Changing year-round habitat use of extensively grazing cattle, sheep and pigs in East-Central Europe between 1940 and 2014: Consequences for conservation and policy (original) (raw)
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Grasslands and Herbivore Production in Europe and Effects of Common Policies
2014
European grasslands have been significantly reduced during the last thirty years in favour of the production of green maize and other annual crops. But permanent and temporary grasslands still cover 33% and 6%, respectively, of the total utilised agricultural area (UAA) in 2007. The percentage of UAA used as grassland varies considerably between countries and regions. Data collection for grasslands is difficult because different countries have various grassland systems and definitions. Seminatural grassland, for example, is classified differently in many countries. Forage maize developed considerably since the 1960s in parallel with the import of protein-rich feedstuffs, soybean especially. Since then, energy and protein productions from grasslands were progressively replaced by maize and soybean, respectively. Legume forage crops are of variable importance in European countries, but legumes have a large potential everywhere and can contribute to sustainable herbivore husbandry. Organic farming is growing significantly (3.6% UAA in 2007). Permanent grassland represents 47% of the whole organic area in the EU-27. This higher share in UAA in comparison with conventional farming (31%) can be explained by the relatively greater ease in managing organic grasslands compared to organic annual crops (weeding and crop protection, for instance, are not so crucial in grasslands), the need to increase nitrogen and protein autonomy of farms and the combination of organic and agri-environmental payments for permanent pastures. Grassland productivity is affected by several factors: soil characteristics, climatic conditions-particularly total and seasonal distribution of rainfall and temperaturealtitude, latitude and management. A spatial distribution of grassland productivity across regions in Europe is presented in several figures in the text. The total EU-27 livestock in 2007 (132.56 million livestock units) is divided as follows: 41% monogastric animals and 59% grazing livestock, of which 82% are cattle and 18% sheep, goats and equidae. In the EU-27, 75% of cows are dairy breeds and 25% are beef cattle. Grazing livestock density is an indicator of the intensity of grassland use and of the pressure of livestock farming on the environment. Manure produced by livestock contributes to greenhouse gas and NH 3 emissions in the atmosphere and nutrient leaching into water. A higher density means a higher amount of manure per ha UAA, which increases the risk of N-leaching. An excessively low livestock density increases the risk of land abandonment in extensive livestock systems or the need for industrial fertilisers in arable cropping systems. Farming practices also impact the environment. Sheep and goats represent about 12% of the grazing livestock in EU-27, with higher concentrations in the Mediterranean countries, the United Kingdom and Romania. Equines contribute to less than 5% of the grazing livestock but are more common in central and northern Europe. N and P pollution in waters in Europe from slurry spreading in pig and poultry production areas. Europe became perilously close to not being able to sustain its protein needs, which is of strategic importance. New policies are needed to cope with these challenges. The solution most certainly implies decreased white meat production and consumption, new development of forage legumes, redeployment of grassland areas by paying farmers for ecosystem goods and services, development of short marketing chains and high quality animal products. Definitions and data − permanent grassland; − permanent crops; − other agricultural land such as kitchen gardens (even if they only represent small areas of total UAA). As such, utilised agricultural area does not include unused agricultural land, woodland and land occupied by buildings, farmyards, tracks, ponds, etc. Arable land, in agricultural statistics, is the land which is worked (ploughed or tilled) regularly, generally under a system of crop rotation. Land cover is the actual distribution of forests, water, desert, grassland and other physical features of the land, including those created by human activities. Land use, on the other hand, characterises the human use of a given land cover type. A Working Group has been established by the European Grassland Federation and the EC MULTISWARD project (Peeters et al., 2013). It includes 22 experts from 13 countries (Belgium,
Southern European grazing lands: Production, environmental and landscape management aspects
Livestock Production Science, 2005
