Rotational Grazing Research Articles

Examining Participation in and Supply of Private Land for Voluntary Conservation in Australia’s Tropical Savannas: A Discrete-Continuous Choice Experiment

Australia’s tropical savannas are a vast landscape of grasslands with high biodiversity value. Effective biodiversity conservation in this landscape requires private contributions to complement the under-sized formal conservation estate. The landscape is dominated by rangelands, in particular extensive cattle grazing on pastoral stations which typically measure hundreds or thousands of square kilometers. The paper reports the results of a discrete–continuous (or “two-stage”) choice experiment conducted with savanna pastoralists. A discrete choice experiment explored the stated willingness to participate in two long-term conservation strategies: (i) total exclusion of cattle from designated parcels of land with management of that land for biodiversity, and (ii) the implementation of rotational grazing systems governed by the requirements of biodiversity, among other contractual attributes. An extension question asked about the area that respondents were willing to supply and a contract they were willing to accept. Double-hurdle (type II tobit) modelling was used for combined data analysis. The results show that potential participation in voluntary conservation contracts by pastoralists is primarily influenced by contract attributes, namely, the conservation action required, the stewardship payment received, contract length and whether the contract contains flexibility provisions. Land productivity is also significant. The level of stewardship payment required to incentivize participation in the conservation of grasslands is in line with opportunity costs, in particular option value. The amount of land that pastoralists are willing to supply is determined by the conservation payment as well as farm size and intrinsic motivation. This research illustrates strategies for integrating biodiversity conservation into cattle grazing operations in Australia’s tropical savannas, which are applicable to grasslands globally. It provides data of an economic nature to inform the development of multi-tenure biodiversity conservation strategies.

Compressibility of a Cambisol Submitted to Periods of Rotational Grazing and Strategies to Avoid Additional Soil Compaction

Soil compaction is one of the main causes of soil degradation, and some parameters have been used to characterize it, like those related to compressibility and the degree of compactness. To evaluate the rotational grazing time during winter and the presence and absence of grazing, on the compressibility and degree of compactness of a Cambisol, an experiment was installed and consisted of corn planting for silage, a fallow and pasture planting period, with two treatments evaluating the amount of rotational grazing (two and three times in a period of, respectively, 2 and 3 months), subdivided into the presence and absence of dairy cattle grazing. The mean bulk density value of 1.47 Mg/m3 separates the occurrence (plastic deformation) or not (elastic deformation) of additional soil compaction, while the traffic of machinery and animal trampling should occur with soil moisture lower than 0.23 kg/kg, when the soil has a larger load-bearing capacity. For the conservation of soil structure, our study recommends the permanence of cattle in the plots for 30 to 40 min/day and an exit when the pasture height is 0.07 to 0.10 m, with two or three grazing in a period of, respectively, 2 and 3 months.

Rotational grazing and mixed species farming.

Veterinary RecordVolume 192, Issue 12 p. 487-487 Anthelmintic Resistance Rotational grazing and mixed species farming Michael W Fox, Corresponding Author Michael W Fox practitioner [email protected] Golden Valley, Minnesota, USASearch for more papers by this author Michael W Fox, Corresponding Author Michael W Fox practitioner [email protected] Golden Valley, Minnesota, USASearch for more papers by this author First published: 16 June 2023 https://doi.org/10.1002/vetr.3196Read the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL No abstract is available for this article. References 1Crilly JP. Guide to advances in the control of gastrointestinal roundworms in sheep. In Pract 2023; 45: 211– 21 2 PennState Extension. Prevent parasites through grazing management. 2023. https://bit.ly/43N4yhy (accessed 8 June 2023) 3Fox MW. To farm without harm and choosing a humane diet: the bioethics of sustainable agriculture. In MW Fox. Bringing Life to Ethics: Global Bioethics for a Humane Society. State University of New York Press, 2001: 75– 94 Volume192, Issue1217 June–1 July 2023Pages 487-487 ReferencesRelatedInformation

Intensive rotational grazing in pastures reduces the early establishment of an invasive tree species

Intensive rotational grazing in pastures reduces the early establishment of an invasive tree species

Assessment of the current performance of grazing infrastructure across Irish dairy farms

