during aversive husbandry procedures that is now occurring globally. Finally, innovations in animal welfare surveillance and assessment, are additional encouraging signs that suggest improving change management of extensive farm animal welfare is occurring that provides lessons well-beyond Australian shores.

Grazing Into the Anthropocene or Back to the Future?

This essay examines three central components of extensive livestock production—herd composition, grazing/pasture management, and rangeland tenure. In all of these areas, fenced, and open-range forms of migratory pastoralism face a number of shared problems. Set aside the presumption that either one of these systems is technically or institutionally more advanced than the other, and it turns out that each has lessons for the other. 1. For a variety of reasons, including climate change, we can look forward to a future world with less grass, which presents a challenge for livestock producers reliant on grass feeding livestock. With little delay and minimal scientific support, East African pastoralists are already adjusting to a new woody world by diversifying the species composition of their herds to include more browsers—camels and goats. There is a potential lesson here for commercial ranchers who have traded the stability of mixed herds for the profitability of keeping sheep or cattle alone. 2. Migratory rangeland systems distribute livestock very differently than fenced, rotational systems of livestock, and pasture management. Whereas, migratory herds exploit environmental heterogeneity, fenced ranching attempts to suppress it. Emerging archaeological evidence is demonstrating that pastoralists have amplified rangeland heterogeneity for millennia; ecological research shows that this heterogeneity sustains both plant and wildlife biodiversity at the landscape scale; and new approaches to ranch management are appropriating aspects of migratory herding for use on fenced ranches. A rapprochement between the environmental sciences, ranching, and open-range migratory pastoralism has occurred and merits wider policy recognition. 3. In contemporary Africa, indigenous tenure regimes that sustain open rangelands are eroding under pressure from market penetration and state encapsulation. At the same time in the American West, there are emerging novel land tenure instruments that replicate some of the most important functional characteristics of tenure arrangements in pastoral Africa. After many false starts, it appears that some aspects of American ranching do provide an appropriate model for the preservation of the open-range migratory systems that they were once supposed to supplant. “Development” policy needs to reflect upon this inversion of roles and its implications for accommodating diversity.

Can Soil pH Correction Reduce the Animal Supplementation Needs in the Critical Autumn Period in Mediterranean Montado Ecosystem?

Extensive livestock production in Mediterranean climate conditions and acidic soils requires animal feed supplementation. This occurs during the summer and, frequently, also in the autumn and winter, depending on the prevailing rainfall patterns. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of dolomitic limestone application and of tree canopy on availability, quality, and floristic composition of a permanent pasture, grazed by sheep. At the end of autumn, winter, and spring of 2018/2019 and 2019/2020 pasture green and dry matter production (GM and DM, respectively), crude protein (CP), and fiber (neutral detergent fiber) were monitored in 24 sampling points. Half of these points were located in areas amended with dolomitic limestone (COR) and half in unamended areas (UCOR). In each of these, half of the sampling points were located under tree canopy (UTC) and half outside tree canopy (OTC). Pasture floristic composition was monitored in spring 2020. The results show, in autumn, a positive and significant effect (i) of soil pH amendment on pasture DM and CP daily growth rate (kg·ha−1·day−1) (+28.8% and +42.6%, respectively), and (ii) of tree canopy on pasture CP daily growth rate (+26.4%). Both factors affect pasture floristic composition. Pasture species were identified as potential bio-indicators, characteristic of each field area. These results show the practical interest of the soil pH correction to reduce the animal supplementation needs in the critical autumn period in the Mediterranean montado ecosystem.

