Search Results (19)

This review analyzes sustainable and regenerative development in the beef production chain, focusing on environmental impacts and pasture-based cattle farming. Livestock emissions account for about 14.5% of global anthropogenic greenhouse gases, with beef cattle contributing 3–3.2% mainly from enteric fermentation and manure management. Pasture-based cow-calf operations generate 60–70% of these emissions, posing significant challenges for producers. Improper grazing degrades soil and vegetation, reducing productivity, while climate change and technology introduce new animal health issues. At the same time, given that beef is an important food item worldwide, it is important to strive for the regenerative management of beef cattle farming. This article lists possibilities for researchers, beef cattle breeders, and farmers to follow and implement, in the hope that the sector will become regenerative. Scientific innovation in grazing-based beef cattle systems should focus on precision livestock monitoring, regenerative pasture management, genetic selection, and improving animal health, as well as identifying opportunities within the value chain. Such innovations could help to optimize productivity, enhance sustainability, improve animal welfare, and generate new income streams through ecosystem services or premium grass-fed markets. Full article

Mediterranean agroecosystems are highly vulnerable to climate change, soil degradation, and declining soil organic carbon (SOC), threatening long-term agricultural sustainability. Carbon farming and regenerative agriculture have emerged as complementary approaches to restore soil functionality while contributing to climate change mitigation. This review synthesizes peer-reviewed literature published between 2015 and 2025 to assess the agronomic effectiveness of key regenerative and carbon farming practices in Mediterranean systems. A structured bibliographic analysis using Scopus and Web of Science evaluated practices influencing SOC dynamics, erosion control, water regulation, and associated ecosystem services. Evidence indicates that the introduction of cover crops in the crop rotation and reduced or no-tillage are the most consistently effective practices for enhancing SOC stocks, particularly when combined with organic amendments and diversified rotations. Crop diversification, intercropping, and agroforestry further support SOC accumulation and erosion control, especially in perennial systems such as vineyards and olive orchards. Organic inputs stimulate microbial-mediated carbon stabilization, while regenerative grazing contributes to nutrient cycling under context-specific conditions. Across practices, integrated management consistently delivers greater and more stable benefits than single interventions. Regenerative agriculture thus provides a systems-based foundation for carbon farming in Mediterranean agroecosystems. Long-term field experiments and improved monitoring frameworks remain essential to quantify carbon persistence and support policy implementation. Full article

Although bud banks are key components of vegetation regeneration in degraded alpine meadows, their relationships with soil conditions on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau remain insufficiently understood. In this study, we investigated bud bank composition and density, plant functional group biomass, soil physicochemical properties, and soil microbial biomass across five degradation stages of alpine meadows in a long-term controlled grazing experiment. Field sampling was conducted in mid-August 2021, and the relationships between bud bank densities, plant biomass, and soil variables were evaluated using comparative statistical analyses, redundancy analysis, and structural equation modeling. Bud bank density increased from non-degraded to moderately degraded meadows, reaching 3075 buds m⁻², but declined sharply in severely degraded meadows to 183 buds m⁻². Regarding distinct bud types, rhizome and tiller bud densities peaked in moderately degraded alpine meadows (1217 and 1750 buds m⁻², respectively), whereas dicot bud density peaked in lightly degraded meadows. Bud bank density was positively associated with higher soil moisture content and negatively associated with increased soil bulk density. Moreover, bud bank density was positively correlated with soil organic carbon, total phosphorus, ammonium nitrogen, and soil microbial biomass carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus. Our findings indicate that soil conditions may favor the maintenance of high bud bank density in moderately degraded meadows with high soil moisture, low bulk density, and more nutrient-rich soil conditions in moderately degraded meadows. Overall, our results indicate that alpine meadow degradation influences belowground regenerative capacity through changes in soil conditions and associated shifts in bud bank dynamics. Therefore, assessments and restoration of degraded alpine meadows should consider bud bank persistence in addition to aboveground vegetation characteristics. Full article

