Agricultural News
Research Shows Grazing Cattle Provide Many Benefits For Both Humans And The Environment
Fri, 23 Jul 2021 06:50:07 CDT
Cattle do more than just take up space but to the casual observer driving across the Plains, it may be difficult to know all the positive benefits of grazing cattle on the High Plains, said Dr. Myriah Johnson, senior director of environmental research and beef sustainability for NCBA.
During a recent NCBA conference she discussed some of the sustainability research conducted on behalf of the cattle industry.
One area in particular Johnson mentioned was the sustainability of grazing in the Great Plains.
A K-State study focused on the human benefits of grazing in the Great Plains and Johnson noted the research indicated beef is good for people and our planet.
People not engaged in agriculture may wonder why we need cattle on the grazing lands, Johnson said.
Cattle do more than just take up space, she said.
For example, when cattle are grazing the land, the risk of wildfires goes down, she said.
Using cattle as a tool to graze and reduce that fuel load, she said.
We're helping protect the ecosystem, soil health, wildlife habitat, public safety and saving taxpayer dollars all at the same time, Johnson said.
This is in addition to providing a nutrient rich source of high-quality protein.
Other research at the University of Wyoming focuses on the economic impact of grazing federal lands.
Removing cattle from federal lands would be detrimental because we know this is really a symbiotic relationship, Johnson said.
Click on the LISTEN BAR below to hear more comments from NCBA's Dr. Myriah Johnson.
The Beef Buzz is a regular feature heard on radio stations around the region on the Radio Oklahoma Network and is a regular audio feature found on this website as well. Click on the LISTEN BAR below for today's show and check out our archives for older Beef Buzz shows covering the gamut of the beef cattle industry today.
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