Native Grasslands at the Core: A New Paradigm of Intensification for the Campos of Southern South America to Increase Economic and Environmental Sustainability

Extensive livestock production in southern South America occupies ~0.5 M km2in central-eastern Argentina, Uruguay and southern Brazil. These systems have been sustained for more than 300 years by year-long grazing of the highly biodiverse native Campos ecosystems that provides many valuable additional ecosystem services. However, their low productivity (~70 kg liveweight/ha per year), at least relative to values recorded in experiments and by best farmers, has been driving continued land use conversion towards agriculture and forestry. Therefore, there is a pressing need for usable, cost effective technological options based on scientific knowledge that increase profitability while supporting the conservation of native grasslands. In the early 2000s, existing knowledge was synthesized in a path of six sequential steps of increasing intensification. Even though higher productivity underlined that path, it was recognized that trade-offs would occur, with increases in productivity being concomitant to reductions in diversity, resilience to droughts, and a higher exposure to financial risks. Here, we put forward a proposal to shift the current paradigm away from a linear sequence and toward a flexible dashboard of intensification options to be implemented in defined modules within a farm whose aims are (i) to maintain native grasslands as the main feed source, and (ii) ameliorate its two major productive drawbacks: marked seasonality and relatively rapid loss of low nutritive value-hence the title “native grasslands at the core.” At its center, the proposal highlights a key role for optimal grazing management of native grasslands to increase productivity and resilience while maintaining low system wide costs and financial risk, but acknowledges that achieving the required spatio-temporal control of grazing intensity requires using (a portfolio of) complementary, synergistic intensification options. We sum up experimental evidence and case studies supporting the hypothesis that integrating intensification options increases both profitability and environmental sustainability of livestock production in Campos ecosystems.

A Review Regarding the Use of Molasses in Animal Nutrition.

In the past fifty years, agriculture, and particularly livestock production, has become more resource-intensive, with negative implications regarding world environmental status. Currently, the circular economy 3R principles (to reduce, reuse and recycle materials) can offer many opportunities for the agri-food industry to become more resource-efficient. The closed-loop agri-food supply chain has the great potential of reducing environmental and economic costs, which result from food waste disposal. To meet these principles, the use of crop byproducts, such as molasses, in animal nutrition improves the nutritive value of coarse and poorly desired feedstuff, which could present a real opportunity. The aims of this study were to summarize the possible applications of molasses for animal nutrition, to improve hay and silage quality for beef and dairy cattle, to enhance industrial byproduct values using liquid feed in swine production, and to improve extensive livestock production with feed blocks. The study focused on both feed characteristics, based on molasses, and on ruminal fermentation of its carbohydrates; the techniques of the production, conservation and administration of molasses to animals have been widely described as being capable of positively influencing animal performance, milk and meat quality.

The nutritive value of different Mediterranean browse species used as animal feeds under oak silvopastoral systems in Northern Portugal

Oak woodlands (OW) have historically been important in the Mediterranean region since they provide an important amount of goods and services, such as fodder and shelter for extensive livestock production systems. However, OW lost relevance as a fodder supplier due to the specialization and intensification of livestock production. Nowadays, with the challenges emerging from climate change and other environmental concerns, OW are regaining interest as silvopastoral systems. The aim of this study was to evaluate the seasonal variation of the chemical composition and the in vitro organic matter digestibility (IVOMD) of key browse species in grazed OW in the north of Portugal. Additionally, the feeding value was compared with the requirements of goats’ maintenance and late pregnancy. The browse species evaluated were Quercus suber, Q. rotundifolia, Q. faginea, Juniperus oxycedrus, Cytisus scoparius, C. multiflorus, Genista falcata, Cistus ladanifer, and Lavandula stoechas. The data were analysed by a two way analysis of variance focusing on species and season and their interaction. The results obtained varied significantly among the species studied regarding the crude protein content (CP) (41.6–195.9 g kg−1 dry matter (DM)), fibres (neutral detergent fibre (NDF): 316.7–632.5 g kg−1 DM; acid detergent fibre (ADF): 246.0–468.0 g kg−1DM; acid detergent lignin (ADL): 90–210.5 g kg−1 DM), IVOMD (33.02–71.34%), and metabolizable energy (ME) (5.78–11.42 MJ kg−1 DM). Both C. ladanifer and Q. rotundifolia have inadequate ME and CP levels to meet the nutritional needs of goats with 45 kg of live weight. Only leguminous shrubs cover CP needs in late pregnancy.

