Livestock – an RSPB perspective

Dr Abi Burns

Senior Policy Officer

Livestock production :• contributes to all major drivers of biodiversity loss (Steinfeld et al ,2006)• accounts for estimated 30% of terrestrial biodiversity loss (PBL, 2011)• could, by 2050, occupy the majority of, or significantly overshoot estimates of

humanity’s ‘safe operating space’ in three key environmental domains (Pelletier and Tyedmers, 2010)

But• Many priority species and habitats depend

on livestock• 20% of the habitats on Annex 1 to the

Habitats Directive are permanent pasture/meadow

• Grazed habitats provide other benefits including carbon sequestration

• Livestock have a key role in closing nutrient cycles

• Second order impacts• The multifunctional nature of livestock farming• ‘Efficiency’ doesn’t capture all environmental impacts

Tarnhouse Case Study

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CPLAN v0 CPLAN v2 CALM CFF ECO2

Emissions for beef (kg CO2 eq/kg LW)

Extensive cattle grazing

• Optimum grazing pressure = lowprovides mixture of prey-rich tall/old grass and accessible short grass

• cf abandonment: too dense for access or predator avoidance; sward deterioration

• cf economically productive management:food chains disrupted (no large invertebrates or seeds)most grasslands avoided by birds

Biodiversity opportunities

Low grazing pressure• low economic returns• agri-environment support• carbon sequestration benefits?

Intensive grazing (high utilisation efficiency)• crops largely sterile for wildlife – including legume based options?• agri-environment style add-ons essential• potential opportunities to develop new agri-environment measures –

especially around legume-based crops• greater potential in mixed farming – especially whole-crop silage

using cereals (not maize) & brassicas

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Cattle

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Changing livestock numbers in the UK Less Favoured Areas – an analysis of likely biodiversity implications, Cumulus Consultants

Livestock unit change

Changing livestock numbers in the UK Less Favoured Areas –an analysis of likely biodiversity implications, Cumulus Consultants

• Less cattle and mixed grazing• Greater use of continental/improved breeds

• Hill:Summer grazing starting laterLess out-wintering and feeding Less hefting and shepherdingLess common grazingLess burning

In-bye:More intensive use of in-bye Shift from hay to silageMore housing of cattle More indoor lambingMore finishing of stock

Grazing regime changes

• Farmed land

– High proportion of semi-natural vegetation

– Mosaic of low intensity agriculture

– Features such as field margins, hedgerows, walls, woodland margins, wetlands

• In UK, mostly (but not exclusively) associated with low-intensity beef and sheep farming in uplands

What is High Nature Value (HNV) Farming?

A shared goal – the manifesto

• Farming central to keeping these places special

• Work with communities of interest – a voice for HNV farming

• Targeted support to secure long-term viability of these precious systems

• Innovate – modern ways that work with tradition

• Secure multiple benefits of HNV

• Time to act!

Our organisations have come together for the first time to join some very

important dots and start a conversation that affects us all.

Join the conversation about the future of our food at:

www.foodresearch.org.uk/square-meal