Description
The subject of this paper is a definition of Extensive Grazing from Extensive Systems of Animal Production in Mediterranean environments. The edaphoclimatic characterization is essential to understand the low level of primary productivity as a consequence of irregular precipitation over the year and its absence during the long, dry and hot summer. The powerless of soils justify the limited contribution of plants and make clear the necessary recovery of the soil and storage of water naturally (soil) or artificially (irrigation). Considering the IPBES (Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services) definition of extensive grazing it has been used the National Statistics from 1999 – 2019 to calculate the Portuguese Stocking Rates related with pasture and forage production which means the potential productivity of each region. The correlations between these criterions are at the base of the definition of stocking rates. The systems of extensive animal production have been characterized in two distinct regions: the south, with larger farms and the feeding scheme of extensive animal production adapted and the north, with small farms and fluxes evolved in production system where the forage is replaced by “lameiros”(small parcels in rich/wet soils of swards of grass-legume mixtures of forage). Clearly the effects of management differed between regions. Local breeds of all domestic animal species are well adapted to these specific systems of production and higher levels of productivity can be achieved by crossing with selected pure breeds. The evaluation of environmental sustainability was calculated by C sequestration and GEE effects on global warming and finally the Balance of Energy of the system have been the indicators to use for the classification of the system. The conclusions refer that stoking rates cannot surpass 1,4 NH/ha with a feeding scheme based on natural resources and forage products. When stoking rates surpass this value, systems should have GEE balance below 0 and BE upper 1.
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Contribute to a Definition of Extensive Grazing (Mediterranean)
The subject of this paper is a definition of Extensive Grazing from Extensive Systems of Animal Production in Mediterranean environments. The edaphoclimatic characterization is essential to understand the low level of primary productivity as a consequence of irregular precipitation over the year and its absence during the long, dry and hot summer. The powerless of soils justify the limited contribution of plants and make clear the necessary recovery of the soil and storage of water naturally (soil) or artificially (irrigation). Considering the IPBES (Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services) definition of extensive grazing it has been used the National Statistics from 1999 – 2019 to calculate the Portuguese Stocking Rates related with pasture and forage production which means the potential productivity of each region. The correlations between these criterions are at the base of the definition of stocking rates. The systems of extensive animal production have been characterized in two distinct regions: the south, with larger farms and the feeding scheme of extensive animal production adapted and the north, with small farms and fluxes evolved in production system where the forage is replaced by “lameiros”(small parcels in rich/wet soils of swards of grass-legume mixtures of forage). Clearly the effects of management differed between regions. Local breeds of all domestic animal species are well adapted to these specific systems of production and higher levels of productivity can be achieved by crossing with selected pure breeds. The evaluation of environmental sustainability was calculated by C sequestration and GEE effects on global warming and finally the Balance of Energy of the system have been the indicators to use for the classification of the system. The conclusions refer that stoking rates cannot surpass 1,4 NH/ha with a feeding scheme based on natural resources and forage products. When stoking rates surpass this value, systems should have GEE balance below 0 and BE upper 1.