The increased average Irish dairy herd size in a post-quota environment has put heightened pressure on grazing infrastructure. In a rotational grazing system, grazing infrastructure consists of the paddock system, which delineates the grazing areas into appropriately sized grazing parcels, and the roadway network, which connects these paddocks to the milking parlor. Where herd size has increased without corresponding adaptations to the infrastructure, farm management and roadway network performance has been affected. The links between suboptimal grazing infrastructure and roadway network efficiency are poorly understood and not widely documented. The aims of this study were to (1) analyze the effect of herd expansion and paddock size on pasture allocations per paddock, (2) identify the factors that affect the total distance walked per year, and (3) create a metric to compare the efficiency of roadway networks across farms of varying grazing platforms. A sample population of 135 Irish dairy farms with a median herd size of 150 cows was used for this analysis. Herds were split into the following 5 categories: <100 cows, 100 to 149 cows, 150 to 199 cows, 200 to 249 cows, and ≥250 cows. Herds with ≥250 cows had a greater number of paddocks per farm and rotated around the grazing paddocks more frequently, with 46% of paddocks only suitable for 12 h allocations relative to herd size, compared with just 10% to 27% of paddocks for herds with <100 cows to herds with 200-249 cows. When predicting the total distance walked per year on each study farm, the mean distance from a paddock to the milking parlor was the strongest indicator (R2 = 0.8247). Other metrics, such as herd size, have failed to account for the location of the milking parlor relative to the grazing platform. The creation of the relative mean distance from a paddock to milking parlor (RMDMP) metric allowed the calculation of a farm's roadway network efficiency for moving the herd between paddocks and the milking parlor. The analyzed farms increased their efficiency in terms of RMDMP (0.34-40.74%) as they increased herd size post quota. However, the position of new additional paddocks relative to the milking parlor substantially affected their RMDMP.

Assessing the effect of rotational grazing adoption in Iberian silvopastoral systems with Normalized Difference Vegetation Index time series

Adaptive Multi-Paddock (AMP) is a grazing system which combines intensive, rapid grazing livestock rotation with relatively short grazing periods and long recovery time after grazing. The study assesses, under Mediterranean silvopastoral systems, changes in pasture phenology and spatial variability after adopting the AMP under contrasting land cover (Wooded Grassland vs Grassland ) with a remote sensing approach based on the time-series analysis of Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) from remote sensing through Landsat satellite. The study revealed an overall positive effect of rotational grazing on pasture phenology and NDVI spatial variability. The AMP adoption resulted in higher estimated values of NDVI at the beginning (under grassland land cover), the end, and the peak of the growing season, while no differences were observed in parameters estimating the length of the growing season. The spatial variability of NDVI was always lower under AMP than in continuously grazed areas, except in the early stages of the growing season under grassland land cover. The results suggested that in a relatively short period (4-5 years), the AMP grazing system can represent a strategy to improve forage availability and exploitation by grazing animals under low stocking rates in extensively managed Mediterranean silvopastoral systems.

GROWTH CURVE OF A TROPICAL MIXED-GRASS PASTURE IN A HOT AND HUMID CLIMATE

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Background. &lt;/strong&gt;Pasture growth rate (PGR, kg/ha/day) depends on climatic and management practices. However, studies on the influence of the environment on pasture production and productivity of dry matter are scarce in tropical, hot, and humid regions of México. &lt;strong&gt;Objective.&lt;/strong&gt; To estimate the pasture growth curve using time and climatic variables. &lt;strong&gt;Methodology.&lt;/strong&gt; We related, through nonlinear models, the accumulated growth of a pasture composed of native grasses mixed with exotic grasses, using time and the variables temperature and day length as independent variables, the latter integrated into a single variable called thermal photo units (PTU). We estimated the daily growth rates of five divisions; from these, the forage yields for ten days until completing 29 periods. The best-fit models had the largest coefficients of determination and the lowest Akaike’s information criterion. &lt;strong&gt;Results.&lt;/strong&gt; The model that best described the relationship between cumulative yield (Y) and cumulative growing days (X) was reciprocal-quadratic: y = x/(0.097535 – 0.0000881x + 0.0000006810x&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt;) with R&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;sub&gt;Adj,&lt;/sub&gt; of 0.9988 and an AIC&lt;sub&gt;C&lt;/sub&gt; of 222.6. The model that best described the relationship between the accumulated performance and the accumulated PTU was rational: y = (- 317.8 + 1.594x + 0.00001307x&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt;)/(1 + 0.001059x + 0.00000001964x&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt;), with R&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;sub&gt;Adjt&lt;/sub&gt;.=0.9985 and AIC&lt;sub&gt;C&lt;/sub&gt;=233.4. Likewise, a two-segment model showed a close fit. The logarithmic model described the first segment: y&lt;sub&gt;1&lt;/sub&gt; = -2268 + 417.2*(ln(x)), when y&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; =1079.3e&lt;sup&gt;0.00003932X&lt;/sup&gt;, if x &amp;gt; 8415; with R&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;sub&gt;Adj.&lt;/sub&gt; = 0.9975 and AICc = 245.1. The value 8415 PTU was when the first derivative of both models coincided. &lt;strong&gt;Implications.&lt;/strong&gt; The information generated is useful because it allows grazing system adjustment concerning the correct stocking rate application and designing more efficient grazing rotations. &lt;strong&gt;Conclusions. &lt;/strong&gt;The conversion of growth rates to accumulated yield for ten-day periods produced a smooth curve that allowed fitting high-precision nonlinear models to predict forage accumulation from time and climatic variables.&lt;/p&gt;

