Digital Commons Network^™

Grazing Land Contributions To Carbon Sequestration, Ronald F. Follett, G. E. Schuman

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Key points

1. Grazing management can be used to increase soil organic carbon sequestration.

2. Grazing land soils contain large amounts of carbon with depth, and can store it for centuries.

3. Policies to encourage terrestrial carbon sequestration through conservation and good management of grazing lands are critical for many countries and the world.

Global Atmospheric Change And Its Effect On Managed Grassland Systems, Andreas Lüscher, J. Fuhrer, P. C. D. Newton

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Key points

1. Increasing atmospheric CO2 concentration and a trend to warmer mean temperatures are the most reliable aspects of global atmospheric change. Projections of the extent of climate change and the frequency of extreme weather conditions remain uncertain.

2. Research has considerably reduced the uncertainty about effects of global atmospheric change on physiology of plants, productivity and species composition of plant communities.

3. Other factors (e.g. nutrient availability, soil type) and long-term adaptation of the ecosystem (e.g. nutrient cycling and sequestration) influence the response of plant communities to global atmospheric change. Generalisation is not possible with respect to the …

Grassland Productivity And Water Quality: A 21St Century Issue, David M. Nash, P. M. Haygarth

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Key points

1. Irrigation and other changes to the hydrological cycle can increase soil and water salinity.

2. Primary salinisation is a natural process that affects much of Europe, Asia, Africa, the Americas and Australia. Secondary salinisation is caused by human activities such as irrigation and land clearing that mobilise salt stored in the soil.

3. The critical water contaminants exported from grasslands are nitrogen, phosphorus, potential pathogens and sediment.

4. The mechanisms responsible for diffuse pollution from grasslands and mitigation strategies are most effectively investigated using a ‘source-mobilisation-transport’ framework.

5. There is a lack of coherent interaction across discipline …

Soil Quality Assessment And Management, M. G. Kibblewhite

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Key points

1. Soil quality is related to the capacity of soil to deliver ecosystem services on a sustainable basis.

2. Effective management of soil within grasslands can deliver many benefits to mankind but poor management may cause loss of soil quality from erosion, loss of organic matter, physical deterioration etc.

3. Services are delivered from soil by biological processes. Soil quality depends on the form and condition of the soil habitat. Fixed factors (e.g. texture) are useful for assigning soil to types. Variable factors (e.g. organic carbon) can then be used to assess quality within soil types, by reference …

Water Resources, Agriculture And Pasture: Implications Of Growing Demand And Increasing Scarcity, M. W. Rosegrant, R. A. Valmonte-Santos, S. A. Cline, C. Ringler, W. Li

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Key points

1. Water availability for irrigation is threatened in many regions by rapidly increasing demand for nonagricultural water uses in industry, households, and the environment. The scarcity of irrigation water will not only impact crop production, but also meat production, as much of the pasture used to feed livestock is irrigated.

2. Grassland is caught between two countervailing forces: a requirement for increasing meat demand that boosts the need for additional pasture to support livestock production, and rapidly increasing water scarcity that makes pasture irrigation uneconomical.

3. The most effective means of dealing with water scarcity is likely to …

Soil Microbial Community: Understanding The Belowground Network For Sustainable Grassland Management, Y. G. Zhu, W. D. Kong, B. D. Chen, Z. B. Nan, P. Christie

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Key points

1. In addition to the use of conventional methodologies in soil microbial research, molecular techniques are now being applied to gain insights into the soil microbial community;

2. Plant diversity can exert impacts on soil microbial diversity (through root activities and plant litter etc.), but may in itself be significantly altered by soil properties;

3. Soil microbial diversity largely determines the stability of soil ecosystems under biotic and abiotic perturbations.

4. Management of soil microbial diversity can only be achieved through better understanding their structures and functions.

The Potential Of Grassland And Associated Forages To Produce Fibre, Biomass, Energy Or Other Feedstocks For Non-Food And Other Sectors: New Uses For A Global Resource, M. F. Askew

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Key points

1. In developed countries increased areas of land will become available for non-food production. Recent reforms of the Common Agricultural Policy will further intensify this trend in Europe.

