The livestock industry - your questions answered

Carbon Sequestration - The soil is alive with micro-organisms and when plants take carbon from the air, as well as for their own growth, they use it in a symbiotic relationship to feed the soil microbes in exchange for nutrients and other ecological functions. Plants do this by releasing exudates via their roots in the form of many different carbon compounds. Organic matter from the biomass of plant roots as they grow and die, plant matter trodden into the soil by grazing cows, along with the manure they leave behind, all adds carbon (and other nutrients), which the microbes ultimately convert into complex and very stable carbon compounds called humus. Each time a cow takes a bite of grass it triggers the plant to release exudates in order to receive in return the nutrients needed for rapid regrowth. The grass’ rate of photosynthesis goes up, more grass (biomass) is grown and more carbon is removed from the air and pushed down into the soil. The action of grazing repeatedly pushes the grass back into its growth stage and as long as grass is actively growing, carbon is being removed from the atmosphere and sequestered into the ground.

Preventing topsoil depletion - In the UK, topsoil depletion is so severe that in 2014 the trade magazine Farmers Weekly announced we may have only 100 harvests left. Letting arable land lie fallow and returning it to grazed pasture for a period – as farmers used to, before artificial fertilisers and mechanisation made continuous cropping possible – is the only way to reverse that process, halting erosion and rebuilding soil, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation. It also helps to return nutrients to the soil, known as nutrient recycling.

Sustainable food source - Only ruminants are able to transform grass and forage land into food for us, such as dairy and meat, and there is a large amount of marginal grassland which can’t be used for anything other than livestock grazing. From Wales to the Scottish Highlands, there are many upland areas in Britain unsuitable for growing crops but perfect for allowing livestock to graze. The soil will be able to hold huge amounts of water and provide flood protection for lower lying areas. And, when the farmers are making a living by selling milk and meat from their grass-fed animals, there is a perfect cycle of sustainability: good for the soil, good for the environment, cattle with a good life, producing healthy food for us.

Flood protection – When managed effectively, marginal grasslands can act as the perfect sink for water, providing flood protection for lower lying areas. These sinks can also feed into the water supply, helping to supply water for consumption to large city populations.

Biodiversity – Livestock grazing is crucial to encouraging and maintaining biodiversity. Without maintaining a low level of grazing across grasslands, species-rich grasslands are replaced by taller, wild grasslands with lower species diversity. This was demonstrated when agricultural subsidies transitioned to area payments, leaving much grassland unmanaged, and resulting in a sharp decrease in biodiversity.

Social and economic benefit to rural communities – Livestock farming can provide vital social and economic benefits to rural communities, such as food supply, source of income, source of employment etc.

Information courtesy of AHDB

Find out more about the many ways that British farmers help to protect the environment on our environment channel here.

Around 65% of farmland in the UK is only suitable for growing grass for animals to eat. If we did not graze livestock on it we could not use it to produce food to help feed a growing population.

Grazing livestock on this land allows us to turn inedible grass into high quality, nutrient-rich beef and lamb.

Yes. It is recognised as an important part of a balanced diet. Red meat is one of the richest sources of essential nutrients such as iron, zinc and B vitamins in the diet. It is a significant source of protein and modern red meat now has much lower fat contents than 20 years ago, with fully trimmed lean beef containing just 5% fat.

Using sheds or indoor housing is vital to many farming systems within the UK. This ensures farmers can maintain the highest possible welfare of their livestock, by protecting them from the extremes of our climate. The inclement weather we experience in winter also means that grazing is difficult – both because of the lack of grass growth and the risk of damaging the land. Cattle are also sometimes housed inside in order to protect them from diseases and to monitor how much they are eating and drinking.