Long-Term Grazing Exclusion Increases Ecosystem Carbon Stock but Decreases Nitrogen Stock in the Karst Alpine Grassland of China

Grazing management practices are a major factor regulating nutrient cycling and plant growth in grasslands. However, the response of long-term grazing regimes to ecosystem carbon and nitrogen accumulation and plant productivity remains uncertain in karst landscapes. The purpose of this research is to assess the effects of long-term management measures on plant biomass and ecosystem organic carbon (EOCS), total nitrogen (ETNS), and phosphorus (ETPS) stocks in a karst alpine grassland. A 17 year-long field experiment, constituting the methods of grazing exclusion (GE), continuous grazing (CG), mowing and grazing (MG), and rotational grazing (RG) was established in 2001. Plant and soil samples were collected in 2017. Grazing treatments significantly reduced the aboveground and root biomass (MG and RG) compared to GE. SOC of GE was higher than that of CG, MG, and RG in each soil layer. Grazing promoted the mean TN content with a significant increase in CG and RG. GE significantly increased the EOCS and decreased the ETNS and ETPS. The EOCS increased by 22.29% (MG) and 16.31% (RG) and ETNS increased by 7.76% (RG), and MG significantly decreased ETNS compared to CG. EOCS were positively related to SOC, stoichiometry, and aboveground biomass, while being negatively correlated with TP; ETNS were positively related to TN and TP, while being negatively correlated with C/N, C/P, aboveground biomass, and root biomass; ETPS were positively correlated with TN and TP and negatively correlated with NH4+-N and stoichiometry. GE can provide significant improvements in plant recovery and ecosystem carbon stock, whereas RG is beneficial for promoting ecosystem nutrient stock under the condition of pasturing utilisation in the karst grasslands.

Outcomes of a comparison between pastoral and silvopastoral management on beef cattle productivity, animal welfare and pasture depletion in a Mediterranean extensive farm

In spring 2021, 50 growing steers and heifers of the Maremmana breed (average age 321 d and weight 287 kg) were rotationally stocked under two different treatments (silvopastoral and pastoral). The aim was to evaluate the influence of grazing system on cattle growth and welfare, and pasture depletion. The experiment was carried out on a real Mediterranean agrosilvopastoral farm, located in central Italy. To implement rotational grazing, 3.69 ha of temporary grassland were split into six paddocks, three for each treatment. Cattle grazed for one week in one paddock and then were moved to the next one for a total of six weeks corresponding to six grazing periods. The group maintained on the silvopastoral system were allowed to access 3.31 ha of a Turkey oak (Quercus cerris L.) forest. Regarding the average daily gain, a significant interaction was found between the treatment and time. The average daily gain of the animals grazing in the open pasture was 1.20 kg d−1, while that of the cattle grazing in the silvopastoral system was 1.02 kg d−1. Despite the rate of growth being within the expected range for the Maremmana breed, the average daily gain of cattle in the silvopastoral system was significantly lower. One of the possible causes of this difference could be the higher energy requirements of the animals due to the different activity levels. The different management did not affect animal welfare indicators. Indeed, the serum cortisol concentration did not vary between treatments and among sampling times, while the hair cortisol concentration decreased significantly during the experiment for both groups. Regarding pasture health, allowing cattle to graze in the forest reduced pasture depletion because of the lower stocking rate and grazing pressure. Further studies are necessary to increase the knowledge of the role of forests and grazing management in other seasons than spring in extensive agrosilvopastoral systems.

