The environmental cost-benefits of improving pasture productivity on upland cattle systems
Status: Recently completed
Contact person: Non Williams (non.williams@bangor.ac.uk) / Dr Prysor Williams / Dr James Gibbons
Funding sources: KESS/European Social Fund, Hybu Cig Cymru
Background: A large proportion of Wales’ agricultural land is classified as uplands. The majority of this land is used for livestock production, but pasture productivity is often low. This, together with market forces, mean that cattle numbers in the uplands are declining. Improving pasture productivity and grass utilisation could provide numerous benefits such as increasing the length of the grazing season, thereby reducing supplementary feed requirements and decreasing greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture.
Field trials set up at Henfaes Research Centre have investigated the environmental cost-benefits of increasing pasture productivity in the uplands, and cattle liveweight gain on improved and unimproved uplands and the associated trade-offs. An improved understanding of this is important for identifying opportunities to increase production efficiencies on-farm as well as reduce greenhouse gas emissions from upland cattle systems.
Aims:
- To assess pasture productivity and quality in the uplands under different management options, and to investigate the associated environmental impact
- To examine cattle liveweight gain from upland pasture, along with the environmental impact of cattle grazing systems
- To investigate upland land use and competition in the future
Website: Follow Non on Twitter for regular updates - @nongwilliams
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