Editing Intensive farming (section)

====Pasture intensification====
[[File:Cattle eating grass through barbed wire fence.jpg|thumb|Cow in [[Enclosure|enclosed]] [[pasture]] eating grass through wire fence]]

Pasture intensification is the improvement of [[pasture]] soils and grasses to increase the food production potential of livestock systems. It is commonly used to reverse pasture [[Land degradation|degradation]], a process characterized by loss of [[forage]] and decreased animal [[carrying capacity]] which results from [[overgrazing]], poor [[nutrient management]], and lack of [[soil conservation]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/268445014|title=Degradação, recuperação e renovação de pastagens |last1=Zimmer |first1=Ademir |last2=Macedo|first2=Manuel|last3=Neivo Kichel |first3=Armindo |last4=Almeida |first4=Roberto|date=2012-11-01}}</ref> This degradation leads to poor pasture soils with decreased fertility and [[Soil water (retention)|water availability]] and increased rates of erosion, compaction, and [[Soil acidification|acidification]].<ref name=":3">{{Cite journal |last1=de Figueiredo|first1=Eduardo Barretto |last2=Jayasundara |first2=Susantha |last3=Bordonal |first3=Ricardo de Oliveira |last4=Berchielli|first4=Telma Teresinha |last5=Reis|first5=Ricardo Andrade |last6=Wagner-Riddle|first6=Claudia|last7=La Scala|first7=Newton Jr.|title=Greenhouse gas balance and carbon footprint of beef cattle in three contrasting pasture-management systems in Brazil |journal=Journal of Cleaner Production |volume=142 |pages=420–431 |doi=10.1016/j.jclepro.2016.03.132|year=2017|bibcode=2017JCPro.142..420D |hdl=11449/177967 |hdl-access=free }}</ref> Degraded pastures have significantly lower [[Agricultural productivity|productivity]] and higher [[carbon footprint]]s compared to intensified pastures.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.embrapa.br/busca-de-publicacoes/-/publicacao/1015344/indicativo-de-pastagens-plantadas-em-processo-de-degradacao-no-bioma-cerrado |title=Indicativo de pastagens plantadas em processo de degradação no bioma Cerrado |website=embrapa.br – Portal Embrapa |language=pt-BR |access-date=2018-03-28 |archive-date=2018-06-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180615191647/https://www.embrapa.br/busca-de-publicacoes/-/publicacao/1015344/indicativo-de-pastagens-plantadas-em-processo-de-degradacao-no-bioma-cerrado |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Bogaerts |first1=Meghan |last2=Cirhigiri|first2=Lora |last3=Robinson |first3=Ian |last4=Rodkin |first4=Mikaela |last5=Hajjar|first5=Reem|last6=Junior|first6=Ciniro Costa |last7=Newton |first7=Peter |title=Climate change mitigation through intensified pasture management: Estimating greenhouse gas emissions on cattle farms in the Brazilian Amazon |journal=Journal of Cleaner Production |volume=162 |pages=1539–1550 |doi=10.1016/j.jclepro.2017.06.130 |year=2017|doi-access=free |bibcode=2017JCPro.162.1539B }}</ref><ref name=":4">{{Cite journal |last1=Cardoso |first1=Abmael S. |last2=Berndt |first2=Alexandre |last3=Leytem |first3=April |last4=Alves |first4=Bruno J. R. |last5=Carvalho |first5=Isabel das N.O. de |last6=Soares |first6=Luis Henrique de Barros |last7=Urquiaga |first7=Segundo |last8=Boddey |first8=Robert M. |title=Impact of the intensification of beef production in Brazil on greenhouse gas emissions and land use |journal=Agricultural Systems |volume=143 |pages=86–96 |doi=10.1016/j.agsy.2015.12.007 |year=2016 |bibcode=2016AgSys.143...86C |url=http://eprints.nwisrl.ars.usda.gov/1679/1/1634.pdf |access-date=2018-12-24 |archive-date=2018-12-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181225130127/https://eprints.nwisrl.ars.usda.gov/1679/1/1634.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite journal |last1=Talamini |first1=Edson|last2=Ruviaro |first2=Clandio Favarini |last3=Florindo |first3=Thiago José|last4=Florindo|first4=Giovanna Isabelle Bom De Medeiros |title=Improving feed efficiency as a strategy to reduce beef carbon footprint in the Brazilian Midwest region |journal=International Journal of Environment and Sustainable Development |language=en |volume=16 |issue=4 |pages=379 |doi=10.1504/ijesd.2017.10007706 |year=2017}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite journal |last1=Ruviaro |first1=Clandio F. |last2=Léis |first2=Cristiane Maria de |last3=Lampert |first3=Vinícius do N. |last4=Barcellos |first4=Júlio Otávio Jardim |last5=Dewes |first5=Homero |title=Carbon footprint in different beef production systems on a southern Brazilian farm: a case stud |journal=Journal of Cleaner Production |volume=96 |pages=435–443 |doi=10.1016/j.jclepro.2014.01.037 |year=2015 |bibcode=2015JCPro..96..435R |hdl=10183/122628 |url=http://ainfo.cnptia.embrapa.br/digital/bitstream/item/127004/1/JCPv96p435.pdf |access-date=2019-12-14 |archive-date=2019-12-31 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191231170258/https://ainfo.cnptia.embrapa.br/digital/bitstream/item/127004/1/JCPv96p435.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>