Chile’s livestock industry faces growing demands for emissions reduction, animal welfare, and value creation, while continuing to play a key role in rural food security and pasture-based production systems. In light of Chile’s varied agroclimatic conditions, a diminishing national herd, and shifting market signals, such as alternative proteins and distinctive meat products, this narrative review explores four complementary transition pathways: sustainable intensification, organic and agroecological systems, heritage livestock, and regenerative practices. We map the structural challenges, including grazing dairy and beef herds, fragmented producer organization, and the absence of unified, farm-scale greenhouse-gas measurements. We assess the management strategies that have the strongest support; viz., efficiency gains at the animal/herd level, adaptive grazing and silvopastoral designs, nutrient cycling via manure management and local by-products, and welfare frameworks that are aligned with national law and World Organisation for Animal Health guidance. Heritage systems (e.g., Chilota sheep breed in the Chiloé archipelago) provide resilience, cultural identity, and low-input baselines for stepwise transitions. Regenerative procedures can improve soil function and drought buffering but require context-specific designs and credible outcome-based verification to avoid greenwashing. Key enabling policies include coordinated certification and labeling covering animal welfare and origin. Additional elements are cooperative and territorial governance, targeted R&D and extension services for smallholders, and a transparent, standardized greenhouse-gas measurement framework linking farm-level actions to national inventories. Chile’s pathway is not a single model but a practical combination shaped by regional conditions that can deliver long-term economic sustainability, ecosystem services, and nutrition. Full article

In agriculture, climate change is the most critical global issue. It is widely acknowledged that addressing this issue poses a considerable challenge, primarily due to its multifaceted impact on regional economies and land management practices. The concept of Nature-based Solutions (NbS) provides a prosperous approach offering both adaptation and mitigation models. However, NbS implementation is often compromised by various natural and societal challenges. Vojvodina Province, the northern province of the Republic of Serbia, features a typical rural landscape where centuries of agricultural practice have led to significant environmental changes, with 70% of the territory converted to arable land. However, climate change has been demonstrated to induce increasingly extreme weather conditions, which in turn exacerbate the situation with regard to food production. This paper aims to examine the most prosperous ways for NbS implementation in Vojvodina Province. The preset study mapped areas suitable for the implementation of selected NbS on the territory of Vojvodina Province. Maps were created in QGIS, while data were extracted from various sources (CORINE Land Cover, OpenStreetMap, the Institute for Nature Conservation of Vojvodina Province, and EUNIS platform). The area suitable for NbS in Vojvodina amounts to 1,183,228 ha or 55.74%. An increase in the area dedicated to organic and regenerative agriculture is projected, with a predicted range of up to 5%. Finally, we have identified grazing as a desirable management option for grassland management, which we have mapped, and it could potentially be practiced on almost 10% of the territory. Moreover, the engagement of various stakeholders is crucial in the implementation of NbS over the territory of the rural landscape. Considering that neighboring countries are facing the same climate circumstances and a similar social context, the findings we have presented in the paper may be applied to the region of the southern part of the Pannonian Plain. Full article

Rotational grazing and cover crops are conservation practices known to improve soil health, particularly soil organic carbon (SOC) and aggregate stability. Combining both practices may enhance these benefits more than either alone. With grazing lands covering 41% of U.S. agricultural land, adopting such methods could significantly impact the soil carbon cycle. A study near Koshkonong, Missouri, examined the effects of regenerative organic grazing with Bubalus bubalis (Linnaeus) on SOC, carbon sequestration, aggregate stability, and soil resistance. The 1620-hectare ranch tested four treatments: rotational grazing with cover crops (RGCC), grazing on native grasses (RGNCC), cover crops without grazing (NGCC), and orchards without cover crops or grazing (NGNCC). Cover crops were seeded twice yearly with diverse species. After three years, SOC increased most in NGNCC (28%), followed by RGCC (13%), NGCC (7%), and RGNCC (4%). Annual carbon gains in surface soils were highest in NGNCC (0.99 Mg ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹). Across all depths, NGCC led (4.88 Mg ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹). Aggregate stability was greatest in non-grazed systems, particularly in fine aggregates, and declined with soil disturbance. Overall, low-disturbance systems like orchards and no-grazing cover crop plots enhanced soil structure and carbon storage. Strategic management is key to improving soil function and ecosystem resilience. Full article

Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) is an ambitious initiative by the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) to tackle land degradation. Inspired by the “no net loss” concept, LDN seeks to counterbalance unavoidable land degradation—primarily driven by food systems—through targeted regenerative actions at multiple scales—such as regenerative agriculture or grazing practices that simultaneously support production and preserve land fertility. The objective is to ensure that degradation does not surpass the 2015 baseline. While the UNCCD’s Science–Policy Interface provides guidance and the LDN Target Setting Programme has led many countries to define baselines using agreed indicators (soil organic carbon, land use change, and primary productivity), concrete intervention strategies often remain poorly defined. Moreover, the voluntary nature of LDN has limited its effectiveness. A key shortcoming is the lack of integrated planning. LDN should function as a “Plan of Plans”—a coordinating framework to align policies across sectors and scales, reconciling conflicting agendas in areas such as food, energy, and water. To this end, we advocate for a systemic approach to uncover synergies, manage trade-offs, and guide decision-making in complex socio-ecological landscapes. Land degradation is intricately linked to issues such as food insecurity, land acquisitions, and transboundary water stress. Although LDN is implemented at the national level, its success also depends on accounting for global dynamics—particularly “LDN leaks”, where land degradation is outsourced through international trade in food and raw materials. In an increasingly complex world shaped by globalization, resource depletion, and unpredictable system dynamics, effective responses demand an integrated socio-ecological management approach. LDN is not simply a strategy to address desertification. It offers a comprehensive framework for sustainable resource management, enabling the balancing of trade-offs and the promotion of long-term resilience. Full article

Kazakhstan’s pasture, as a spatially extended agricultural resource for sustainable animal husbandry, requires effective monitoring with connected rational uses. Ranking number nine globally in terms of land size, Kazakhstan, with an area of about three million square km, requires proper assessment technologies for climate change and anthropogenic impact to track the pasture lands’ degradation. Remote sensing (RS)-based adaptive approaches for assessing pasture load, combined with field cross-checking of pastures, have been applied to evaluate the quality of vegetation cover, economic potential, service function, regenerative capacity, pasture productivity, and changes in plant species composition for five pilot regions in Kazakhstan. The current stages of these efforts are presented in this project report. The pasture lands in five regions, including Pavlodar (8,340,064 ha), North Kazakhstan (2,871,248 ha), Akmola (5,783,503 ha), Kostanay (11,762,318 ha), Karaganda (19,709,128 ha), and Ulytau (18,260,865 ha), were evaluated. Combined RS data were processed and the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Leaf Area Index (LAI), Fraction of Vegetation Cover (FCover), Fraction of Absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation (FAPAR), Canopy Chlorophyll Content (CCC), and Canopy Water Content (CWC) indices were determined, in relation to the herbage of pastures and their growth and development, for field biophysical analysis. The highest values of LAI, FCOVER, and FARAR were recorded in the Akmola region, with index values of 18.5, 126.42, and 53.9, and the North Kazakhstan region, with index values of 17.89, 143.45, and 57.91, respectively. The massive 2024 spring floods, which occurred in the Akmola, North Kazakhstan, Kostanay, and Karaganda regions, caused many problems, particularly to civil constructions and buildings; however, these same floods had a very positive impact on pasture areas as they increased soil moisture. Further detailed investigations are ongoing to update the flood zones, wetlands, and swamp areas. The mapping of proper flood zones is required in Kazakhstan for pasture activities, rather than civil building construction. The related sustainable permissible grazing husbandry pasture loads are required to develop also. Recommendations for these preparation efforts are in the works. Full article

Interest in soil health is growing, though the speed and effectiveness of management practices in improving it are uncertain. We measured biological, chemical, and physical indicators of soil health within a working farm zero, five, and nine years after transitioning from regular applications of inorganic fertilizers and pesticides to cover cropping, compost additions, organic amendments, and rotational grazing. We quantified microbial biomass and composition, soil organic matter (SOM), nutrient availabilities, and water stable aggregates in an avocado orchard, a citrus orchard, a pasture, and a vegetable garden. We found substantial and consistent increases in SOM, water stable aggregates, and microbial biomass, especially during the first five years, whereas nutrient availabilities showed no consistent change. Fungal and bacterial communities shifted but not fungal–bacterial biomass ratios or richness. However, fungal guilds responded differently to shifts in management. The biomass of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi increased in most crops, and fungal saprotroph relative abundance and richness generally increased, whereas putative fungal pathogens showed the opposite response. Overall, we found substantial and rapid increases in indicators associated with improved soil health following the transition from conventional to regenerative management. Full article