11 Impact of a Cache Valley Fever Outbreak on Lambing Performance in a Landrace Hair Sheep Flock: A Case Study

Abstract Cache Valley Fever (CVF) is a mosquito-born, viral disease endemic to North America. While generally not associated with clinical symptoms in ewes, it affects fetal development during the first trimester of pregnancy resulting in malformations and pregnancy loss. A suspected outbreak of CVF was recorded in a flock of Barbados Blackbelly and St. Croix hair sheep managed under an 8-mo, accelerated mating system with ewes bred in March, July and November. The outbreak was associated with a July breeding, in a summer with unusually high rainfall and standing water in pastures. There had been no previous occurrence of CVF or other abortion storms in the flock (20+ years). Lambing outcome associated with the suspected outbreak of CVF was compared with that of the three prior July matings (CON). Ewes (n = 32-35) were managed in a pasture-based system under rotational grazing. Ewes were mated in two single sire groups of 16 to 18 ewes to like-breed sires each breeding season. Pregnancy was determined by transrectal ultrasound at end and 21 d after the 25-day breeding season. Ewes lambed on pasture, and lambs were tagged, and birth weights recorded within 24 hours. Blood samples were collected from all ewes following the CVF lambing and submitted for CVF antibody testing. All ewes showed CVF antibody titers. Pregnancy rate for the CVF lambing was not different from CON (85.7 vs. 89.8%; P = 0.512), whereas lambing rate was less in CVF for both ewes exposed (74.3 vs. 88.8%; P = 0.039) and ewes lambing (86.7 vs. 98.9%; P = 0.004). Incidence of stillborn and neonatal death of lambs was greater in CVF than CON (37.0 vs.5.6%; P = 0.002), as was the number of malformed lambs (13.0 vs. 0%; P &amp;lt; 0.001). Malformed lambs were associated with breech presentations. Litter size was not different in the CVF lambing (1.77 vs 1.86; P = 0.471), but lamb birth weight tended to be less (2.80 vs. 3.04 kg; P = 0.055) while ewe postpartum weight was not different (45.3 vs. 47.0 kg; P = 0.384). The outbreak of CVF reduced the lambing rate and increased the incidence of neonatal death and malformations. The outbreak occurred during a summer with unusually high rainfall and may be associated with changing weather patterns linked to climate change. Delaying summer breeding may be considered a mitigation strategy if feasible.

109 Invited Talk: Grazing Management and Stocking Strategy Decisions for Pasture-Beef Systems: Experimental Confirmation vs Testimonials and Perceptions

Abstract The primary objectives of forage-based livestock grazing systems are to enhance sustainability of pastures and cattle production, and to maintain economic stability in the presence of changes in input costs and returns. Grazing management strategies and implementation vary for adapted forages according to vegetational-hardiness zones, livestock production objectives, and manager preferences for grazing systems, stocking rates, and stocking methods. Stocking methods are strategies or techniques to manipulate grazing animals in space and time and may be considered as variations of continuous or rotational stocking. In many stocking method discussions, the debates are often focused on experimental confirmational data vs testimonials and perceptions. Acceptable methodology and statistical analyses of grazing experimentation on continuous vs rotational stocking provides repeated measures of forage nutritive value, forage mass, grazing intensity, and stocking rate on gain per animal, gain per unit land area. Additional measurements may include effects on forage stand maintenance and soil nutrient analyses-status. Recent adaptations of mob stocking and intensive rotational grazing via popular press and consultants have received acclaims for methods to enhance ecosystem services, soil health, and other non-experimentally documented attributes. Managers may adopt these testimonials of stocking methods of 60 days or more deferment based on their perception of protecting and enhancing the environment rather than logic of seeking experimental evidence. However, when given a choice of forage available for consumption, cattle select more than 80% of their diet as leaves. Thus, with respect to average daily gain per animal (ADG), only a small percentage of pasture studies have shown an advantage for rotational stocking. The lack of ADG was attributed to reduced nutritive value of forage available for selection during the residence time. Selecting management and stocking strategies for optimum utilization for forage produced, individual animal performance, and overall gain per unit land area has led to flexible grazing systems. These grazing systems may not be “hardcore rotationally, time-scheduled stocked,” but they do involve multiple pastures with strategies to incorporate movement of cattle based on current paddock forage status and forage mass estimates for desired animal performance. Grazing management strategies control the degree of intensity of beef cattle production based on level of economic risk and desired-expected environmental stewardship goals. Of all the strategies that management may adopt for grazing, the primary factor that controls resultant sustainability of pastures is that of grazing intensity as measured by stocking rate or forage height-density. Implementing revised or new management strategies requires attention to detail and the use of data-results-recommendations from comparative experiments conducted by a recognized source without conflict of interest in the method promoted.

