PROJECT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
Grassland ecosystems, including the soil and hedges, hold an important part of Europe’s biodiversity. They offer ideal conditions for a vast array of species and habitats and are especially important for birds and invertebrates, providing vital breeding grounds. Grasslands are also the source of a wide range of ecosystem services, ranging from meat and dairy products to recreational and tourism opportunities. In addition, they act as carbon sinks, and are therefore a vital asset in the effort to reduce levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Except for very limited areas of special natural grassland types, most European grasslands are maintained through grazing or cutting. However, changes in agricultural practices and land-use pressures mean that grasslands are disappearing at an alarming rate and are nowadays among Europe’s most threatened ecosystems.
OBJECTIVES
The PTD LIFE project aimed to validate a technology to improve the environmental performance of grassland systems and ensure their sustainability. Specifically, the project planned to develop and test an agro-environmental method called "dynamic rotational grazing" (DRG), and demonstrate its beneficial technological, ecological and economic impacts. The project aimed to test DRG on the farms of 120 cattle, dairy and sheep breeders, in partnership with local actors and specialised providers. Specific objectives also included the preservation of hedgerows, the improvement of good livestock breeding practices, and the selection of the most appropriate grass species.
RESULTS
The PTD LIFE project implemented the agro-environmental method called "dynamic rotational grazing" (DRG) in collaboration with 133 livestock breeders, which enhanced the farms' sustainability - both economically and environmentally - and helped improve the public image of livestock farming.
The implementation of DRG reduced agricultural inputs, including fertilisers, leading to less nitrogen leakage into groundwater tables and reducing the risk of water pollution due to excessive nutrients (e.g. eutrophication). This technique is able to replace all N inputs, although, as P and K nutrients started to show signs of depletion after 3 years, it falls short of compensating a total absence of inputs. Nonetheless, this reduced need of inputs resulted in lower production costs.
GHG emissions were reduced due to less use of machinery (e.g. ploughing) and reduced transport of livestock farming products. DRG improved the carbon storage capacity of permanent pastures, through the extended longevity of pastures under the system compared to conventional farming.
Additional benefits were linked to the presence of hedgerows, such as higher bird and plant biodiversity, ecological continuity and reduced soil erosion. DRG resulted in less nitrogen pollution in water tables, having a positive effect on water quality at the watershed scale. This DRG side effect will be explored further after the project end, in partnership with local water unions. There has been a general improvement in grassland biodiversity and soil quality, due to the higher proportion of leguminous plants, implying better microbial flora, cation exchange capacity, improved soil structure, water retention and global nutrient balance. To refine these quite general conclusions, future research activities by INRA should include the study of DRG impact on arthropod and small mammal populations.
DRG is a method that addresses the issue of agricultural intensification, particularly intensive livestock breeding. It provides a viable alternative to the production-driven systems favoured in western European agriculture. The idea behind DRG is to control intensification by developing sustainable livestock grazing, thus halting the disappearance of farmlands under permanent pastures and decreasing the EU’s dependence on imported animal feed. Although the proof of concept was established long before the beginning of the project (the first study on DRG in France dates back to 1957), a strong scientific base was still lacking to highlight the benefits of the method and to help it achieve popularity among farmers. At the start of the project, vast majority of EU livestock farms were unaware of this technique and its environmental/socio-economic potential.
The project’s business model can inspire others involved in livestock management to implement DRG. It raised the possibility of creating a DRG-specific meat quality label, with potential synergies with other certifications schemes. Improved profitability of the livestock farming sector was noted, mostly thanks to reduced dependence on inputs and improved energy efficiency overall. Implementing DRG entails very low capital investment (approximately €100-200/ha). This makes DRG implementation quite profitable for well-managed livestock farming.
The project team created a network of users and new partnerships among varied structures and organisations. They helped change opinions on landscape elements such as single trees and hedgerows in grasslands. The project led to an improved public image and environmental revalorisation of the livestock farming sector, often perceived as an environmental nuisance and major driver of climate change. The project also led to the development of specific livestock management skills at the local scale, through training of technicians and farmers.
