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Beef Cattle Grazing & Soil Disturbance (Beira Baixa)

Context & Location​

  • Beira Baixa region, mainland Portugal
  • Mediterranean climate
  • Organic beef cattle production

Objectives​

  • Compare soil health outcomes under different grazing and soil mobilization regimes
  • Assess long-term effects of regenerative grazing practices

Problem Description​

Even organic systems can suffer from soil degradation if grazing pressure and soil disturbance are not properly managed. There is limited empirical evidence comparing long-term grazing, no-till, and ungrazed plots within the same system.

Proposed Approach / Pilot Logic​

Three plots were monitored:

  1. Grazed plot
  2. No-till plot (no mobilization for ≥10 years)
  3. Ungrazed plot (no animals for ≥3 years)

This design enables time-dependent and practice-based comparison.

Data & Measurements​

  • Soil chemistry and nutrient balance
  • Soil microbiome (16S, ITS)
  • Indicators of compaction and biological stress

Key Findings (Preliminary)​

  • Lower organic matter compared to other farms
  • Signs of compaction across plots
  • Nutrient limitations (e.g. molybdenum below detection limits)

Expected / Observed Value​

  • Highlights limits of “organic-only” approaches
  • Provides evidence for adaptive grazing, subsoiling, and regenerative interventions
  • Supports context-based management rather than one-size-fits-all practices

Why this pilot matters​

It highlights that organic management alone is not sufficient, and that adaptive grazing and regenerative soil practices are essential to restore soil function and long-term productivity.