Can livestock farming have a positive effect on the environment?

Due to methane outputs, livestock farming has a bad rep when it comes to climate change; but did you know that there’s a flipside where livestock grazing can actually help improve soil health, increase biodiversity and slow down climate change.

What if we told you that livestock can actually help heal the land and ensure that farmers can continue to grow healthy crops (and keep feeding us) for many more years to come!

Let’s start by putting it very simply…

🐑Grazing livestock = Poo

💩Poo = Organic matter

🌱Organic matter = Healthier soil

Rotational livestock grazing is one of several of the pillars/principles of regenerative agriculture.

Unlike organic farming, where there are certifications, approvals and criteria to meet; regenerative agriculture is different. Rather than a step-by-step procedure and boxes to tick, regenerative farming is a commitment to take on multiple processes that all work together to continually increase soil organic matter, enhance biodiversity and address climate change. 

And because healthy soil can sequester more carbon from the atmosphere it can more than offset the methane output of the sheep we graze here at the Littleseed HQ farm.

So how do the livestock make the soil healthier?

Grazing livestock contribute significantly to soil health. As they graze, the livestock break down plant material, allowing it to decompose more quickly into the soil. Their hooves can also help to naturally aerate the soil, making space for water and nutrients to reach crop roots. This process, known as natural tilling, can reduce the need for heavy machinery which can damage the soil and produce excess carbon.

Manure (that’s animal poo fertiliser, if you didn’t know!) is a natural fertiliser which is rich in nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Manure is great for increasing soil fertility, improving soil structure, and increasing microbe activity.

Furthermore, by rotating grazing areas, sheep can help control the growth of invasive species and prevent the land from becoming overrun by monocultures. This rotation allows pastures to regenerate, giving plants time to recover and ensuring that different plant species can establish themselves in the soil. The result is a more resilient and diverse landscape that is less vulnerable to pests, diseases, and extreme weather conditions.

What is Carbon Sequestration?

Intensive farming practices, particularly monocropping and intensive livestock farming, can release large amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. One of the goals of regenerative agriculture is to reverse this trend by rebuilding soil health and increasing biodiversity.

Livestock grazing, when managed rotationally, can promote carbon sequestration. As the livestock graze, grasses can be encouraged to grow more vigorously, which captures more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Additionally, healthy grasslands can store large amounts of carbon in the soil, reducing the overall carbon footprint of farming operations. This makes sheep grazing a powerful tool in mitigating climate change and contributing to more sustainable farming systems.

Naturally controlling weeds

Sheep are a really useful tool to naturally control weeds and pests on regeneratively managed land, without the need for harmful chemicals. Sheep eat a variety of plant species, including weeds that might otherwise overtake crops. Their love of eating weeds really helps keeping them under control, reducing the need for herbicides.

Furthermore, by rotating grazing areas, sheep can help control the growth of invasive species and prevent the land from becoming overrun by monocultures. This rotation allows pastures to regenerate, giving plants time to recover and ensuring that different plant species can establish themselves in the soil. The result is a more resilient and diverse landscape that is less vulnerable to pests, diseases, and extreme weather conditions.

Farming for the future of our soil

Grazing livestock may seem like an old-fashioned way of farming, but within a regenerative farming system it can actually be a cornerstone of a modern farming practice, ensuring the future of farming.

Working alongside the other principles of regenerative agriculture, livestock grazing can offer a huge number of environmental and economic benefits. From improving soil health and biodiversity, sequestering carbon and building climate resilience, grazing has a vital role in creating sustainable farming systems.

 

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