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Effect of livestock breed and grazing intensity on grazing systems: 5. Management and policy implications
Author(s) -
Mills J.,
Rook A. J.,
Dumont B.,
Isselstein J.,
Scimone M.,
Wallis De Vries M. F.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
grass and forage science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.716
H-Index - 56
eISSN - 1365-2494
pISSN - 0142-5242
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2494.2007.00596.x
Subject(s) - grazing , biodiversity , livestock , environmental resource management , business , agroforestry , stocking , diversity (politics) , natural resource economics , geography , environmental science , ecology , economics , biology , forestry , sociology , anthropology
Summary This paper explores the management and policy implications of research findings investigating the use of grazing intensity and traditional breeds to achieve biodiversity outcomes on grasslands in four countries of Europe. An economic analysis, based on these research findings, indicated that financial assistance and/or premium prices are required to achieve sustainable grazing systems with a high biodiversity. The research findings suggested that existing agri‐environment scheme prescriptions based only on blanket stocking rates are too crude to increase plant diversity, lacking consideration of initial site conditions. Conversely, some invertebrates seem to rapidly benefit from lenient stocking, highlighting the importance of clear goals for agri‐environment schemes. Recommendations for an appropriate support package to deliver grazing systems with high biodiversity are presented.