Grazing lands and their management in livestock systems are a matter of special importance in the search for sustainability. Socio-economic and ecological objectives should be considered jointly in considering livestock production. In addition to the general issues of biodiversity and habitat preservation, the challenges for their management vary according to the regional conditions. In Southern European environments, where the past changes in livestock farming have led to a general decrease in their use, the questions under study are how to find ways to meet the threats to landscape amenity, biodiversity, the sustainability of local animal feeding resources and the rural population. Grazing lands and their management is also an important target of EU agri-environmental policy. The multifunctional use of this land, which is currently sought, reinforces the need for animal scientists to consider the use and management of grazing lands in reference not only to the techno-economical efficiency of animal feeding systems but also in reference to the long-term (e.g. biodiversity change) and at larger spatial scales (for example the landscape and watershed). An overview of the current challenges attached to grazing lands and their management in livestock farming systems in South European environments, an understanding of the ways to jointly meet production objectives and the realisation of sociological and ecological functions is presented. D
Journal of Ecological Engineering
The studies were conducted in a forest settlement in Roztocze National Park (eastern Poland). The aim of the study was to evaluate the vegetation of two pastures depending on the type of use in the context of grassland protection, identify the trends of species composition changes, and analyse the yield and nutritional value of the biomass in the context of animal welfare. The studies were conducted on permanent grasslands varying in terms of fertility and location. Both sites were pastures where native breeds of livestock (Polish Lowland sheep of the Uhrusk and Polish Konik) were grazing. The fertile pasture was represented by the developing Lolio-Cynosuretum association, while the poor dry pasture-by a community with Common Bent (Agrostis capillaris L.) and a community with Mouse-Ear Hawkweed (Hieracium pilosella L.). The greatest changes over time were observed in the mowed site in the fertile pasture (increased share of tall grasses) and in the abandoned poor dry pasture (increased share of herbs and weeds). Livestock grazing conducted from 2010 influenced the stabilisation of the species composition. Tree and shrub seedlings were systematically eaten by livestock, which evidences a positive impact of grazing on the preservation of permanent grasslands in Roztocze National Park where forest ecosystems predominate. The assessment of the species composition and yielding indicated that the fertile pasture was characterised by good value while the poor pasture-low or sufficient value. In terms of nutrient yield and content, these pastures were poor or very poor, and their nutritive potential was largely dependent on the meteorological conditions. While the livestock density in the pastures, ranging from 1.1 to 1.5 LSU ha-1 in the years under study, was appropriate, grazing should be limited in the summer months, particularly in periods of drought, by reducing the number of animals or by additional feeding to ensure their welfare.
2007
Summary This paper explores the management and policy implications of research findings investigating the use of grazing intensity and traditional breeds to achieve biodiversity outcomes on grasslands in four countries of Europe. An economic analysis, based on these research findings, indicated that financial assistance and/or premium prices are required to achieve sustainable grazing systems with a high biodiversity.
TUEXENIA
The continuous decline in biodiversity in some European landscapes has led recently to the (re-)implementation of low-intensity grazing systems as an alternative to more cost-intensive conservation practices. This approach aims at developing habitat complexes comprising various successional stages and increasing plant species diversity on local (α-diversity) and landscape scales (β-, γ-diversity). The primary objectives of this review were to uncover ecological pro-cesses in which large domestic herbivores (cattle, equids, sheep, goats, pigs) have a key func-tion in affecting plant diversity and to provide a framework for future research and conserva-tion practices. The reviewed literature covers a wide range of ecosystem types in various tem-perate regions of Europe with a main focus on recent results from Central Europe. Low-intensity grazing enhances existing environmental gradients and generates manifold dis-turbance patterns on various spatial scales resulting in high habitat d...
TUEXENIA
The continuous decline in biodiversity in some European landscapes has led recently to the (re-) implementation of low-intensity grazing systems as an alternative to more cost-intensive conservation practices. This approach aims at developing habitat complexes comprising various successional stages and increasing plant species diversity on local (α-diversity) and landscape scales (β-, γ-diversity). The primary objectives of this review were to uncover ecological processes in which large domestic herbivores (cattle, equids, sheep, goats, pigs) have a key function in affecting plant diversity and to provide a framework for future research and conservation practices. The reviewed literature covers a wide range of ecosystem types in various temperate regions of Europe with a main focus on recent results from Central Europe. Low-intensity grazing enhances existing environmental gradients and generates manifold disturbance patterns on various spatial scales resulting in high habitat diver...