Parasite control in regenerative livestock farming

Advocates of regenerative livestock farming claim a multitude of benefits following adoption of practices based on high intensity, short duration, long rest rotational grazing, amongst which is a reduction in parasitism and the use of anthelmintics. There are limited scientific data to support such claims and much of what little evidence there is emanates from North America and South Africa, so it would be useful if the observations and experiences of UK adoptees could be backed up with some well-controlled field studies. In their absence, considerations of some aspects of known parasite biology, such as the larval ecology of parasitic nematodes, can shed light on likely outcomes of various types of pasture, grazing and animal management. Minimising the use of anthelmintics in regenerative systems requires effective monitoring to ensure that animal performance and health do not suffer as a result of parasitism; for youngstock, growth rate is the most reliable marker for subclinical parasitic gastroenteritis. Consideration should also be given to other parasites that can affect grazing livestock, such as lungworm, fluke, ticks and flies, in order to determine the influence of regenerative management on the parasite fauna and their collective impact on sheep and cattle.

Forage intake and nitrogen metabolism of beef cattle grazing palisadegrass‐calopo mixed pasture managed using canopy light interception

AbstractTo define the best grazing management strategy, it is important to assess animals' responses to variations in the structure and composition of tropical forages. This 2‐year study evaluated animal response to Marandu palisadegrass (Urochloa brizantha)‐calopo (Calopogonium mucunoides) mixed pastures managed under rotational grazing. Treatments consisted of three defoliation frequencies defined by rest periods interrupted at 90% (90LI), 95% (95LI) and 100% (100LI) of photosynthetically active radiation interception (LI). The stubble post‐grazing height target was 15 cm. Statistical difference was declared at p &lt; .10. The 100LI had lowest crude protein (CP) and in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDDM) for the Marandu palisadegrass (p = &lt;.001 both) and calopo (p = .003 and p = .067, respectively). Also, the OM digestibility decreased 7.0% in the 100LI condition than 90LI and 95LI treatment (p = .005). There was no difference in forage, grass, and legume intakes between the treatments (p &gt; .10). The 100LI treatment decreased CP intake from grass in 33.3% (p = &lt;.001) compared to other treatments. Greatest production of microbial N (p = .093) occurred with the 90LI treatment. The CP/digestible organic matter (DOM) ratio, urinary N excretion and retained N were lowest in the 100LI treatment (p = &lt;.001, p = .007 and p = .014, respectively). The recommendation for grazing between 90 and 95% of LI is recommended because of greater CP intake and N utilization for the animals and improved the nutritive value of Marandu palisadegrass and calopo mixed pastures.

Impact of management practices on the tropical riverine grasslands of Brahmaputra floodplains: Implications for conservation

Globally, the conservation value of tropical grasslands, unlike tropical forests, is underappreciated, and their degradation is widespread. Conservation of this vulnerable ecosystem requires scientifically validated management strategies. The present study examines the impact of flooding, herbivory, and other management practices on the riverine grasslands of Brahmaputra floodplains of Assam, India, for devising effective conservation strategies. Inundation period-based unsupervised classification was used to derive the types and extent of grasslands viz., short (SG) and tall (TG). Subsequently, the data on vegetation composition and nutrient status viz., soil carbon (C), nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K), was collected from inside and outside of 15 exclosures that were subjected to different management regimes, including grazing (freely accessed by mega- and meso-herbivores), ungrazed (not accessed by mega- and meso-herbivores), ungrazed with controlled burning and ungrazed with invasive removal. A total of 1152 plots were monitored for two-year, from January 2014 to December 2015. The results of the study revealed that the areas inundated for a longer duration were dominated by SG and had higher species diversity, while areas inundated for the shorter duration were dominated by TG and had low species diversity. We further observed that grazing exclusion promoted heterogeneity, woody and invasive growth, and soil nutrient content. Burning and invasive removal reduced woody and invasive growth and enhanced soil nutrient conditions. Grazing and burning decreased heterogeneity, while invasive removal increased heterogeneity. Alteration of the flooding regime due to reduced water availability may affect the ratio of SG and TG extent in the long run, which may alter the vegetation composition and the productivity of these grasslands. We recommend short-term rotational grazing for SG and long-term for TG to promote heterogeneity and soil quality. Controlled burning can be carried out in dry and invaded areas post uprooting of invasives to mitigate the effect of succession.