2. There is potential for grassland and associated species to contribute to large tonnage markets of energy and bulk fibres, to the supply of fermentation products and to speciality markets, but processes and approaches to the market are not as yet developed.

3. There is potential for the establishment of Graminaceous species - specifically for nonfood use. For European conditions particular attention is being given to Miscanthus sinensis (Miscanthus), Arundo …

Adoption Of Tropical Legume Technology Around The World: Analysis Of Success, H. M. Shelton, S. Franzel, M. Peters

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Key points

1. Examples of successful adoption of forage legumes are reported from all continents, where they delivered profitability and often provided multipurpose benefits to farmers.

2. Factors vital to successful adoption were: meeting the needs of farmers; building relevant partnerships; understanding the socio-economic context and skills of farmers; participatory involvement with rural communities; and long-term involvement of champions.

3. Organisation of seed supply, achieving scale-up and forming partnerships to implement adoption are key features.

4. Legumes remain an important but under-exploited resource for tropical farming systems. The alternative to legumes will be greater and more costly use of N-fertilisers …

Grasses As Biofactories: Scoping Out The Opportunities, Nick Roberts, K. Richardson, G. Bryan, C. Voisey, W. Mcnabb, T. Conner, M. Christey, R. Johnson

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Key points

1. Plant biopharming is set to dominate commercial recombinant protein expression for specific proteins.

2. The choice of plant species depends on a multitude of factors and is determined on a caseby- case basis.

3. As a leaf based expression system grasses would have to compete predominantly with tobacco and alfalfa.

4. The grass-endophyte symbiosis offers a number of unique possibilities for biopharming.

Evolution Of Integrated Crop-Livestock Production Systems, Martin H. Entz, William D. Bellotti, J. M. Powell, S. V. Angadi, W. Chen, K. H. Ominski, B. Boelt

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Key points

1. Many factors contribute to changes in the crop-livestock systems, but no logical end-point in the evolution process exists.

2. While benefits of integrated crop-livestock systems over specialised crop and livestock systems are well documented, there has been a move to specialised crop and livestock production.

3. Sustainability issues (manure nutrient concentration, soil quality maintenance, salinity, herbicide resistance, economic instability) have created a renewed interest in integrated crop-livestock systems.

4. Farmer adaptability is as an important link in the evolution between ‘states of integration’.

Overcoming Seasonality Of Production: Opportunities Offered By Forage Conservation Technologies, P. O'Kiely, A. G. Kaiser

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Key points

1. Seasonality of forage supply is a key contributor to the seasonality of meat and milk production.

2. Conserving forages as silage or hay can help reduce the seasonality of feed supply.

3. Forage conservation technologies make this contribution mainly through increases in the yield or quality of suitable crops, through an improved efficiency of the conservation process or by allowing a reduction in costs.

4. Future research needs differ considerably among regions of the world.

Grasslands For Production And The Environment, David R. Kemp, David L. Michalk

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Key points

1. To manage grasslands for production and enhanced environmental values requires a redefinition of the frameworks within which management decisions are made, and a tailoring of practices to suit the ways that farmers operate.

2. Improving the perenniality and permanence of grasslands usually leads to better environmental and production outcomes.

3. There is a case for a more conservative approach to utilising grasslands in order to sustain the functioning of local ecosystems and to improve water quality, nutrient and energy cycling and biodiversity.

4. A landscape rather than paddock focus is more appropriate for meeting current grassland management …

Strategies To Mitigate Seasonality Of Production In Grassland-Based Systems, Claudio Porqueddu, S. Maltoni, John G. Mcivor

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Key points

1. Fertilisation use and manipulation can cost-effectively alter species composition, increase seasonal herbage production and improve herbage quality.

2. Choice of suitable grassland species, varieties and mixtures offers opportunity to mitigate limitations of seasonal grassland production.

