Grazing Cattle, Sheep, and Goats Are Important Parts of a Sustainable Agricultural Future
Many people believe that animal agriculture should be phased out and replaced with vegetarian substitutes. The livestock industry has also been attacked because it uses vast amounts of land. People forget that grazing cattle or sheep can be raised on land that is either too arid or too rough for rai...
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2022-08-01
|
| Series: | Animals |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/12/16/2092 |
| _version_ | 1797439925133508608 |
|---|---|
| author | Temple Grandin |
| author_facet | Temple Grandin |
| author_sort | Temple Grandin |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Many people believe that animal agriculture should be phased out and replaced with vegetarian substitutes. The livestock industry has also been attacked because it uses vast amounts of land. People forget that grazing cattle or sheep can be raised on land that is either too arid or too rough for raising crops. At least 20% of the habitable land on Earth is not suitable for crops. Rotational grazing systems can be used to improve both soil health and vegetation diversity on arid land. Grazing livestock are also being successfully used to graze cover crops on prime farmland. Soil health is improved when grazing on a cover crop is rotated with conventional cash crops, such as corn or soybeans. It also reduces the need for buying fertilizer. Grazing animals, such as cattle, sheep, goats, or bison, should be used as part of a sustainable system that will improve the land, help sequester carbon, and reduce animal welfare issues. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T12:00:50Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-9297b8fd7d0647bdb7a51a833dca9496 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-2615 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T12:00:50Z |
| publishDate | 2022-08-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Animals |
| spelling | doaj.art-9297b8fd7d0647bdb7a51a833dca94962023-11-30T23:04:03ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152022-08-011216209210.3390/ani12162092Grazing Cattle, Sheep, and Goats Are Important Parts of a Sustainable Agricultural FutureTemple Grandin0Department of Animal Science, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80526, USAMany people believe that animal agriculture should be phased out and replaced with vegetarian substitutes. The livestock industry has also been attacked because it uses vast amounts of land. People forget that grazing cattle or sheep can be raised on land that is either too arid or too rough for raising crops. At least 20% of the habitable land on Earth is not suitable for crops. Rotational grazing systems can be used to improve both soil health and vegetation diversity on arid land. Grazing livestock are also being successfully used to graze cover crops on prime farmland. Soil health is improved when grazing on a cover crop is rotated with conventional cash crops, such as corn or soybeans. It also reduces the need for buying fertilizer. Grazing animals, such as cattle, sheep, goats, or bison, should be used as part of a sustainable system that will improve the land, help sequester carbon, and reduce animal welfare issues.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/12/16/2092sustainabilitysoil healthrotational grazingcover cropslivestock |
| spellingShingle | Temple Grandin Grazing Cattle, Sheep, and Goats Are Important Parts of a Sustainable Agricultural Future Animals sustainability soil health rotational grazing cover crops livestock |
| title | Grazing Cattle, Sheep, and Goats Are Important Parts of a Sustainable Agricultural Future |
| title_full | Grazing Cattle, Sheep, and Goats Are Important Parts of a Sustainable Agricultural Future |
| title_fullStr | Grazing Cattle, Sheep, and Goats Are Important Parts of a Sustainable Agricultural Future |
| title_full_unstemmed | Grazing Cattle, Sheep, and Goats Are Important Parts of a Sustainable Agricultural Future |
| title_short | Grazing Cattle, Sheep, and Goats Are Important Parts of a Sustainable Agricultural Future |
| title_sort | grazing cattle sheep and goats are important parts of a sustainable agricultural future |
| topic | sustainability soil health rotational grazing cover crops livestock |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/12/16/2092 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT templegrandin grazingcattlesheepandgoatsareimportantpartsofasustainableagriculturalfuture |