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Meat production and maintaining biodiversity: Grazing by traditional breeds and crossbred beef cattle in marshes and grasslands
Author(s) -
Kovácsné Koncz Nóra,
Béri Béla,
Deák Balázs,
Kelemen András,
Tóth Katalin,
Kiss Réka,
Radócz Szilvia,
Miglécz Tamás,
Tóthmérész Béla,
Valkó Orsolya
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
applied vegetation science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.096
H-Index - 64
eISSN - 1654-109X
pISSN - 1402-2001
DOI - 10.1111/avsc.12475
Subject(s) - rangeland , grazing , breed , beef cattle , crossbreed , habitat , forage , panicum , marsh , agroforestry , biology , livestock , biodiversity , grassland , agronomy , ecology , zoology , wetland
Questions Sustainable rangeland utilization considering traditions and economic reasons is compulsory for harmonising the needs of the agricultural and nature conservation sectors. For proper rangeland management it is crucial to compare the grazing effects of traditional breeds and crossbred animals of the same species that might have different effects on the rangelands. To fill this knowledge gap, in a grazing experiment, we investigated the effect of cattle breeds on the vegetation to test the effects on nature conservation value and agricultural production value. We hypothesized that the effects of cattle grazing on habitat conservation values and forage quality depend on the grazing breed, because breeds differ in selectivity, body size and trampling effect. Location Marshes and alkaline wet grasslands in Hortobágy National Park, Hungary. Methods We recorded the percentage cover of vascular plants in three consecutive years in a total of 60 plots in 12 areas grazed by traditional (0.61 AU/ha) and large‐sized crossbred beef cattle (0.68 AU/ha). Results We found that the effect of cattle breed on the habitat conservation values and forage quality is dependent on the habitat type. The traditional breed maintained a significantly higher species number and Shannon diversity in marshes than the crossbred beef cattle. Grazing of crossbred cattle led to decreasing moisture indicator values in marsh habitats. Conclusions Our findings revealed that traditional breeds should be prioritized in the management of wet alkaline grasslands and marshes. Crossbred beef cattle might be a substitute but only in case traditional breeds are not available for the management of alkaline wet grasslands. In marshes, however, we recommend prioritizing the traditional breeds as they maintain higher diversity compared to crossbred beef cattle.