3. Special purpose fodder crops, cereals, shrubs and trees offer alternative or supplementary feed sources.

4. Manipulation of stocking rates, grazing systems, transhumance and pasture management at various times of the season are significant advantageous options.

5. Integration of different strategies is essential to mitigate seasonality in systems of animal production that must be inherently more sustainable over a longer time frame.

Interactions Between Foraging Behaviour Of Herbivores And Grassland Resources In The Eastern Eurasian Steppes, Deli Wang, Guodong Han, Yuguang Bai

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Key points

1. In rangeland areas such as the eastern Eurasian steppes (Mongolia and China), foraging behaviour is influenced by plant or vegetation properties with high heterogeneity.

2. Until recently foraging theory has not accounted for the foraging process or ingestive behaviour. Existing theories on foraging behaviour need to evolve and begin to coalesce, and combine with observations or manipulative experiments.

3. Plant and patch properties such as diversity and height influence animal foraging behaviour (related to foraging process or diet selection) in heterogeneous steppes.

4. Stocking rate is the most important management factor for grazing or vegetation management, and …

Foraging Behaviour And Herbage Intake In The Favourable Tropics/Subtropics, S. C. Da Silva, Paulo C. De F. Carvalho

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Key points

1. Herbage intake by animals grazing tropical/sub-tropical pastures is directly related to bite mass, as it is for those grazing temperate pastures.

2. Where these swards have low proportions of stem and dead material (controlled swards), herbage intake follows a similar pattern to that of temperate pasture species, but leaf characteristics, such as lamina length play an important role and influence the short-term rate of intake.

3. Sward structural characteristics and behavioural factors are relatively more important than nutritional factors in terms of herbage intake regulation. The feeding value of the herbage produced is potentially adequate to sustain …

Grass And Forage Plant Improvement In The Tropics And Sub-Tropics, Liana Jank, Cacilda B. Do Valle, Rosangela M. S. Resende

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Key points

1. The majority of tropical and subtropical forage grass genera and/or species have not yet been collected, or need further collection to be representative of their natural distribution.

2. New biotechnological techniques will only result in the release of superior forage cultivars if supported by strong breeding programs.

3. More funding and investment in the formation of strong public research teams in forage conservation and improvement are needed to guarantee the sustainability of tropical and subtropical pasture-based livestock systems in the future.

4. The creation of a permanent international working group on tropical and subtropical forages is essential …

Grass And Forage Improvement: Temperate Forages, Chris J. Pollock, M. T. Abberton, M. O. Humphreys

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Key points

1. Plant breeding has contributed significantly to the development of effective grassland production systems.

2. New technologies offer enhanced precision in breeding and access to wider genetic variation.

3. The requirement for more sustainable production systems will require genetic improvements in complex traits where the use of new technology will be vital.

Improving The Quality Of Products From Grassland, Nigel D. Scollan, R. J. Dewhurst, A. P. Moloney, J. J. Murphy

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Key points

1. Consumers are increasingly aware of the links between diet and health, and place increasing emphasis on nutritional quality as a component of product quality.

2. Meat and milk products are rich sources of nutrients such as omega-3 (n-3) fatty acids and conjugated linoleic acid, which offer health benefits to consumers.

3. Green plants are the primary source of n-3 fatty acids in the food chain.

4. Grassland production systems have the potential to enhance the content of beneficial fatty acids, improve stability (from higher antioxidant content) and alter sensory attributes of meat and milk.

5. Grassland offers …

Rising Demand For Meat And Milk In Developing Countries: Implications For Grasslands-Based Livestock Production, C. L. Delgado

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Key points

1. Meat and milk consumption in developing countries has grown three times as fast as in developed countries over the past 30 years.

2. By 2020, developing countries will consume 72 million metric tons (mmt) more meat and 152 mmt more milk compared to 2002/3, dwarfing developed-country increases of 9 mmt for meat and 18 mmt for milk.

