Change type of livestock

Overall effectiveness category Likely to be beneficial
Number of studies: 2
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How is the evidence assessed?

Effectiveness

62%
Certainty

41%
Harms

0%

Calculating overall effectiveness category

Background information and definitions

Domestic herbivores differ in the way that they graze. In particular, some species are more selective than others, and so will concentrate grazing in areas with highly palatable plant species. This may generate different effects on vegetation dynamics than does grazing by more generalist herbivores (Evans et al. 2015). Furthermore, large herbivores, such as cattle, may disturb the ground more through their footprints than is the case for smaller grazers, such as sheep. Such effects may produce a vegetation sward and structure than is more or less suited for wild mammals.

Evans D.M., Villar N., Littlewood N.A., Pakeman R.J., Evans S.A., Dennis P., Skartveit J. & Redpath S.M. (2015) The cascading impacts of livestock grazing in upland ecosystems: a 10-year experiment. Ecosphere, 6, article 42.

Study locations

Key messages

Two studies evaluated the effect of changing type of livestock on mammals. One study was in the UK and one was in the Netherlands.

COMMUNITY RESPONSE (0 STUDIES)

POPULATION RESPONSE (2 STUDIES)

Abundance (2 studies): One replicated, randomized, paired sites, controlled, before-and-after study in the UK found that sheep and cattle grazing increased field vole abundance relative to sheep-only grazing. One replicated, randomized, paired sites study in the Netherlands found that cattle grazing increased vole abundance relative to horse grazing.

BEHAVIOUR (0 STUDIES)

About key messages

Key messages provide a descriptive index to studies we have found that test this intervention.

Studies are not directly comparable or of equal value. When making decisions based on this evidence, you should consider factors such as study size, study design, reported metrics and relevance of the study to your situation, rather than simply counting the number of studies that support a particular interpretation.

Supporting evidence from individual studies

A replicated, randomized, paired sites, controlled, before-and-after study in 2002–2004 on an upland grassland site in Scotland, UK (Evans et al. 2006) found that, after two years, grazing with sheep and cattle increased field vole Microtus agrestis abundance relative to sheep-only grazing. In the first year of the experiment, a similar proportion of quadrats had signs of voles in sheep and cattle plots (11%) and sheep only plots (12%). In the second year, the proportion with vole signs was higher in sheep and cattle (16%) than sheep only plots (11%). Before the experiment began, there was no difference in the frequency of vole signs between plots. Plots were grazed similarly up to 2002 (rate not stated). From 2003, there were six replicates (each 3.3 ha) of sheep and cattle grazing (two ewes/plot and, for four weeks/year, two cattle each with a suckling calf) and sheep only grazing (three ewes/plot). Treatments were designed to have similar overall grazing intensity. Five 25 cm × 25 cm quadrats at each of five points in each plot were searched for vole signs in April and October of 2002–2004.
Study and other actions tested
Referenced paper
Evans D.M., Redpath S.M., Elston D.A., Evans S.A., Mitchell R.J. & Dennis P. (2006) To graze or not to graze? Sheep, voles, forestry and nature conservation in the British uplands. Journal of Applied Ecology, 43, 499-505.
A replicated, randomized, paired sites, controlled study in 2010–2013 on a coastal salt marsh in the Netherlands (van Klink et al. 2016) found that plots grazed by cattle contained more signs of vole Microtus spp. presence than did plots grazed by horses. After four years, a greater proportion of surveyed quadrats contained signs of vole presence in plots grazed by cattle than in plots grazed by horses (data not reported). Twelve plots were established (in three sets of four plots) on a grazed salt marsh. From 2010, six plots (two random plots/set) were grazed by each livestock type: cows (600 kg) or horses (700 kg). Grazing occurred in summer (June–October) only. Half of the plots were grazed at high intensity (1.0 animal/ha) and half were grazed at low intensity (0.5 animals/ha). In October 2013, sixty quadrats (2 m²) were surveyed in the higher elevations of each plot for signs of vole presence (runways, fresh plant fragments or faecal pellets). Some flooded quadrats were excluded from analyses.
Study and other actions tested
Referenced paper
van Klink R., Nolte S., Mandema F.S., Lagendijk D.D.G., Wallis De Vries M.F., Bakker J.P., Esselink P. & Smit C. (2016) Effects of grazing management on biodiversity across trophic levels – the importance of livestock species and stocking density in salt marshes. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, 235, 329-339.

Please cite as:

Littlewood, N.A., Rocha, R., Smith, R.K., Martin, P.A., Lockhart, S.L., Schoonover, R.F., Wilman, E., Bladon, A.J., Sainsbury, K.A., Pimm S. and Sutherland, W.J. (2020) Terrestrial Mammal Conservation: Global Evidence for the Effects of Interventions for terrestrial mammals excluding bats and primates. Synopses of Conservation Evidence Series. University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.

Where has this evidence come from?

List of journals searched by synopsis

All the journals searched for all synopses

This Action forms part of the Action Synopsis:

Terrestrial Mammal Conservation

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Change type of livestock Action Link	Likely to be beneficial	2	Synopsis Link
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Use traditional breeds of livestock Action Link	Unknown effectiveness (limited evidence)	1	Synopsis Link