Deliverables Improved knowledge of breed and stocking rate effects on agronomic output from biodiverse grasslands This result provides improved knowledge of the agronomic outcomes of using different breeds or stocking rates for management of biodiverse grasslands. The key innovative feature is that this is one of the few such breed comparisons that have been made. The results show that good individual animal performance can be obtained at moderate or lenient stocking rates but that performance per ha suffers at lower stocking rates. Differences between the breeds of animal studied were small. The results are about to be published in a refereed paper. The results will be used by farmers and conservation managers to inform their management of biodiverse grasslands and by policy makers to design appropriate schemes and subsidy regimes that take account of the agronomic outcomes. The expected benefit is better predictability of scheme outcomes and more targeted use of subsidies to those areas where they are most needed. Improved knowledge of the effects of breed and stocking rate on faunal diversity in biodiverse grasslands This result provides new and improved knowledge of the effects of livestock breed and stocking rate on faunal diversity in biodiverse grasslands. The key innovative feature is the breed comparison and the level of detail across a wide range of faunal taxa. The results show that there is very little effect of breed. A lenient stocking rate is better overall for species richness and abundance of invertebrates, though there are some more subtle taxa specific signals. The results will be disseminated by the partners through their ongoing contacts with extension services and end users and via a peer refereed publication. The result will be used by farmers and conservation managers to better manage biodiverse grasslands for fauna and by policy makers to more effective target agri-environmental schemes. The main benefit will be improved predictability of outcomes of managements and schemes. Improved knowledge of breed and stocking rate effects on animal behaviour in biodiverse grasslands The project has led to improved knowledge of the effects of stocking rate and breed on animal behaviour (particularly dietary choice) in biodiverse grasslands. The key innovative feature is that this is one of very few studies that have looked at breed effects in this way. In most grass-herb dominated sites animals showed a strong preference for legumes. Animals showed a preference for short vegetation particularly in very grass-dominant sites. Breed had little effect in grass-dominated sites but on a heather-gorse community in Spain local goats had a much higher preference for Shrubs than Cashmere goats. The result is about to be published in a peer reviewed journal. The potential use of this result is to inform the design of agri-environmental schemes and to allow managers to make appropriate stocking rate and breed choices. It will also inform decisions by breeders, particularly of traditional breeds. The benefit of these applications will be improved predictability of the outcome of agri-environmental schemes. The results will be disseminated by peer-reviewed publication, vis a specific dissemination publication (web-resident) and via interactions by each partner with national extension services. Critical review of management of grazed grasslands for biodiversity benefit The three-refereed scientific papers produced under this result provide critical reviews of the literature on issues affecting the management of grazed grasslands for biodiversity benefit. In particular we have examined the role of grazing animal type (particularly exploitable differences in grazing behaviour), and intensity of grazing on biodiversity outcomes in terms of structure, botanical composition, and invertebrate communities. We set these findings in the context of the agricultural production these systems can sustain and the impact of the systems on economic sustainability. We conclude that the main mechanism by which grazing livestock affect biodiversity is by the creation of sward heterogeneity, that there are important differences between animal species in their impact on grazed communities but only minor differences between breeds within species. In both cases the differences are related to body size. We conclude that the genetic basis of these effects and any possible confounding with rearing environment needs further research. The reviews are publicly available and have been drawn directly to the attention of a large number of organisations with potential interest in the results, including ecological research organisations, public and private extension services, policy makers and organisations representing farmers and conservation managers including public landowners. The reviews provide a valuable resource for these organisations in assisting in the formulation of policy, management decisions and research contexting. The publishers websites are linked from the project website allowing easy access. The website and the publications give contact details of the partners. The key innovative feature of this result is the drawing together of research in behavioural ecology with that in community ecology to inform the management of grazed grasslands. Improved knowledge of breed and stocking rate effects on botanical diversity and structural heterogeneity in biodiverse grasslands This result provides new information regarding the effects of breed and stocking rate on botanical diversity and structural heterogeneity in biodiverse grasslands. The key innovative features are the breed comparison and the high level of structural detail recorded. The main conclusion is that while total numbers of plant species in the grassland sites change little in the 3 years of the experiment, there was a loss of legume abundance as a result of selective grazing and, particularly on sites that were already grass-dominant an increase in grasses and particularly competitive grass species. At these sites there was also some evidence of an increase in patch size, particularly at low stocking rates but this was seen less at more herb-rich sites. There was little effect of breed except at the heather-gorse dominant site in Spain where local goats were better able to reduce cover of shrubs than cashmere goats. The result is about to publish in a peer refereed paper. It will enable farmers and conservation managers to make informed decisions about management of biodiverse grasslands and policy makers to better target the design of agri-environment schemes. The main benefit will be to increase the predictability of outcomes and hence improved targeting of management and subsidy schemes. Web-resident database of research on biodiversity in grazed grasslands This web-based database contains details of published research results in the area of biodiversity of grazed grasslands, with a particular emphasis on the role of grazing animal type and of management intensity. The database is implemented with an interactive keyword search facility and also with author or organisation searches. The database is publicly available and has been drawn directly to the attention of a large number of organisations with potential interest in the results, including ecological research organisations, public and private extension services, policy makers and organisations representing farmers and conservation managers, including public landowners. The database will provide a valuable, targeted resource for these organisations to gather information in this area that goes beyond the immediate issues addressed in this project for use in the formulation of policy, management decisions and research contexting. It forms part of the project website which also includes links to the direct project results and contact details of the partners. The key innovative feature is the drawing together of these results in a dedicated user-friendly resource. Improved understanding of socio-economic effects of using different breeds or stocking rates in biodiverse grasslands This result provides improved understanding of the socio-economic effects of using different breeds or stocking rates in managing biodiverse grasslands. The key innovative feature is the breed comparison and the close link to experimental results carried out under this project. The main findings were that farmers are generally willing to adopt lower stocking rates provided that appropriate subsidies are available. However, even with such subsidies they are reluctant to adopt traditional breeds. This was mainly due to concerns over the lack of appropriate marketing structures. Economic analysis confirmed a lower margin on the traditional breeds examined but noted that again this may have been improve with better marketing opportunities. All grazing systems examined, whatever the stocking rate, were not financially viable without subsidy. The results will be disseminated to end-users by the partners via contacts in extension services and policy bodies. The result is about to be published as a peer refereed paper and economic models used are available at the project website. The result will be used by policy makers to design better-targeted agri-environmental schemes that take account of the socio-economic context in which they will be applied. Searching for OpenAIRE data... There was an error trying to search data from OpenAIRE No results available