3. Ruminant livestock will account for 27% of the increase in global meat consumption between 2003 and 2020, up from 23% over the previous two decades.

4. The inflation-adjusted prices of livestock and feed grains are expected to fall only …

Grassland In Ireland And The Uk, Myles Rath, S. Peel

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Key points

1. Grassland is the dominant land use option in Ireland and the UK, and is characterised by a long growing season.

2. Dynamic, interactive systems of grassland management have been developed which combine high grass dry matter intakes with good sward quality. In the better grassland areas milk yields in excess of 7000 kg/cow are attainable with low levels of concentrate supplementation.

3. In the times to come, measures to protect the environment will constrain stocking rates, and fertiliser and manure use on intensive grassland enterprises.

4. A high proportion of beef and sheep farms participate in voluntary, …

What And Who Has Determined Adoption? A Study On Improved Forage Technologies In Colombia From An Agricultural Innovation System (Ais) Perspective, K. Enciso, N. Triana, M. Díaz, S. Burkart

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The complex process behind the adoption of improved forages in Colombia remains largely unexplored. Despite governmental and scientific efforts to promote and disseminate the implementation of improved forages for the sake of sustainable livestock production, local livestock producers continue to extensively use native species and adoption rates of more efficient forages remain low. This study explores the dynamics behind the development and diffusion of improved forage technologies in Colombia, from the 1960's to the present through an Agricultural Innovation Systems (AIS) perspective. Here we map the agents involved, classify the roles they exerted over time and reconstruct the historical context …

Smallholder Dairy Farmers In The Peruvian Andes Fulfilling The Role Of Extension Agents, C. S. Pinares-Patino, J. Manhire, R. Garcia Ticllacuri, J. L. Bernal Madrid, V. M. Velez Marroquin

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Dairy farming in the Peruvian Andes is mostly undertaken by smallholder farmers (4-6 cows/family) and of relatively recent development. In fact, over the last 2 decades dairy farming at high altitudes (3,500‒4200 masl) has grown rapidly, replacing the camelids and sheep farming that once predominated. Dairying growth has been catalysed by subsides from state and private organizations. It promotes high input systems based on feedlot technology. Compared to sheep and camelids farming, dairying at the Andes does not have yet an inherent local/indigenous knowledge associated to it. High altitude Andean ecosystems pose many constraints for dairy farming (hypoxia and high …

Pastoralists’ Perception Of Poverty: A Case Of The Somali And Turkana Of Northern Kenya, W. P. Watete, Kogi-Makau

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Poverty is a complex phenomenon, without a single definition or standard methods of reducing it. Income based methods of assessing poverty have been shown to have limitations that undermine their application in measuring and attacking poverty among pastoral households. Stages of progress method of poverty assessment was used to assess poverty among pastoral households in Turkana and Mandera Counties of Northern Kenya. Three hundred and three hundred and fifty-four households in Mandera and Turkana Counties respectively were sampled across three different livelihood zones: pastoral, agro-pastoral and off-farm. Accumulation of livestock was regarded as a key indicator of wealth among pastoral …

Pastoralist Conservation: Local Ecological Knowledge And Collective Action For Grassland Conservation In Sierra De Segura (Spain), P. Sanosa-Cols, F. Ravera, F. Dominguez, M. Ventura

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Even if Pastoralism is not practised anymore by a majority of families in the Sierra de Segura (south-eastern Andalusia, Spain), it is still considered a paradigmatic way of life and management of its highlands and a key cultural heritage deeply rooted in local identity. In this article we explore two pastoral communities of this region, Santiago and Pontones, with their body of situated knowledge of the territory and natural resources, which helps pastoralists to organize their livelihoods, while requiring collective organization to manage access to grasslands. Through an ethnographic research based on participant observation and in-depth interviews, we explore the …

Intensification Of Pastoralism As A Driver Of Degradation In The Algerian Steppe, S. Bencherif, P. Manzano

