Livestock may increase emissions, but they’re also key to healthier, carbon-rich soils

New study finds cows help farms store one-third more carbon in soil
Livestock may increase emissions, but they’re also key to healthier, carbon-rich soils
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While livestock is known to be one of the major sources of methane emissions, new data suggests it plays a crucial role in enhancing soil carbon storage.

A report by Soil Association Exchange, an organisation promoting sustainable farming and assessing its impacts, has found that farms with a mixed enterprise system, combining both arable crops and livestock, hold a third more soil organic carbon compared to those with arable crops alone.

Researchers gathered data from 685 farms covering a total area of 238,000 hectares across the United Kingdom over two years (2022-2024) and found compelling evidence that integrating livestock into arable systems improves soil health, particularly in terms of organic matter and carbon levels.

Across all surveyed farms, soils had an average of 5.74 per cent organic matter and 3.34 per cent soil organic carbon (SOC). Arable-only cropping, including potatoes, averaged 2.54 per cent SOC, while mixed farms with cows and sheep had 3.47 per cent SOC, and farms with only cows and sheep had 4.92 per cent SOC.

Mixed enterprise farms with livestock also tended to support greater plant diversity compared to those without.

The researchers measured outcomes across six impact areas: Soil health, carbon, biodiversity, animal welfare, water, and community and societal impacts.

“Farming contributes 11 per cent of our UK greenhouse   (GHG) emissions, and the National Farmers Union (NFU) has a 2040 industry goal to become Net Zero. It is still rare to find a farm that has achieved Net Zero status, and there are no doubts some have large hurdles to overcome. Livestock in particular play a large role in our emissions, but are also pivotal to not only our soil health but to overall biodiversity and the rural community,” the report said.

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