Comparative Typology in Six European Low‐Intensity Systems of Grassland Management
Advances in Agronomy, 2007
P R O O F 4. Results 370 4.1. Land uses 370 4.2. Size of farm-holding, land prices, and grazing fees 372 4.3. Institutional economics 375 4.4. Institutional and legal frameworks 379 4.5. Forage deficit 381 4.6. Grazing infrastructure 385 4.7. Labor 388 4.8. Productivity estimates 390 4.9. Economic performance 395 4.10. Grazing management and trends 401 4.11. Main limiting factors 404 4.12. Interface to biodiversity 406 5. Discussion 408 References 414 European biodiversity significantly depends on large-scale livestock systems with low input levels. In most countries forms of grazing are organized in permanent or seasonal cooperations (land-owner/land-user agents) and covers different landscape such as alpine areas, forest, grasslands, mires, and even arable land. Today, the existence of these structures is threatened due to changes in agricultural land use practices and erratic governmental policies. The present chapter investigates six low-input livestock systems of grassland management with varying degrees of arrangements in different European countries and landscapes. These large-scale grazing systems (LSGS) are reindeer husbandry in Northern Sapmi (Fennoscandia), sheep grazing in the Polish Tatra mountains, cattle grazing in the Swiss and German Alps, cattle, sheep, and pig grazing in Baixo Alentejo, Southern Portugal, and sedentary sheep grazing in Central Spain. These systems showed very heterogeneous organizational patterns in their way of exploiting the pastoral resources. At the same time, these LSGS showed at least some of the following weaknesses such as poor economic performance, social fragility, and structural shortcomings for proper grazing management. Lack of proper mobility of herds/flocks or accession to specific grazing grounds can be a cause of environmental hazards. The surveyed LSGS are mostly dependent on public handouts for survival, but successive policy schemes have only showed mixed effects and, in particular study areas, clear inconsistencies in their aim to stop the general declining trend of LSGS. This research assumed that detailed system research may open the way for better-focused policy intervention, but policymakers need to take advantage of this period of support to push ahead for reforms. Recent European Union (EU) guidelines (2007-2013) on Rural Development Policy (RDP) and its operative scale of high nature value (HNV) farmland can easily fit the structure and functions of low-input grazing systems and LSGS. 352 Rafael Caballero et al.
Impacts of Grazing on Lowland Heathland In North-West Europe
Biological …, 2009
Lowland heathland habitats are recognized to be of high conservation value throughout north-west Europe. Current management approaches focus on arresting natural succession to woodland, and include the use of vegetation cutting, burning and grazing by livestock. However, the introduction of grazing has proved controversial, highlighting the need for evidence regarding its effectiveness. A systematic review of the scientific literature was therefore performed, which identified 13 studies with appropriate comparators (such as untreated controls). Meta-analysis of these data indicated that grazing can result in an increase in the ratio of grassland to ericoid shrub cover, but insufficient experimental evidence was available to assess the effectiveness of any other intervention, indicating a lack of replicated studies with controls. Two forms of expert knowledge were also compiled, based on information in the scientific literature excluded from the meta-analysis, and questionnaire responses of heathland managers. While these two evidence sources were generally in close correspondence, beliefs of heathland managers contradicted the scientific literature with respect to the impact of grazing on the ratio of grassland to ericoid shrubs. Incorporating a range of evidence sources in systematic reviews can therefore provide insights into contradictions in the evidence base. While a large majority of practitioners (94%) believe that grazing is an effective management option for lowland heath, evidence for a number of negative impacts on habitat attributes was recorded, highlighting the need for improved monitoring and experimental analysis of the effectiveness of management interventions.
The Future of Grasslands and Beef Cattle in the Czech Republic
Review of Agricultural and Applied Economics, 2013
Grasslands received policy attention in the Czech Republic only just fifteen years ago, when they were threatened to be abandoned in the economic transition process. The supports to farming on grasslands have grown gradually, particularly after the EU accession. The policy followed the notion of jointness between grassland management and beef cattle raising and conditioned Agri-environmental (AE) and Less Favoured Areas (LFA) payments by a minimum livestock density. There are many reasons why the current policy will change in the new programme period. This paper attempts to assess the impact of the envisaged changes on grassland maintenance. It is showed that overall future supports to farming will be sufficient to keep positive profit on grassland farms, however the structure of supports might be less appropriate to the actual objectives of grassland protection and hence, there is a threat of policy failure in the end.