The Impact of Rotational Pasture Management for Farm-Bred Fallow Deer (Dama dama) on Fodder Quality in the Context of Animal Welfare

Extensive breeding of farmed cervids, similarly to other livestock, affects the vegetation of grasslands in different seasons. For this reason, the impact of the rotational grazing of fallow deer on the chemical and species composition of the pasture sward was assessed, along with the possibility of using these animals for grasslands conservation. The species composition of the pastures was analysed through the botanical-weight method. A quality index and mineral concentration test by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry were used to evaluate the feed. The highest proportion of valuable grasses, such as Dactylis glomerata, Poa pratensis and Lolium perenne, was recorded in the summer pens (65.7–66.1%), while the smallest proportion was recorded in the control area (46.1%). The estimated yield potential was relatively large, from 5.74 to 7.02 t ha−1 dry matter. The lowest total protein content occurred in the control area in the spring and autumn. The summer pens, including the sown one, had a better fodder quality, depending on the species composition. All pens were characterised by a high production potential and similar floristic composition, without the participation of undesirable plant species, which confirms the hypothesis that, under extensive grazing conditions, fallow deer can be used for grassland conservation.

Phenotypic plasticity and behavioral responses of dairy cattle on rotational grazing

Heat stress is one of the most important environmental challenges faced by dairy cattle, with a deleterious effect on animal production and welfare. This research was conducted to evaluate the effects of the thermal environment on the physiological and behavioral responses of dairy cattle in a rotational picket. The research was conducted on an experimental farm, located in the Agreste region of the state of Pernambuco, Brazil. The animals were managed in a rotational picket system of signal grass, with an occupation and a rest period of 7 and 28 days, respectively, for a stocking rate of 3.2 AU ha-1. The determination of the effect of stressors on the animals was performed by recording the dry bulb temperature (°C), and the relative humidity, which allowed the characterization of the thermal environment by the temperature and humidity index and by the specific enthalpy (kJ kg-1). The physiological variables monitored were respiratory rate (mov. min-1), rectal temperature (°C), and skin temperature (°C). The behavioral responses quantified were activities, walking, ruminating, idling and ingestive behaviors, eating, and drinking, with the percentage of time spent on each activity being recorded. According to the canonical multivariate analysis, the chi-square test, and the variation of physiological patterns, the animals, even in a situation of greater thermal challenge, presented physiological responses within conditions considered normal; however, they reduced grazing activity (eating) during the hottest hours and increased the activities of rumination and idling.

Adaptive, multi-paddock, rotational grazing management alters foraging behavior and spatial grazing distribution of free-ranging cattle

Sustainable management of grazinglands depends upon understanding how management practices influence livestock movements in space and time. We conducted a ranch-scale (2,600-ha) social-ecological experiment to examine how foraging behavior of cattle differs between a single large herd rotated adaptively among paddocks (collaborative, adaptive rangeland management; CARM) versus continuous, season-long grazing of paddocks by small non-rotational herds (traditional rangeland management; TRM). We analyzed how differences in cattle movement patterns may be linked to reductions in cattle growth rates and diet quality in the CARM treatment, relative to TRM. Cattle in the CARM treatment exhibited more linear grazing pathways, moved at lower velocity while grazing, and exhibited longer grazing bouts early in the growing season compared to TRM cattle. Grazing time within any given 10 × 10 m area was distributed more unevenly across TRM vs. CARM paddocks in years with average or above-average precipitation, but not in dry years. In all years, areas of high and low grazing intensity were more spatially clustered in TRM than CARM paddocks. Movement patterns of cattle managed using adaptive, multi-paddock rotations at high stock density (CARM) are consistent with less selective foraging. Such cattle form a “grazing front” that moves across the paddock and distributes grazing pressure in a more spatially homogeneous fashion. In years with substantial forage production, TRM cattle spent more time than CARM cattle in preferred areas of the paddock and foraged in more circular patches. In dry years, however, both treatments resulted in similarly even grazing distribution, likely due to limited intra-paddock variation in forage quality and quantity. At the ranch scale, these different intra-paddock movement patterns led to reductions in animal growth rates and no overall effect of grazing management on forage production.

