Module 5-grazing livestock can make the environment better

Question 1

what things are included in the environmental footprint for agiculture

Answer 1

effects on GHG emissions, nutrient cycling, water quantity and quality, soil quality, carbon sequestration and storage, ecosystem preservation and maintenance of species biodiversity

Question 2

do well-managed pastures release more carbon than they absorb

Answer 2

With respect to air quality, well-managed grazing pastures and rangeland supporting cow-calf herds can be considered to be net sinks of carbon meaning that they absorb more carbon than they release

Question 3

in a rangeland setting where does all the carbon go

Answer 3

The forage plants take up atmospheric CO2, atmospheric CH4 absorbed by the soil, and carbon from the manure is incorporated into the soil. the carbon present in the plants is eaten by the cow and the calf, carbon consumed by the cow is passed on to the calf through the cow’s milk, and the calf incorporates the carbon it consumes as it grows.

Question 4

how does the cow-calf unit release carbon

Answer 4

The cow-calf unit releases carbon in the form of CO2 from respiration, CO2 and CH4 from eructation (belching) and CO2 and CH4 liberated from manure. CO2 and CH4 are also liberated to the atmosphere from the decomposition of plant material.

Question 5

what are the benefits of converting manure into biogas

Answer 5

Converting manure into biogas reduces reliance on fossil fuels and captures CH4 in manure that would otherwise be released into the atmosphere. Additionally, biogas produced through anaerobic digestion yields a nutrient-rich fertilizer that can replace chemical fertilizers.

Question 6

how does grazing have to potential to protect water quality

Answer 6

Land utilized for grazing livestock has better water retention and less soil erosion than cropped land; thus, grazing land limits water runoff and pollution of water supplies. Managing and recycling manure as fertilizer decreases the use of chemical fertilizers thereby decreasing agricultural water use, the polluting effects of manufacturing chemical fertilizers, and the effects of excess chemical fertilizer entering the water system.

Question 7

how can soil quality be improved

Answer 7

Soil quality can be maintained and improved if cropland is rotated through forage stages to increase water retention and decrease the effects of erosion and runoff.

Question 8

what benefits can the implementation of effective grazing management provide

Answer 8

Implementation of effective grazing management systems can provide an effective means of limiting depletion of nutrients and the application of manure as fertilizer can increase the productivity of both crop and pasture land.

Question 9

what can the disturbance of soil lead to

Answer 9

Disturbance of soil increases soil respiration and CO2 release and lowers the retention of carbon in soil organic matter.

Question 10

what land is most prone to disturbance

Answer 10

Relative disturbance of the soil is highest for land that is used for crops and lowest for native rangeland with pastureland soil integrity being intermediate between cropland and native rangeland.

Question 11

what is the integrity of soil so important

Answer 11

The integrity of the soil is essential to maintaining balance in the carbon cycle

Question 12

why is grazing and trampling benifical for biodiversity

Answer 12

Moderate grazing and trampling increase the diversity of plants in the area by limiting the ability of any one plant species to become dominant. This allows invasion of perennial grassland vegetation by annual forbs that provide food for many species of rodents, lagomorphs (rabbits) and gallinaceous game birds (e.g. prairie chickens) and food and shelter for burrowing owls. These in turn provide food for birds of prey. Moderately grazed rangeland also supports a higher population of grasshoppers than ungrazed rangeland. The grasshoppers are a critical high-protein feed for many game birds. Thus, the presence of livestock on rangeland increases both plant and animal biodiversity. In 2012, the State of Canada’s Bird Report acknowledged the positive contribution of grazing livestock to the preservation of bird habitat and its positive influence on maintaining bird biodiversity.

Question 13

what kind of grassland supports higher populations of grasshoppers

Answer 13

Moderately grazed rangeland also supports a higher population of grasshoppers than ungrazed rangeland

Question 14

what things like to eat grasshoppers

Answer 14

The grasshoppers are a critical high-protein feed for many game birds.

Question 15

how do trampling and grazing increase the number of birds of prey

Answer 15

Moderate grazing and trampling increase the diversity of plants in the area by limiting the ability of anyone plant species to become dominant. This allows invasion of perennial grassland vegetation by annual forbs that provide food for many species of rodents, lagomorphs (rabbits), and gallinaceous game birds (e.g. prairie chickens) and food and shelter for burrowing owls. These in turn provide food for birds of prey.

Question 16

what does the grazing of livestock increase

Answer 16

both plant and animal diversity

Question 17

how do pastoral production systems produce higher economic returns per unit of land

Answer 17

Pastoral production systems that utilize grazing ruminants for multiple outputs, including meat, milk, blood, hides, dung fuel, transportation, draught power, flexible household capital reserves and risk management produce higher economic returns per unit of land than single output ranching systems because of additional benefits realized through the preservation of landscape amenity and contribution to wildlife diversity.

Question 18

is the conversion of forested land to the pasture of cropland for production of meat animals offset by the benefits of grazing

Answer 18

Well managed extensive beef production systems can benefit the environment; similar benefits can be attained with grazing sheep or goats. However, the amount of arable land available for extensive ruminant farming is limited and conversion of forested land to pasture or cropland for the production of meat animals is not offset by the benefits attained with these species. Extensive grazing ruminant production must be limited to land naturally suited for this purpose.