Attributes of resilient pasture for achieving environmental outcomes at farm scale

Abstract

Pasture resilience commonly refers to a pasture’s ability to withstand or rebound from pressures to maintain production and quality of sown species. We suggest that a broader definition of pasture resilience is needed that also includes environmental responses, thus ensuring that productivity and environmental outcomes are considered together. Key attributes of resilient pastures to minimise soil erosion and nutrient, greenhouse gas and soil carbon losses are summarised based on current understanding of environmental losses from pastoral systems. These attributes include maintaining consistent pasture cover, high energy and/or low nitrogen species and species diversity that provides complementary root morphology and/or growth seasonality; all are likely to have positive benefits for production and productivity. There is a potential tension, however, between productivity and methane emissions, as methane production increases with increased feed intake. Increasing pasture quality is therefore also an important consideration for pasture resilience as it can maintain animal productivity at lower levels of feed intake. From a farm systems perspective, the choice of pasture species should reflect the desired attributes for both productivity and environmental outcomes, and ensure that the sown species persist in the sward. Finally, we note that none of the environmental attributes/benefits are likely to deliver major farm-scale improvements on their own; progress will likely be incremental improvements upon implementing a range of attributes.

Impacts of Grazing by Small Ruminants on Hillslope Hydrological Processes: A Review of European Current Understanding

“…The impacts of unsustainable grazing on the major environmental components (Figure 1) have been described in previous studies (e.g., Bilotta et al., 2007; de Klein et al., 2021; Reid et al., 2010; Steinfeld et al., 2008). These authors have highlighted various grazing induced effects (e.g., treading, defoliation, land degradation, and drought) that indirectly impact on the hydrological processes (e.g., hydrological alterations and soil erosion).…”

“…Extreme climatic events (e.g., droughts, increasing number of short duration heavy rain) and other prevailing ecological conditions (e.g., soil properties, vegetation patterns, and land management) represent driving factors that influence SRs stock‐keeping (Dolek & Geyer, 2002; IUCN‐UNHCR, 2005) with considerable environmental implications (Herrero et al., 2016; Mishra & Singh, 2010; Sejian et al., 2018). The sustainability of grazing lands requires reducing the environmental impacts of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (de Klein et al., 2021) and soil degradation (Wang et al., 2020).…”

“…The hydrological implications of livestock grazing were then considered during1970s using more accurate techniques (Wood et al., 2008). High attention has been paid to the effects of grazing intensity in other areas around the world such as Inner Mongolia (Onda et al., 2007), USA (Neff et al., 2005; Warren et al., 1986), Australia (Bartley et al., 2010), and New Zeeland (de Klein et al., 2021; Elliott & Carlson, 2004).…”

The contribution of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) breeding to whole pasture productivity under dairy cattle grazing in New Zealand. 1. Variation in yield, nutritive value and persistence‐related traits

“…Other temperate species such as cocksfoot (e.g. Jagger, 2021) that are better able to withstand environmental stresses may be required to sustain the profitability of direct-grazed pasture systems while delivering the resilience attributes necessary for reducing their environmental footprint (de Klein et al, 2021).…”

A Geospatial Modelling Approach to Understand the Spatio-Temporal Impacts of Grazing on Soil Susceptibility to Erosion

“…Soil is essential for the performance of pastoral livestock production systems, not only for providing nutrients and water for plant biomass production, but also for providing ecosystem services that support grasslands and human life. Soil is one of the largest sinks of C storage/sequestration, stores and filters water, controls pests and diseases and supports a biodiverse habitat for organisms [1,2]. The ability of soil to fulfil its functions is determined by its quality [3].…”