Determinants of Agro-pastoral Households' Livelihood Diversification Strategies in Awbare District, Fafan Zone of Somali State, Ethiopia

Pastoralism and agro-pastoralism with extensive livestock production are the dominant livelihood sources for the Somali regional State's population. However, recent decades marked with climatic shocks such as recurrent drought have negatively impacted livestock production and forced many pastorals and agro-pastoral households to face livelihood crises. To cope with this situation, seeking alternative livelihood sources become inevitable. The objective of this study was to assess the determinants of agro-pastoral household's livelihood diversification strategies in Awbare district, Fafan zone of the Somali State, Ethiopia. A multi-stage sampling technique was used to capture the necessary data, and 153 respondents were randomly selected from the agro-pastoral population using a semi-structured questionnaire, focus group discussion, and key informant interview. Descriptive and inferential statistics such as ANOVA and chi-square and Multinomial logistic model were used to identify determinants factors. The study has revealed that 45.1% of the surveyed agro-pastoral households were engaging livelihood diversification of non-farm, off-farm, and farm+non-farm+off-farm whereas the rest of 54.90% of the respondents were unable to diversify and were practicing only farm activities. The multinomial regression model has identified that the educational status, farm size, use of agricultural farm input, and total annual income of the households were positively associated with the likelihood of engaging livelihood diversification strategies. In contrast, the age, dependent ratio, and access for credit use were negatively associated with the likelihood of livelihood diversification. In conclusion, livelihood diversification among Awbare agro-pastoralists was low due to underlying factors like education and income, and enchasing these factors could improve their livelihood asset. The study suggests that the future policy toward pastoral and agro-pastoralist should consider these factors.

IMPACTS OF LAND USE ON THE CHEMICAL ATTRIBUTES OF THE RIPARIAN SOIL OF A TROPICAL SEMI-ARID REGION

Studies on soil quality and soil potential to be a source of pollutants in aquatic ecosystems are fundamental for monitoring the environmental quality of catchment areas. Here, we studied the impact on soil quality caused by land-use changes in northeastern Brazil's riparian soil. A total of 28 riparian soil composite samples were collected from areas with different land use (native vegetation; agriculture, including family farms, fodder production, and horticulture; and exposed soil with family-owned livestock operations) and evaluated for potential acidity, pH, cation exchangeable capacity, organic matter, and phosphorus available for plants. Family farming and horticulture had less impact on soil quality and, consequently, a low potential to compromise water quality when conducted around aquatic ecosystems. However, forage grass use and extensive livestock production caused changes in soil chemical attributes that could reduce the soil quality and the water quality in nearby aquatic systems. Livestock production has a greater potential to contribute to nutrient diffusion into water bodies. The cultivation of forage grasses can also contribute to the increased alkalinity of soil and water. The minor impacts on soil chemical characteristics by the family farm management led to a statistical grouping of horticulture and family agriculture sites as native vegetation. This result highlights the crucial role of reducing soil mobilization to preserve ecosystem functions in riparian areas.

Not gone but forgotten: Tritrichomonas foetus in extensively-managed bulls from Australia’s Northern Territory

Bovine trichomonosis, caused by infection with the protozoan parasite Tritrichomonas foetus, is globally recognised as a cause of reproductive failure in cattle. Maintained in clinically normal bulls, T. foetus infection results in infertility and abortion in infected cows. In Australia’s Northern Territory (NT), logistical limitations associated with extensive livestock production inhibit wide-scale testing and diagnosis, allowing the parasite to persist undetected. In the present study, T. foetus was detected in 18/109 preputial cultures collected from bulls on a property in the NT with a history of low birth rates and reproductive failure using real-time PCR testing. Of the T. foetus-positive samples, 13/18 were genotyped using the internal transcribed spacer regions (ITS1 and ITS2) and the 5.8S rDNA unit. Selected samples were further characterised using the protein-coding genes of cysteine proteases (CP-1, 2, 4–9) and cytosolic malate dehydrogenase 1 (MDH-1) to determine if the isolates were ‘bovineʼ, ‘felineʼ or ‘Southern Africaʼ genotypes. All samples were 100% identical to the T. foetus ‘bovine’ genotype across all markers. This is the first reported case of trichomonosis in Australian cattle since 1988 and is a reminder that T. foetus should be considered whenever reproductive failure occurs in extensive cattle systems.