Will adoption occur if a practice is win-win for profit and the environment? An application to a rancher's grazing practice choices

Rotational grazing has the potential to provide both economic and environmental benefits; however, the set of ranchers that adopts is much smaller than the set that regards rotational grazing as a win-win practice. To investigate this adoption gap and learn about adoption decisions and motivations, we survey 874 ranchers on the U.S. Great Plains. We find that a large proportion of surveyed ranchers who view rotational grazing as win-win for both profit and the environment do not adopt the practice. We also find that win-win non-adopters are a constrained group for most potential challenges to rotational grazing adoption, especially regarding high initial costs, water resource limitations, and ranch conditions. Some of these impediments could be relieved by capital to which, however, win-win non-adopters have limited access. Win-win non-adopters are more likely to adopt rotational grazing than others when a one-time subsidy is offered, suggesting that win-win non-adopters hold promise as a target group for subsidies to reduce the cost of adoption. Our analysis shows the importance of understanding the specifics of an adoption gap when making and implementing policies.

Pasture-finishing of bison improves animal metabolic health and potential health-promoting compounds in meat

BackgroundWith rising concerns regarding the effects of red meat on human and environmental health, a growing number of livestock producers are exploring ways to improve production systems. A promising avenue includes agro-ecological practices such as rotational grazing of locally adapted ruminants. Additionally, growing consumer interest in pasture-finished meat (i.e., grass-fed) has raised questions about its nutritional composition. Thus, the goal of this study was to determine the impact of two common finishing systems in North American bison—pasture-finished or pen-finished on concentrates for 146 d—on metabolomic, lipidomic, and fatty acid profiles of striploins (M. longissimus lumborum).ResultsSix hundred and seventy-one (671) out of 1570 profiled compounds (43%) differed between pasture- and pen-finished conditions (n = 20 animals per group) (all, P < 0.05). Relative to pasture-finished animals, the muscle of pen-finished animals displayed elevated glucose metabolites (~ 1.6-fold), triglycerides (~ 2-fold), markers of oxidative stress (~ 1.5-fold), and proteolysis (~ 1.2-fold). In contrast, pasture-finished animals displayed improved mitochondrial (~ 1.3-fold higher levels of various Krebs cycle metabolites) and carnitine metabolism (~ 3-fold higher levels of long-chain acyl carnitines) (all P < 0.05). Pasture-finishing also concentrated higher levels of phenolics (~ 2.3-fold), alpha-tocopherol (~ 5.8-fold), carotene (~ 2.0-fold), and very long-chain fatty acids (~ 1.3-fold) in their meat, while having lower levels of a common advanced lipoxidation (4-hydroxy-nonenal-glutathione; ~ 2-fold) and glycation end-product (N6-carboxymethyllysine; ~ 1.7-fold) (all P < 0.05). In contrast, vitamins B5, B6, and C, gamma/beta-tocopherol, and three phenolics commonly found in alfalfa were ~ 2.5-fold higher in pen-finished animals (all P < 0.05); suggesting some concentrate feeding, or grazing plants rich in those compounds, may be beneficial.ConclusionsPasture-finishing (i.e., grass-fed) broadly improves bison metabolic health and accumulates additional potential health-promoting compounds in their meat compared to concentrate finishing in confinement (i.e., pen-finished). Our data, however, does not indicate that meat from pen-finished bison is therefore unhealthy. The studied bison meat—irrespective of finishing practice—contained favorable omega 6:3 ratios (< 3.2), and amino acid and vitamin profiles. Our study represents one of the deepest meat profiling studies to date (> 1500 unique compounds), having revealed previously unrecognized differences in animal metabolic health and nutritional composition because of finishing mode. Whether observed nutritional differences have an appreciable effect on human health remains to be determined.Graphical abstract

UK beef and sheep farmers’ barriers to adopting rotational grazing systems

UK beef and sheep farmers’ barriers to adopting rotational grazing systems