Biodiversity of permanent pastures within livestock farming systems
Published source details Dumont B., Farruggia A. & Garel J.P. (2007) Pâturage et biodiversité des prairies permanentes. Rencontre Recherche Ruminants, 14, 17-24.
Actions
This study is summarised as evidence for the following.
| Action | Category | |
|---|---|---|
Reduce grazing intensity on grassland (including seasonal removal of livestock) Action Link |  |
Reduce grazing intensity on grassland (including seasonal removal of livestock)
A five year trial on a species-rich mountain meadow in France (Dumont et al. 2007) found that biodiversity and structure of the grass layer (sward) were affected not only by extensification of grazing, but also by the way in which the reduced stocking rate was applied. Extending the grazing season after the period of active grass growth, or using a rotational grazing system that excluded part of the area during the main flowering period, benefited plant species diversity. At the same time, negative effects on livestock performance were limited.