Management practices which improve soil health and consequently [[Poaceae|grass]] productivity include [[irrigation]], soil scarification, and the application of [[Agricultural lime|lime]], fertilizers, and [[pesticide]]s. Depending on the productivity goals of the target agricultural system, more involved restoration projects can be undertaken to replace [[Invasive species|invasive]] and under-productive grasses with grass species that are better suited to the [[soil]] and [[climate]] conditions of the region.<ref name=":0" /> These intensified grass systems allow higher [[Livestock grazing comparison|stocking rates]] with faster animal weight gain and reduced time to slaughter, resulting in more productive, carbon-efficient [[livestock]] systems.<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" />

Another technique to optimize [[Crop yield|yield]] while maintaining the [[Carbon cycle re-balancing|carbon balance]] is the use of integrated crop-livestock (ICL) and crop-livestock-forestry (ICLF) systems, which combine several ecosystems into one optimized agricultural framework.<ref name=":5">{{Cite book|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/277247305|title=Integrated systems: what they are, their advantages and limitations|last1=Balbino|first1=Luiz|last2=Neivo Kichel|first2=Armindo|last3=Bungenstab|first3=Davi|last4=Almeida|first4=Roberto|date=2014-03-01|isbn=9788570352972|pages=11–18}}</ref> Correctly performed, such production systems are able to create synergies potentially providing benefits to pastures through optimal plant usage, improved [[Fodder|feed]] and fattening rates, increased soil fertility and quality, intensified [[Nutrient cycle|nutrient cycling]], integrated [[pest control]], and improved [[biodiversity]].<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":5" /> The introduction of certain [[legume]] crops to pastures can increase [[Carbon sequestration|carbon accumulation]] and [[nitrogen fixation]] in soils, while their digestibility helps animal fattening and reduces [[methane emissions]] from [[enteric fermentation]].<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":4" /> ICLF systems yield beef cattle productivity up to ten times that of degraded pastures; additional crop production from [[maize]], [[sorghum]], and [[soybean]] harvests; and greatly reduced [[greenhouse gas]] balances due to forest carbon sequestration.<ref name=":3" />

In the Twelve Aprils grazing program for dairy production, developed by the [[USDA]]-[[Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education|SARE]], forage crops for dairy herds are planted into a [[perennial]] pasture.<ref>{{cite web|title=12 Aprils Dairy Grazing Manual|url=http://www.sare.org/Learning-Center/SARE-Project-Products/Southern-SARE-Project-Products/12-Aprils-Grazing-Dairy-Manual|publisher=USDA-SARE|access-date=1 October 2014|archive-date=6 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006153834/http://www.sare.org/Learning-Center/SARE-Project-Products/Southern-SARE-Project-Products/12-Aprils-Grazing-Dairy-Manual|url-status=live}}</ref>