Livestock and dairy farmers are increasingly required to maintain productivity and profitability while mitigating the environmental harm associated with high-input agriculture. Accordingly, to reduce reliance on synthetic fertilizers, a wide range of organically derived products are being evaluated for their effects on sward growth and forage quality. This study used glasshouse experiments to investigate the responses of four grass species to a novel organic fertilizer derived from the mass production of black soldier fly larvae [Hermetia illucens, HexaFrass™, Meath, Ireland]. Although there was some variability among trials, overall our results indicate that application of HexaFrass produced increased shoot growth of Perennial Ryegrass (PRG; Lolium perenne L.), Timothy (Phleum pratense L.), and Cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata L.) compared with growth achieved in no-fertilizer control plants. In addition to increases in shoot fresh and dry weight, shoot chlorophyll content was also positively related to the HexaFrass application rate. At nitrogen-equivalent application rates, HexaFrass resulted in lower shoot growth compared with the application of urea, suggesting that the nitrogen contained in HexaFrass may not be immediately plant-available. Of relevance to grazing or silage systems, the addition of HexaFrass resulted in increased shoot regrowth of PRG and Timothy after shoots had been cut. Based on our results, insect-frass-based fertilizers may have a role in low input, organic, and/or regenerative pasture-based livestock systems, although issues may occur due to the relatively high costs and low availability compared with other organic soil amendments such as farmyard manure and slurry. Full article

Virtual fences for livestock facilitated by a GPS shock collar (GPS-SC) and phone app were introduced to the UK in cattle herd trials in 2020. Technology which uses aversive shocks to control livestock movement on farms and in other settings poses a significant risk to livestock welfare. There are currently no welfare protocols in place in the UK to ensure the ethical use of GPS-SCs. The objective of this study was to understand how GPS-SCs were being used in practice in the UK and gather data to assist researchers and policymakers in the future research and development of a welfare protocol for the UK. We studied how the technology performs in terms of welfare challenges and opportunities, covering extensive livestock production, conservation settings, “rewilding”, and regenerative farming practices, where the technology is currently being applied. Semistructured interviews were conducted with key stakeholders. In-depth interviews (n = 8) supported the previous literature that the use of GPS-SCs in restricted grazing settings poses a risk to animal welfare. This is due to the wavering virtual fence boundary line (which is affected by satellite movements), a lack of visual markers, and, in some “rewilding” and conservation settings, livestock keepers, which require training and support to enable optimal welfare in practice and prevent misuse of the technology. Results also indicated that there are opportunities for enhancing livestock welfare with GPS-SCs in very extensive farm settings, where targeted care can be facilitated by using the data to monitor and track livestock using GPS-SCs, and which can also prevent cattle injury or fatality through virtual pastures designed to protect livestock from hazards such as roads or bogs. Future research is needed to focus on minimising shocks in the training period and to better understand the value of visual electric fences in the training process. Full article

The emergence of cloud computing, big data analytics, and machine learning has catalysed the use of remote sensing technologies to enable more timely management of sustainability indicators, given the uncertainty of future climate conditions. Here, we examine the potential of “regenerative agriculture”, as an adaptive grazing management strategy to minimise bare ground exposure while improving pasture productivity. High-intensity sheep grazing treatments were conducted in small fields (less than 1 ha) for short durations (typically less than 1 day). Paddocks were subsequently spelled to allow pasture biomass recovery (treatments comprising 3, 6, 9, 12, and 15 months), with each compared with controls characterised by lighter stocking rates for longer periods (2000 DSE/ha). Pastures were composed of wallaby grass (Austrodanthonia species), kangaroo grass (Themeda triandra), Phalaris (Phalaris aquatica), and cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata), and were destructively sampled to estimate total standing dry matter (TSDM), standing green biomass, standing dry biomass and trampled biomass. We invoked a machine learning model forced with Sentinel-2 imagery to quantify TSDM, standing green and dry biomass. Faced with La Nina conditions, regenerative grazing did not significantly impact pasture productivity, with all treatments showing similar TSDM, green biomass and recovery. However, regenerative treatments significantly impacted litterfall and trampled material, with high-intensity grazing treatments trampling more biomass, increasing litter, enhancing surface organic matter and decomposition rates thereof. Pasture digestibility and sward uniformity were greatest for treatments with minimal spelling (3 months), whereas both standing senescent and trampled material were greater for the 15-month spelling treatment. TSDM prognostics from machine learning were lower than measured TSDM, although predictions from the machine learning approach closely matched observed spatiotemporal variability within and across treatments. The root mean square error between the measured and modelled TSDM was 903 kg DM/ha, which was less than the variability measured in the field. We conclude that regenerative grazing with short recovery periods (3–6 months) was more conducive to increasing pasture production under high rainfall conditions, and we speculate that – in this environment - high-intensity grazing with 3-month spelling is likely to improve soil organic carbon through increased litterfall and trampling. Our study paves the way for using machine learning with satellite imagery to quantify pasture biomass at small scales, enabling the management of pastures within small fields from afar. Full article

