While cattle and sheep farming can have an impact on the biodiversity of an area, fresh approaches to grazing are helping farming and native biodiversity coexist.
What is Biodiversity?
Biodiversity is the variety of all lifeforms found in one area; the different plants, animals and micro-organisms that live there, as well as the ecosystems in which they exist. Biodiversity is important for a productive and healthy environment, as it helps provide habitat for native species, supplies clean air and water, maintains soil health, and pollinates plants.
A healthy ecosystem helps farms be more productive, and farmers around the country (like the Hallidays in Walcha, NSW) are actively working to support biodiversity conservation by introducing new pastures and different species to the mix.
Biodiversity benefits when livestock and land are effectively managed together
Research has demonstrated that sustainable grazing land management practices, such as caring for the plants and animals that cohabit with grazing stock in healthy grazing lands, helps increase native biodiversity and healthy landscapes.
To understand this concept better, the industry is looking into sustainable land management practices and biodiversity on farms to identify how certain grazing approaches can help or hinder biodiversity. Once this research is complete, red meat producers will be given the tools and support to better protect the diverse ecosystems on their farms, while ensuring their businesses remain economically viable.
160 million hectares of cattle-producing land is actively managed for biodiversity outcomes
55% of cattle-producing land, representing almost 160 million hectares of surveyed Australian grazing land (larger than the size of all European Union farms combined!) is being actively managed for biodiversity, where on-farm management activities directly contribute to positive environmental and biodiversity outcomes. These results include both environmental management and active grazing management such as fencing, weed and pest management, paddock spelling, and water access management.
Almost 66 million hectares of land is being managed by sheep producers
Over 70% of sheep producers, who work to preserve, protect and improve the natural resources and biodiversity on their property, are taking action to measure, maintain or enhance biodiversity through groundcover management, minimum tillage and multi-species planting. Furthermore, 6% of producers said they used remote sensing technologies or external assessment to track biodiversity indicators on their property.
Dung beetles recycle nutrients in pastures and help store carbon in the soil
Dung beetles are carbon storage warriors.
As a result of the process of burying the dung in the soil, beetles improve the flow of water, nutrients and carbon into the root zones of pastures, which in turn:
boosts pasture productivity (dung beetles can increase the pasture growth response by ~30% over a two-year period)
prevents build-up of flies and nematodes, leading to improved animal health and productivity
assists producers to sequester carbon and contribute towards a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.
Well-managed livestock can have a positive impact on soil health
Nutrients in livestock manure enriches the soil. Soil organisms such as earthworms break down the manure, enhancing soil structure and releasing nutrients for plant growth, which promotes soil carbon storage.
What else is the red meat industry doing to increase biodiversity?
Best practice guidelines for red meat producers are available to help them protect the native biodiversity on their land. These include:
Keeping the number of grazing animals within the sustainable capacity of the property
Using perennial pastures (as opposed to annual pastures) as they maintain a greater level of ground cover year-round, reducing the potential for soil erosion weed establishment
Keeping soils healthy and in good condition
Maintaining ground cover above 60%-70%
Setting aside at least 10-15% of the property as core areas for biodiversity conservation
Keeping weeds and feral animals in check.
Did you know?
Due to efforts to reduce land clearing and deforestation on land that produces red meat, total net woody vegetation in Australia has remained stable over the past 30 years (source).
On many south-east Australian farms, native pastures make up 65% or more of the grazing area, helping to maintain native biodiversity and healthy landscapes (source).
Most of the native plant and animal species that occur in grazed pastures tolerate or prefer some livestock grazing. Birds such as Magpies and Willy Wagtails prefer to forage in open short pastures (source) .
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