Nutrient Status of Cattle Grazing Systems in the Western Brazilian Amazon

Low-input cultivated pastures to feed cattle have dominated land use after forest clearing for decades in the western Brazilian Amazon. This study was undertaken to help understand the inherent nutrient supply dynamics underwriting cattle performance on three farms in the state of Acre. We assessed...

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Main Authors:	Rueda, B.L., McRoberts, K.C., Blake, R.W., Nicholson, C.F., Valentim, J.F., Fernandes, E.C.M.
Other Authors:	Tejada Moral, Manuel
Format:	Journal Article
Published:	Taylor and Francis 2021
Subjects:	LAND USE LIVESTOCK DEFORESTATION TROPICAL SOIL NUTRIENT STOCKS AND FLOWS CATTLE GRAZING SYSTEM
Online Access:	http://hdl.handle.net/10986/35817

id	okr-10986-35817
recordtype	oai_dc
spelling	okr-10986-358172021-07-19T16:39:25Z Nutrient Status of Cattle Grazing Systems in the Western Brazilian Amazon Rueda, B.L. McRoberts, K.C. Blake, R.W. Nicholson, C.F. Valentim, J.F. Fernandes, E.C.M. Tejada Moral, Manuel LAND USE LIVESTOCK DEFORESTATION TROPICAL SOIL NUTRIENT STOCKS AND FLOWS CATTLE GRAZING SYSTEM Low-input cultivated pastures to feed cattle have dominated land use after forest clearing for decades in the western Brazilian Amazon. This study was undertaken to help understand the inherent nutrient supply dynamics underwriting cattle performance on three farms in the state of Acre. We assessed soil chemical and physical properties associated over time with different land uses following forest clearing. This information permitted specifying a conceptual model of nutrient stocks and flows under the observed grazing system, which produced insights about the dynamics of soil nutrient degradation. Above ground forage mass, topsoil nutrient concentrations and soil bulk density were measured. Land covers were Brachiaria spp. grasses, a grass-Pueraria phaseoloides mix, cropland and forest. Most soil nutrient parameters initially decreased after clearing, gradually recovering over time with grass-only pastures; however, 20 yr-old pastures had 20% less forage mass. Most pasture system nutrients on these farms resided in topsoil and roots, where large stocks of mature forage supported soil fertility with recycled nutrients from litter. Estimates of partial topsoil nutrient balances were negative. This suggested that corresponding nutrient stocks and the accumulation of forage mass were probably maintained primarily through the sum of inflows from cattle excreta, the subsoil, soil organic matter, and litter mineralization with scant input of commercial fertilizer. Therefore, herd management to increase animal system productivity via higher stocking rates on vegetatively younger forage requires monitoring of nutrient stocks and flows and fertilization that assures replenishment of the nutrients extracted. Otherwise, rapid depletion of soil nutrient stocks will lead to system degradation and failure. 2021-06-23T16:56:15Z 2021-06-23T16:56:15Z 2020-02-09 Journal Article Cogent Food and Agriculture http://hdl.handle.net/10986/35817 CC BY-NC-ND 3.0 IGO http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/igo World Bank Taylor and Francis Publications & Research :: Journal Article Publications & Research Latin America & Caribbean Brazil
repository_type	Digital Repository
institution_category	Foreign Institution
institution	Digital Repositories
building	World Bank Open Knowledge Repository
collection	World Bank
topic	LAND USE LIVESTOCK DEFORESTATION TROPICAL SOIL NUTRIENT STOCKS AND FLOWS CATTLE GRAZING SYSTEM
spellingShingle	LAND USE LIVESTOCK DEFORESTATION TROPICAL SOIL NUTRIENT STOCKS AND FLOWS CATTLE GRAZING SYSTEM Rueda, B.L. McRoberts, K.C. Blake, R.W. Nicholson, C.F. Valentim, J.F. Fernandes, E.C.M. Nutrient Status of Cattle Grazing Systems in the Western Brazilian Amazon
geographic_facet	Latin America & Caribbean Brazil
description	Low-input cultivated pastures to feed cattle have dominated land use after forest clearing for decades in the western Brazilian Amazon. This study was undertaken to help understand the inherent nutrient supply dynamics underwriting cattle performance on three farms in the state of Acre. We assessed soil chemical and physical properties associated over time with different land uses following forest clearing. This information permitted specifying a conceptual model of nutrient stocks and flows under the observed grazing system, which produced insights about the dynamics of soil nutrient degradation. Above ground forage mass, topsoil nutrient concentrations and soil bulk density were measured. Land covers were Brachiaria spp. grasses, a grass-Pueraria phaseoloides mix, cropland and forest. Most soil nutrient parameters initially decreased after clearing, gradually recovering over time with grass-only pastures; however, 20 yr-old pastures had 20% less forage mass. Most pasture system nutrients on these farms resided in topsoil and roots, where large stocks of mature forage supported soil fertility with recycled nutrients from litter. Estimates of partial topsoil nutrient balances were negative. This suggested that corresponding nutrient stocks and the accumulation of forage mass were probably maintained primarily through the sum of inflows from cattle excreta, the subsoil, soil organic matter, and litter mineralization with scant input of commercial fertilizer. Therefore, herd management to increase animal system productivity via higher stocking rates on vegetatively younger forage requires monitoring of nutrient stocks and flows and fertilization that assures replenishment of the nutrients extracted. Otherwise, rapid depletion of soil nutrient stocks will lead to system degradation and failure.
author2	Tejada Moral, Manuel
author_facet	Tejada Moral, Manuel Rueda, B.L. McRoberts, K.C. Blake, R.W. Nicholson, C.F. Valentim, J.F. Fernandes, E.C.M.
format	Journal Article
author	Rueda, B.L. McRoberts, K.C. Blake, R.W. Nicholson, C.F. Valentim, J.F. Fernandes, E.C.M.
author_sort	Rueda, B.L.
title	Nutrient Status of Cattle Grazing Systems in the Western Brazilian Amazon
title_short	Nutrient Status of Cattle Grazing Systems in the Western Brazilian Amazon
title_full	Nutrient Status of Cattle Grazing Systems in the Western Brazilian Amazon
title_fullStr	Nutrient Status of Cattle Grazing Systems in the Western Brazilian Amazon
title_full_unstemmed	Nutrient Status of Cattle Grazing Systems in the Western Brazilian Amazon
title_sort	nutrient status of cattle grazing systems in the western brazilian amazon
publisher	Taylor and Francis
publishDate	2021
url	http://hdl.handle.net/10986/35817
_version_	1764483836621619200

Nutrient Status of Cattle Grazing Systems in the Western Brazilian Amazon

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