Helping the planet
how we are slowing down global warming
We can tackle global warming by eating meat from animals managed in a way that sequesters CO2 from the atmosphere in the soil.
The facts
Correct grazing practice increases soil organic matter, i.e. soil carbon, taken as a CO2 from the atmosphere.
Our herd of cattle (150) sequesters every year emissions equivalent to lifestyle of 140 people!
So a single cow can sequester nearly as much CO2 in the soil as you produce every year.
Grasslands have been known for centuries to create astonishing depths of fertile topsoil.
The tallgrass steppes and prairies have created very fertile chernozem, black topsoil with high proportion of humus, rich in carbon.
A key factor in this process were large herds of grazing animals that were periodically grazing the grasslands. This regenerated the plants and helped decomposition and a quicker build up of carbon (via the animal’s manure).
How it works
We manage our cattle and sheep in a way they stimulate grasslands to store CO2 from the atmosphere in the soil. Our cattle are a solution to climate change.
During photosynthesis, a plant takes CO2 from the atmosphere and creates a carbon substance (sugar) to grow its body – leaves and roots.
Grazing stimulates carbon sequestration – the height of the plant above the soil corresponds to the size of the roots below the soil. Once grazed, the plant adapts to its new height. It sheds its roots and injects carbon substances in the soil to attract and feed bacteria and fungi that provide it with the right nutrients to regrow.
Grazing animals also trample plants as well as convert them into dung, a sort of pre-digested plant matter for the soil.
Dying roots and trampled grass leaves (=carbon) increase soil carbon, along with soluble carbon that the plant injects into its root zone to feed soil life.
Over time, carbon in the soil increases and forms rich fertile humus that holds water and nutrients for the plants to use.
As a result, large amounts of CO2 from the atmosphere are stored in the soil.
Does it matter how the animals have grazed the pasture?
Yes, because grassland carbon sequestration can only happen when the plant is grazed in a way that produces maximum amount of leaves and roots. It must not be overgrazed or undergrazed.
The rules
- The grassland needs to have a good residue of ungrazed stalks from which the regrowth happens.
- The grass needs to be stimulated by grazing for a short period of time, such as 1-3 days
- The grass needs to have enough time to recover from grazing, i.e. 5-10 weeks
- The pasture is managed in a way that 1/3 of it is grazed, 1/3 is trampled and 1/3 is pooed on
- The soil surface is nearly completely covered by vegetation so the soil cannot be affected by floods or drought which could lead to release of carbon from the soil
- The grassland is highly diverse and contains multitude of grass species and other plants.
In practice...
We manage our animals with electric fencing (1 wire for cattle, 3 wires for sheep).
You’ll never see our animals in one piece of pasture for more than 3 days. They’ll not return to the same pasture until at least 5 weeks later.
These practices are called mob-grazing and Holistic planned grazing.
Restoring British countryside
How we restore damaged land to become vibrant and beautiful meadows with bees, butterflies and birds