Cattle farming is one of the drivers of Brazil’s economy, both for domestic consumption as well as for export. Cattle ranching in the Amazon, however, is almost always involved with illegal deforestation. Studies show that up to 80% of the problem can be attributed to the cycle of cutting trees, burning the land, and bringing in cattle —almost all of it done illegally. Areas that are already occupied and degraded — poor in nutrients and no longer usable for pasture — are generally abandoned for new, unoccupied land. And the cycle repeats itself.
One of the solutions recommended for raising cattle in the forest is using areas that have already been degraded and abandoned. A 2019 study published in Science magazine showed that there are 50 million hectares (125 million acres) of such land in Brazil — a Spain-sized area that could be regenerated for cattle farming. Under the grazing system created by French researcher André Voisin, the cattle are confined to plots of fenced pasture. After eating all the grass on that plot, the animals are moved to another plot, allowing the soil and vegetation on the first plot to recover. This farming technique eliminates the need to clear new forested areas for pasture. Aside from being profitable, the process is sustainable and more productive, even when used on a smaller area of land.
Expert views of rational grazing are that cattle behavior changes under this system. Before, they had to go out for food, increasing the possibility of silting up rivers. Now, food and water are made available in each corral, also diminishing the energy the animals must spend. “The philosophical principle behind farming changes,” Brito says. “It makes it easier and better for everyone. Consumers will be able to eat prime beef without pesticides that has been well-managed.”
Source: Mongabay
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