Sustainable Livestock Farming for Resilient Agriculture

Sustainable agriculture insists on moderate consumption of non-renewable resources, with nature and future generations in mind. The approach advocates switching to renewable energy sources, sparing land use, and eliminating pollution. Farmers seek successful management solutions, and remote sensing technology in sustainable agriculture provides data for the most accurate and reliable analytics.

The concept fosters stable and continuous production, with enough resources in the future. Its practices accord with the five principles of sustainable agriculture outlined by FAO:

1. Boost food chain productivity.
2. Protect and spare environmental resources.
3. Improve people’s well-being and economic growth.
4. Foster ecosystems and communities’ resilience.
5. Support governmental initiatives and regulations.
6. The best practices used in building a sustainable livestock farm are based on the following:

Livestock Health:

Vital management areas for most herds include nutritional management, milking management, animal welfare, sick animal diagnosis, and treatment. It is acknowledged that the diversity in farming systems, ranging from typical holder practices to higher output systems, requires an integrated and customized solution based on these general concepts.

The current animal production practices exert severe pressure on the environment through emissions to air, water, and soil via the utilization of natural resources like land, water, and fossil energy.

Some countries, like the Netherlands, are renowned for their intensive livestock production based on tradition, stockmanship, innovative entrepreneurship, and knowledge. Expensive land and high labor costs resulted in the implementation of efficient farming practices, including smart breeding programs, customized nutrition, specific animal care, and modern housing and environmental technologies. These livestock practices became an integrated part of the food production sector by recycling residues from the food industry.

Note: In safeguarding human and animal health related to livestock production, this comprises more than food security (safety); it includes the eradication of infectious diseases in animals as well as zoonotic diseases emerging from livestock farming and transports and the mitigation of consequences of the use of antibiotics, such as the development of microbe resistance to antibiotics.

Animal care:

Ensuring animal welfare is a human responsibility that includes consideration for all aspects of animal well-being, including proper housing, management, nutrition, disease prevention, and treatment.

The concept of livestock farming with care deals with responsible animal farming, as it demands endless attention to animals' good care, in the notion that care is related to accompanying concerns.

A good conceptual framework should be based on care ethics, which are widely implemented in the human health domain and imply the following:

1. Caring about societal awareness for keeping the animals in the livestock production sector, with consideration for social concerns.
2. Taking care of responsibilities for keeping animals in the livestock production sector with a social license to produce.
3. Caregiving by the provision of professional care to animals in the livestock production sector.

Changing the nutrition mix:

Nutrition is very critical in the fight to reduce emissions produced by livestock. Good overall nutrition on the farm boosts the animals' natural immune systems, helping to keep them at their optimum health. This, in turn, helps the animals produce more, enabling farmers to meet local demand with fewer animals and lower greenhouse gas emissions.

Scientists have found that changing the makeup of animal feed can reduce the levels of methane and nitrogen gas produced, which contribute to global warming.

Note: Adding food by-products to animal feed, such as sugar beet molasses, has also been proven to help cut emissions because it relies less on energy-intensive grain crops.

New products to target methane:

Innovation within supplements and vaccines is helping to reduce emissions by targeting the production of methane within the digestion process.

In ruminants, methane is produced by fermentation in one of the four stomach chambers (rumen) during digestion. Supplements have been produced to reduce the amount of methane produced by breaking the enzyme that triggers microbes in the gut to create methane.

Other tips and best practices used in sustainable livestock farming:

i). Regenerative farming:

Regenerative agriculture is one of the methods used to make a farm more sustainable. It aims at generating soil and increasing biodiversity on the farm by combining crops, livestock, and plants in one ecosystem. In this method of farming, livestock feed on the plants, and the plants feed on the livestock.

An example of regenerative farming is when sheep and cattle graze on grass, encouraging plant growth since their waste products help add nutrients in the form of fertilizers to the soil. Poultry can also help produce fertilizer for the soil and eat insects and weeds on the farm.

Biodiversity can also be increased on the farm by planting hedgerows and trees that attract pollinators and wildlife, as well as capturing carbon in the atmosphere. Trees also protect livestock from rain, sunlight, and wind while providing foliage for animals to graze on.

Foliage may contain additional nutrients to enhance the health of the animals, as trees provide fruits and nuts, which can be an additional income for the farmers.

ii). New technologies that save money and benefit the planet:

New technology can help farmers be more efficient and sustainable, such as soil sensors that enable farmers to precisely measure the nutrient composition of their soil.

iii). Expanding commercial farms to up-skill farmers:

Many livestock farmers are interested in better guidance on how to make their farms more sustainable, so demonstrator farms are set up to provide research, knowledge transfer, and training around new sustainable technologies.

By expanding the number of demonstration farms and inviting local farmers to visit, farmers can receive hands-on training for innovations that they can adopt on their farms.

In such cases, commercial demonstrator farms can be used to pilot and test new solutions that will benefit farmers. An example is when an entrepreneur sets up a business and tests a product at one of these sites.

Challenges associated with sustainable livestock farming:

a). Limited resources such as land and water:

Livestock farming requires large amounts of land for grazing and growing animal feed crops. Water is a critical resource for livestock, and its excessive use can lead to water scarcity in certain regions.

b). The high costs of fertilizers and animal feed:

High costs of fertilizers and animal feed are a major problem for livestock farmers in several nations. Rising costs of these crucial inputs can make it more difficult for farmers to run viable businesses, especially for small-scale producers.

c). Preference for imported agricultural products:

The prioritization of lower-priced imported agricultural products can discourage local farmers and hinder their economic viability. This preference for imports often stems from consumers seeking lower prices, which may not account for the sustainability or quality of locally produced goods.

d). Rise of alternative dairy and meat products:

Alternative dairy and meat products that don't depend on conventional livestock production are becoming more popular. A growing number of people are choosing plant-based foods because they are ethical and environmentally friendly, such as almond milk and plant-based burgers. This shift in consumer preferences poses a direct threat to the traditional livestock business, pushing it to adapt to changing consumer needs.

e). Animal welfare concerns:

Ethical concerns about how animals are handled in industrial agricultural operations have prompted discussions about the livestock sector's social aspects. These concerns also include issues related to working conditions and rural livelihoods.

f). Increasing global demand for animal protein:

The global demand for animal protein continues to rise, presenting a challenge in meeting food security needs sustainably. Finding ways to produce adequate protein sources while minimizing the environmental footprint of livestock farming is a significant challenge.

Conclusion

Sustainable livestock farming stands as a beacon of hope for our planet's future. By adhering to the principles of responsible resource management, ethical animal care, and innovative technologies, we can address the pressing challenges of climate change, resource scarcity, and the growing demand for protein.

As we navigate the path toward sustainability in livestock farming, we must remain vigilant in our efforts to protect the environment, promote animal welfare, and support the livelihoods of those who depend on this industry. The adoption of regenerative practices, the harnessing of new technologies, and the willingness to adapt to changing consumer preferences are all integral to this journey.

In the face of global challenges, sustainable livestock farming offers a promising path forward—a path that balances the needs of the present with the well-being of future generations and the health of our planet. It is a path worth treading, for it leads us toward a more sustainable, ethical, and harmonious coexistence with the natural world.