Managed grazing boosts grassland carbon capture
Carefully managed cattle grazing can strengthen a grassland's ability to capture carbon and use water efficiently, according to a new study published in Scientific Reports on 7th of October.
Researchers followed two neighbouring pastures on a working ranch in North Dakota for two years. One remained ungrazed; the other received short grazing visits, targeting removal of approximately half the green leaf area, followed by extended recovery.
Annual net carbon uptake nearly doubled in the managed pasture. After accounting for forage removed and carbon returned through dung and urine, its estimated carbon retention was 53% higher in the first year and 23% higher in the second.
Grazing initially reduced leaf area and carbon uptake. During recovery, however, plants regained growth and used water more efficiently, with benefits particularly evident in autumn.
The findings reinforce the importance of managing both grazing and recovery, adapting decisions to weather and available forage.
This was a two-year study on one ranch, comparing managed grazing with no grazing. It assessed the grassland carbon balance rather than the cattle enterprise's full greenhouse-gas footprint.
