Rotational grazing in the Flooding Pampa, Argentina
Name of sustainable practice or practices Rotational grazing in the Flooding Pampa, Argentina
Name of main actor Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestales (FCAyF), Universidad Nacional de La Plata (UNLP), Buenos Aires, Argentina
Type of actors involved Research institutions
Livestock Species Cattle
Country Argentina
Agro-ecological region Temperate
Main feature of best practice Improving environmental sustainability including biodiversity conservation, Furthering grain-free strategies in animal feed
Key features of livestock farming system Holistic livestock management
Year practice/management strategies started to be implemented 1998
Key practices implemented to improve sustainability of livestock management Land and grazing management strategies:
• Rotational grazing in the Flooding Pampa is a way of minimizing negative impacts on the land and environment;
• No supplementation strategies aim to balance the nutritional requirements of the animals, and forage production, so that the system does not require extra feed other than grass;
• Managing the stocking rate and grazing pressure
Further strategies for improving the operations on the farm included:
• Estimating the palatability of forage resources;
• Estimating above-ground biomass, floristic composition and a harvest index of forage resources;
• Undertaking systematic soil tests and weed control;
• Controlling grazing selection using accurate methods;
• Springtime breeding;
• Complying with the sanitary calendar;
• Selection of animal breeds (genetic selection);
• Introducing the G3 system (Gestor Agro: an accounting program for management control).
• Staff training in farm operations improvement
Key impacts of the best practices on sustainability of farming system • The management strategies outlined in this case study have had a positive impact on directly measureable reproductive and productive parameters on the farm (See Table 1 in the attached document).
• The management strategies applied at El Amanecer have also had positive environmental impacts for the farming system. Rotational grazing can improve the chemical and physical properties of soils and enhance the distribution of animal excreta.
• Rotational grazing has also promoted the establishment of native grass species.
• Through 15 years of studies and training, Agnelli and colleagues have been able to determine the species of key grasses that allow the design of methods or grazing strategies in this agro-ecosystem. A stable long term stocking rate has been achieved with 80 percent higher meat production compared to the zonal average in the Pampa grasslands.
Constraints and opportunities observed during implementation of described practices Within the Pampa Prairie, the Flooding Pampa sub-region receives an average rainfall of 900 mm/year, including alternating periods of drought and flooding. The Flooding Pampa is typically characterised by poor quality soils.
