Adaptive multi-paddock grazing increases soil carbon stocks and decreases the carbon footprint of beef production in Ontario, Canada

• Published in: Journal of environmental management Vol. 371; p. 123255
• Main Authors: Mehre, Jessica, Schneider, Kimberley, Jayasundara, Susantha, Gillespie, Adam, Wagner-Riddle, Claudia
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01-12-2024
• Subjects: GHG intensity; Grazing management; Soil carbon sequestration; GHG intensity; Grazing management; Soil carbon sequestration
• ISSN: 0301-4797; 1095-8630; 1095-8630
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.123255

Adaptive multi-paddock (AMP) grazing has been promoted to increase soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks over continuously grazed (CG) pastures; however, the evidence for this is still limited, both in terms of the number of studies conducted and the climates and biomes they cover. The objectives of this study were to determine the effect of grazing management on pasture SOC stocks and to incorporate this SOC sequestration into a life cycle assessment on the greenhouse gas (GHG) intensity (or carbon footprint) of Ontario beef production. Soil cores collected from AMP and CG pastures and annual row crop fields in southern Ontario showed that pastures managed with AMP grazing had significantly higher SOC stocks than CG pastures. Both pastures had SOC stocks higher than annual cropland, resulting in a sequestration rate of 0.957 Mg C ha−1 yr−1 for AMP and 0.507 Mg C ha−1 yr−1 for CG. Without consideration of SOC sequestration, the GHG intensity of beef production is 13.10 kg CO2eq kg LW−1, while including SOC sequestration decreased this intensity by 42% for CG pastures and by 65% for AMP. These results illustrate the importance of including pasture SOC sequestration into beef carbon footprint assessments and should encourage the adoption of AMP grazing in temperate regions to achieve environmental goals.
•Adaptive multi-paddock (AMP) grazing increases soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks.•Pastures, regardless of management, had greater SOC stocks than annual cropland.•SOC sequestration under AMP grazing decreases carbon footprint of beef by 65%.