A call has been made for UK support funding to prioritise collaborative research involving scientists and livestock farmers.
The benefits of such an approach have been jointly highlighted by Rothamsted Research and Pasture for Life, a membership community interest company focused on the benefits of grazing animals on pasture.
The organisations believe that evaluating what constitutes the best use of land for sustainable food production requires farm-level research based on local conditions prevalent in the UK.
Collaborative research
Rothamsted’s Dr. Steve Emery said: “We are calling for the further promotion and development by policymakers and funders of the place-based collaborative research model.
“Our studies at Rothamsted have shown that many of the broad assumptions made about the sustainability and productiveness of livestock farming do not always hold true.
“In particular contexts, livestock farming is not only a viable form of high-quality food production but compares favourably with other forms of agriculture in terms of environmental impact.”
Rothamsted scientists have shown that where land is unsuited to growing arable crops, pasture-based beef and sheep farming can deliver the most efficient and sustainable use of this resource, producing highly nutrient-dense food.
In essence, 100% pasture-fed beef and lamb has been found to have a better nutritional profile than grain-fed counterparts.
Pasture-fed herds can have an overall lower carbon footprint than some intensively grain-fed livestock systems.
In addition, Rothamsted’s research on grazing management techniques has also found that ‘mob’ grazing can significantly increase the productive efficiency of pasture-based livestock farming with reduced environmental trade-offs.
From an animal welfare viewpoint, pasture-based management systems – where animals are outside grazing pasture for much of the year – can have better mental and physical wellbeing outcomes for livestock than for those in permanently housed systems.
However, to better evaluate the benefits and trade-offs of pasture-based livestock farming in the UK context, Rothamsted and Pasture for Life are calling for the advancement of a research funding model that can deliver long-term relationships.
These will be based on co-designed and co-delivered projects with equal status for famers and scientists as research partners.
Pasture for Life’s, Dr Catherine Broomfield outlined how greater funding can facilitate the building of these relationships between researchers and farmers.
“Many farmers are really keen to innovate and want to be able to collaborate with scientists in practice-based research.”
“But the current research funding environment can often act as a barrier because farmers are not rewarded as equal partners in the research process.
“That’s why we are calling for a change to research funding that allows farmers to be listed as co-researchers and pays them fairly for their expert, practice-based contribution.”