Achieving drought resilience in the grazing lands of northern Australia: preparing, responding and recovering

Northern Australia is characterised by high rainfall variability and extended droughts that challenge sustainable and profitable management of grazing properties. To achieve drought resilience, emphasis must be placed on supporting livestock managers to prepare for drought as well as implementing appropriate drought response and recovery actions. Here we describe insights and learnings gained from working with scientists, industry development and extension officers, and property managers, to enable more profitable and drought resilient extensive livestock production systems across northern Australia. We provide examples from the modelling and analysis of hypothetical grazing properties representative of enterprises across northern Australia. To prepare for drought, we principally propose the application of the farm-management economics framework to identify investment strategies which can improve enterprise resilience through building wealth over the longer term. The critical first step in drought preparedness for beef businesses was the implementation of management strategies to achieve the optimal herd structure, steer sale age, and breeder body condition. Other key strategies to improve profitability across northern Australia were (1) addressing a phosphorus deficiency for cattle through effective supplementation and (2) establishing adapted perennial legume-grass pastures to improve steer nutrition. In addition, we identify the benefits of working closely with livestock managers and industry to gain adoption of proven technologies that effectively improve decision-making capacity and the drought preparedness of extensive livestock production systems. The usefulness of the farm-management economics approach to assess the relative value of alternative tactical destocking and restocking decisions during drought response and recovery is also discussed. These latter analyses can highlight important differences between options in terms of future profit and cash flow, as well as the ability to rapidly return the property to the most profitable herd structure and age of turnoff, with consideration of production and financial risk. Additionally, integrating pasture growth models with herd or flock economic models can provide insights into the effects, on profitability and sustainability, of alternative destocking and later restocking strategies over the longer term. Combined, the farm-management economics framework approach can support more informed decision-making by livestock producers and hence enable more profitable and drought resilient extensive livestock production systems. However, achieving drought resilience in the grazing lands of northern Australia will require emphasis on drought preparation, in addition to appropriate action in response and recovery phases of drought. Key to this approach is increasing the adoption of strategies that enhance drought preparedness.

An online system for calculating and delivering long-term carrying capacity information for Queensland grazing properties. Part 1: background and development

This paper (Part 1) describes the development of a new online system that estimates long-term carrying capacity (LTCC) for grazing properties across Queensland, Australia. High year-to-year and multi-year rainfall variability is a dominating feature of the climate of Queensland’s grazing lands, and poses major challenges for extensive livestock production. The use of LTCC is one approach used by graziers to reduce the impact of rainfall variability on land condition and financial performance. Over the past 30 years, scientists, graziers and their advisors have developed a simple approach to calculating LTCC ((average annual pasture growth × safe pasture utilisation) ÷ annual animal intake). This approach has been successful at a property scale (regional south-west Queensland) and in a wider application through Grazing Land Management (GLM) regional workshops. We have built on these experiences to develop an online system (as described in detail in Part 2; Zhang et al. 2021; this issue) that incorporates the simple LTCC approach with advances in technology and grazing science to provide LTCC information for Queensland grazing properties. Features of the LTCC system are: (1) assimilation of spatial datasets (cadastral data, grazing land types, climate data, remotely-sensed woody vegetation cover); (2) a pasture growth simulation model; (3) land type parameter sets of biophysical attributes; and (4) estimates of safe pasture utilisation. The ‘FORAGE LTCC report’ is a major product of the system, describing individual property information that allows detailed analysis and explanation of the components of the LTCC calculation by land type and land condition. The online system rapidly analyses property spatial data and calculates paddock/property LTCC information. For the 10 months between November 2020 and August 2021, over 4000 grazing property reports have been requested in Queensland, and has proven to be a sound basis for ‘discussion support’ with grazier managers and their advisors.