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Land degradation linked to pastoralism use has been a worldwide concern for decades. A biological approach has often been use to understand such phenomena, usually disregarding economic and social factors. Radical transformations of pastoralism at the Algerian steppe constitute a good case study to provide an integrated understanding and to better orient development in other pastoralist areas across the world. Different actions by the public sector since the 1960s, as well as the land legislation adopted and the strong agricultural subventions during 2000-2010, have favored a massive conversion of land and resource management. This translates into conversion of many pastures …

Perceptions Of Rangeland Degradation In The Peruvian Altiplano Dry Puna And Implications, C. Turin, J. Gilles

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The Peruvian altiplano’s dry puna is the main feed source for specialized alpaca pastoralist systems. Experts argue that rangelands are severely degraded and have formulated policies and programs to address this. However, these programs have had little success. This paper presents a qualitative case study of the perceptions of rangeland degradation held in three Aymara communities, by range scientists of academia, personnel of NGOs operating in the region and by government officers. We found that each of these groups had distinct views of the level and causes of degradation in the region. Differences in perceptions undermined cooperation and trust between …

Endangered Sustainable Innovation: Indigenous Milk Hygiene And Preservation Techniques By Maasai Too Valuable To Lose, J. Y. Laffa, C. R. Mcculloch, D. Schoder

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The indigenous Parakuyo Maasai communities of Tanzania are traditional pastoralists who depend on fresh cow’s milk as a staple food. However, the arid climate and a lack of clean water challenge milk production and conventional milk hygiene practices.

By conducting informational interviews in eight Parakuyo Maasai regions and 13 districts of Tanzania we sought to identify the key indigenous plants preferred and establish their traditional manner of use. A semi-structured questionnaire was designed to: (i) determine the plants used, (ii) the parts used, (iii) methods of preparation and utensil smoking, (iv) therapeutic applications and associated health benefits of these plants, …

Developing A Glossary Of People-Focused Terms Related To Rangelands And Grasslands, Dana Kelly, Katherine I. Johnsen, Chris Magero, Tungalag Ulambayer, Ann Waters-Bayer

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Excellent glossaries on rangelands and grasslands have been developed by the Society for Range Management (SRM), the International Grassland Congress (IGC) and the International Rangeland Congress (IRC). However, these are largely confined to biophysical and technical terminology and contain very few concepts referring to social, institutional and policy aspects of using rangelands and grasslands. After the 10^th IRC in Saskatoon, Canada, in 2016, an informal group started to develop a glossary of such “people-focused” terms. The short and non-academic definitions are meant to improve communication and understanding by users/practitioners in rangeland and grassland management, policymakers, teachers, students, journalists and …

Could Cheese Be The Missing, Hard, Stable Currency To Fortify Self-Sufficiency Of Pastoralist Communities?, D. Schoder, J. Y. Laffa

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Traditional pastoral existence in Africa has always necessitated close, sustainable interaction with a harsh natural environment. Pastoralists, such as the indigenous Parakuyo Maasai of Tanzania traditionally depend on fresh cow’s milk as a staple. They are among the few African ethnic groups that still live as small, socially intact associations close to nature. Unfortunately, fresh milk is difficult to store and inevitably, times of plenty fluctuate with the times of hunger that threaten cultural retreat. Milk storage is particularly challenging in an arid climate without refrigeration and at such times, survival takes precedence over prosperity. We describe an ongoing pilot …

Comparative Analysis Of Agri-Food Systems For Extensive Livestock In The High Pyrenees And Creation Of A Multicriterian Tool For Its Evaluation, Laia Motos, Federica Ravera

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The main objective of this study is to compare the different agri-food systems of extensive livestock (ecological and conventional) of big and small ruminants (cattle and sheep respectively) in high Pyrenees. This objective is formulated by looking at the general lack of knowledge of the population regarding the functionality of these systems, the changes of management that have been introduced in the recent years, especially in terms of commercialization, and the different capacity of response of extensive livestock systems to climate change and other socio-economic complementary changes. Attributes and indicators have been selected for the comparative evaluation of livestock systems, …