The big picture: using wildflower strips for pest control
They may be beautiful, but these strips prove pretty deadly for every farmer's mortal enemy: aphids
News
Soil structure maintained in more densely stocked cell-grazed pastures
New study suggests “techno-grazing” approaches can support more cattle in less space without adversely affecting soil structure and function
A new study comparing traditional (set stocked) cattle grazing with a highly-stocked cell-based approach suggests that grassland can recover just as well from the higher density approach, provided the animals are moved on a regular basis.
The findings could have major implications for livestock management, allowing farmers to use less land to deliver similar quantities of high-quality protein without adversely affecting soil conditions.
The study, undertaken at Rothamsted’s North Wyke farm in Devon, compared soil disturbance in traditionally grazed and cell-grazed fields. In cell grazing animals are penned into smaller areas of the field which are then regularly moved to make more efficient use of the land. In this way more grass is grown and harvested, which in turn promotes the recovery of soil structure in the non-grazed areas. This allows for more cattle to be raised on the same area of pasture by making sure all the grass is grazed more-or-less equally.
By measuring soil compaction in both systems over a season, the researchers found that there was no significant difference in how grazing affects soil structure and how well the pasture recovered over the winter break.
“The results suggest that with careful management of cell grazing including appropriate stocking densities and resting periods, stocking rates on grassland could be increased with no detrimental consequences in soil structure beyond what would normally occur on grazed pasture,” said Dr Alejandro Romero-Ruiz who led the study. “This means we can deliver more high-quality protein using the same land - thus contributing to meet the growing demand for animal-origin foods.”
The data were collected from a permanent pasture of predominantly perennial ryegrass with 5% white clover. The small-scale experiment was setup in enclosed pastures in triplicate with a fixed size of 1.75 ha for open, set-stocked fields and 1.0 ha for cell grazing, the latter of which was sub-divided into 42 cells. For the year of the study, eighteen-month-old dairy beef steers were assigned to either system over 180 grazing days. The open field treatments were grazed with a seasonal stocking rate of 2.3 steers per hectare with the cell grazed treatments at an average seasonal stocking rate of 6 steers per hectare, with a daily allocation of a fresh area across a 21-28 days rotation.
The team tracked the steers’ daily grazing patterns using GPS collars. These were similar in both systems suggesting that the animals’ foraging was not affected by the relatively small size of the enclosures.
In a perfect system, livestock would graze all parts of a field equally. In reality, the animals tend to cluster around features like water troughs leading to uneven grazing and bare patches. Cell grazing reduces these problems. The research team developed a so-called “Moovement model” linking grazing patterns with soil structure and soil functions which may have applications to assess the impacts of grazing in other localities. Future versions of this could include the prediction of areas of dung and urine deposition. These can be linked with variations in vegetation and increased number of microbial communities that may represent hot-spots of increased greenhouse gas emissions from the soil.
“A better understanding of how livestock move and interact with their environment may offer new insights on how grazing practices impact soil and ecosystem functions. This will potentially also offer solutions to reducing the impact of cattle on soil health and the environment,” said Romero-Ruiz.
Publication
Contacts
Dr Jordana Rivero
Grazing Livestock Systems Specialist
ABOUT ROTHAMSTED RESEARCH
Rothamsted Research is the longest-running agricultural research institute in the world. We work from gene to field with a proud history of ground-breaking
discoveries in areas as diverse as crop management, statistical interpretation and soil health. Our founders, in 1843, were the pioneers of modern
agriculture, and we are known for our imaginative science and our collaborative approach to developing innovative farm practice.
Through independent research, we make significant contributions to improving agri-food systems in the UK and internationally, with
economic impact estimated to exceed £3 bn in annual contribution to the UK economy. Our strength lies in our systems approach, which combines strategic research,
interdisciplinary teams and multiple partnerships.
Rothamsted is home to three unique National Bioscience Research Infrastructures which are open to researchers from all over the world:
The Long-Term Experiments,
Rothamsted Insect Survey and the
North Wyke Farm Platform.
We are strategically funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), with additional support from other national and
international funding streams, and from industry. We are also supported by the Lawes Agricultural Trust (LAT).
ABOUT BBSRC
The Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council is part of UK Research and Innovation, a non-departmental public body funded by a grant-in-aid
from the UK government.
BBSRC invests to push back the frontiers of biology and deliver a healthy, prosperous and sustainable future. Through our investments, we build and support a vibrant,
dynamic and inclusive community which delivers ground-breaking discoveries and develops bio-based solutions that contribute to tackling global challenges,
such as sustainable food production, climate change, and healthy ageing.
As part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), we not only play a pivotal role in fostering connections that enable the UK’s world-class research and innovation system
to flourish – we also have a responsibility to enable the creation of a research culture that is diverse, resilient, and engaged.
BBSRC proudly forges interdisciplinary collaborations where excellent bioscience has a fundamental role. We pioneer approaches that enhance the equality, diversity,
and inclusion of talent by investing in people, infrastructure, technologies, and partnerships on a global scale.
ABOUT LAT
The Lawes Agricultural Trust, established in 1889 by Sir John Bennet Lawes, supports Rothamsted Research’s national and international agricultural science through the provision of land, facilities and funding. LAT, a charitable trust, owns the estates at Harpenden and Broom's Barn, including many of the buildings used by Rothamsted Research. LAT provides an annual research grant to the Director, accommodation for nearly 200 people, and support for fellowships for young scientists from developing countries. LAT also makes capital grants to help modernise facilities at Rothamsted, or invests in new buildings.