Calluna vulgaris-dominated heathlands are a priority habitat type in Annex I of the Habitats Directive (92/43/ECC, habitat code 4060). In the Iberian Peninsula, the landscape of the Cantabrian Mountain range has great heterogeneity due to human management during the last 10,000 years. Another factor that can affect these communities is the increase in human-induced atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition. During the last century, there has been a dramatic increase in N deposition rates. For all these reasons, it is important to know the regeneration dynamics of the heathlands in the context of the disturbances that these communities currently face (i.e., N deposition, fire, and decrease in sheep grazing) in the Cantabrian Mountain range. In this study, we characterized the plant species composition and soil seed bank after prescribed burning in three heathlands on their southern distribution limit in Spain, to gain insights into regenerative capacity and conservation of these communities. The results obtained suggest that the post-burn soil seed bank could restore Calluna-dominated vegetation in these habitats, indicating that the restoration potential from the soil seed bank after wildfires of these habitats is high. Our results also suggest that, in the short term after burning, the main characteristic species such as Calluna and Erica are recovered, which is fundamental to maintain the heathland community structure. Full article

Livestock farmers are seeking ways to lower their environmental footprints by reducing inputs, lowering greenhouse gas emissions, and enhancing carbon sequestration. To meet these objectives, farmers are investigating the value of diverse multispecies grazing swards and various organic by-products as alternative fertilizers and soil amendments. This study investigated the effects of HexaFrass™ [HexaFly, Meath, Ireland], an insect frass based organic fertilizer, and biochar, a form of charcoal, on the shoot dry matter accumulation of two forage plants, chicory and ribwort plantain. Under glasshouse conditions, HexaFrass™ generally increased the shoot growth of both chicory and plantain, although these positive effects were lost if an excessive amount of HexaFrass™ was applied, or the growing medium was already nutrient-rich. Importantly, it was found that HexaFrass™ also increased the re-growth of shoots after cutting, which is vital for plants that are destined to be successfully used in grazing or silage swards. Biochar had a less obvious effect on the shoot dry matter accumulation, although there was some evidence of a synergy between biochar and HexaFrass™, which caused an additional increase in the shoot growth. The results indicate that frass-based fertilizers could play a role in low-input mixed swards, whereas the potential of biochar as a soil amendment in these grazing systems requires further research. Full article

Regenerative agriculture is a potential alternative to conventional agricultural systems. It integrates the components of zero-tillage, permanent soil cover, diverse crop rotations and rotational or mob-grazing by ruminant livestock. Earthworms are beneficial soil macrofauna and function as indicators of soil health. A need exists to identify how earthworm populations are affected when all four regenerative agriculture components are implemented simultaneously. This study investigates earthworm abundance in three split-plot treatments located on adjacent land within the same farm: (1) ungrazed permanent grassland, (2) a three-year grass-clover ley within an arable zero tillage system without grazing and (3) identical to treatment 2 but with mob-grazing. Earthworms were sampled using soil pits and classified into four functional groups: epigeic (surface dwellers), endogeic (sub-surface), anecic (deep soil) and juveniles. The total earthworm count, epigeic and juvenile functional groups were significantly (p ≤ 0.05) higher in treatment (3), the arable zero tillage system with mob-grazing. Mob-grazing increases the diversity of carbon sources available to earthworms and has a positive impact on earthworm abundance and functional group diversity within the arable rotation under evaluation. Full article