• At NEIKER we have been researching this practice since 2013 on our Arkaute farm where we have more than 10 hectares of meadows and a flock of latxa sheep.
• The practices implemented have increased grass production by 30% and improved soil carbon sequestration by 4%, contributing to soil and ecosystem regeneration and livestock sustainability.

Certain agricultural or grazing practices often have negative effects on the conservation and health of soil and grassland. For example, tillage means leaving the soil bare and exposed to erosion, thus losing a sometimes undervalued resource. Overgrazing also means the loss of grassland species of interest, and as a result, periodic reseeding is necessary. To reverse these effects, regenerative rotational grazing is an effective solution that not only benefits the animals, but also strengthens the health of the soil and the ecosystem as a whole.

In this context, at NEIKER we have been applying and researching this grazing practice since 2013, applying it on our Arkaute farm, where we have more than 10 hectares of meadows and a flock of latxas sheep.

To implement it, we divide the land into smaller plots, each of which is grazed with a high concentration of livestock for short periods of time (usually 1 day, but always less than 3). They are then given sufficient rest time until the next grazing, which depends on the time of year. This allows the soil and vegetation to regenerate more effectively, thus generating greater biodiversity in both soil and grass, and thus promoting soil and ecosystem health.

30% increase in grass production 

The results obtained so far demonstrate the benefits of this practice in increasing soil carbon sequestration, thus improving soil fertility and combating the effects of climate change. ‘The practices implemented have increased grass production by 30%, carbon fixation in the soil has increased by 4%, and its water retention capacity, thus favouring the regeneration and resilience of ecosystems’, explains Nerea Mandaluniz, researcher at NEIKER’s Animal Production department.

Application in livestock farms in the Basque Country

The regenerative grazing model promoted by NEIKER is already being used in various livestock farms in the Basque Country, both sheep and cattle. For this, it is necessary for professionals in the livestock sector to receive specialised training on the importance of the soil and the impact of different management practices in order to acquire the necessary knowledge to improve the management of their territory through the appropriate movement of animals.

In addition, in order to develop the regenerative grazing strategy efficiently, detailed planning is essential to manage the movement of animals and to ensure that each plot has the appropriate recovery time at each time. Electric fencing is very useful in this process, as it allows the size of grazing sub-plots to be delimited and adjusted. In addition, the animals must be provided with water points in each plot to meet their needs, but placed in such a way that they are not concentrated in certain areas and that they make a more balanced use of the whole space. In other words, avoiding overgrazing or undergrazing.

In this way, regenerative grazing is in line with the European Green Pact’s ‘Farm to Fork’ strategy, which aims to promote more sustainable and efficient food systems through the responsible use of natural resources.