Grassland Management for Organic Farmers


Book Description

A comprehensive practical manual on all aspects of organic grassland management, presenting down-to-earth advice backed up by scientific explanation Aimed primarily at organic farmers, agricultural students, and organic advisers and consultants, this guide will also be useful to the ever-increasing number of non-organic farmers wishing to move towards a low-carbon, clover-based grassland system. The author discusses making the most of clover and soil nitrogen mineralization, the role of herbs, and the efficient recycling of manures. He also covers reducing weed invasion, clean grazing systems for worm control, efficient grazing and conservation, and minimizing the environmental impact of grassland. The grass/clover ley plays a central role in most organic farms, since clover is the foundation stone for the whole farm system through its ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen. As well as providing an essential forage resource for farm livestock, grass/clover swards also form the basis of sustainable organic arable rotations.




Organic Grassland


Book Description

Unique guide written by a recognised authority on the subject. Grass is the most important feed for cattle and sheep. The central theme is that organic grassland can be a productive source of nutrients for livestock provided it is managed correctly. Essential for organic farmers and for those converting to organic systems of production.




The World of Organic Agriculture


Book Description

The new edition of this annual publication (previously published solely by IFOAM and FiBL) documents recent developments in global organic agriculture. It includes contributions from representatives of the organic sector from throughout the world and provides comprehensive organic farming statistics that cover surface area under organic management, numbers of farms and specific information about commodities and land use in organic systems. The book also contains information on the global market of the burgeoning organic sector, the latest developments in organic certification, standards and regulations, and insights into current status and emerging trends for organic agriculture by continent from the worlds foremost experts. For this edition, all statistical data and regional review chapters have been thoroughly updated. Completely new chapters on organic agriculture in the Pacific, on the International Task Force on Harmonization and Equivalence in Organic Agriculture and on organic aquaculture have been added. Published with IFOAM and FiBL




Grassland Invertebrates


Book Description

Grasslands comprise more than a quarter of the Earth's land surface. In addition to supporting a wide range of vertebrates such as domestic livestock and a variety of games species, grassland is the natural habitat for a wide range of invertebrate species, and this book considers those which occur in grassland and their impact on soil fertility and herbage growth. It describes grassland as a habitat for invertebrates, the groups which occur there and their abudance. An extensive literature on grassland invertebrates scattered through numerous scientific journals and reports is drawn on in an attempt to develop an overview. In the opening chapter the major grassland types are considered and the features which influence the distribution and abudance of the invertebrates which inhabit them are discussed. Next the major taxonomic groups are reviewed in turn, with a brief account of their biology and ecology and of their ecosystem role. Some general features of grassland invertebrate communities are then described and teh factors which influence th epopulation densities of their constituent species are considered. Particular attentionm is given to the ways in which populations are influenced by management practices. The final and largest chapterdeals with the various ways in which invertebrates influence important grassland processes through ingestion of organic matter, interaction with injurious species is considered, with particular emphasis on the potential for achieving this through manipulating grassland management practices.




Crop Rotation on Organic Farms


Book Description




Natural Grasslands


Book Description




Grassland: a global resource


Book Description

"The concept of grasslands as a global resource is not new. Indeed many recognised authorities have been canvassing for a global approach to understanding, managing and exploiting this resource for many years. This is the first book that gathers together leading experts from around the world to outline our current understanding of this complex ecosystem, the ways in which it can be enhanced and utilised and where the research challenges are for the future. The following themes unite the book: - Efficient production from grassland; - Grassland and the environment; - Delivering the benefits from grassland. The reader is given an in depth understanding of the biology of the system and how grasslands are crucial for soil stabilisation and water quality. Secondly, much attention is given to how grasslands offer the possibility of increasing food supply and income generation, which is a hugely important but often ignored facet in today’s climate of extensification and biodiversity. Current advances in the grassland sciences have a proven potential to promote the economic development and environmental stability of regions, nations and peoples, particularly in some of the most resource-limited areas of the world. Approaches for achieving the most effective development and adoption of new technology are reviewed."




Lockhart and Wiseman's Crop Husbandry Including Grassland


Book Description

Increased yields, markets, and profitability have led to changes in crop husbandry. Since its first publication in 1966, revised editions of Lockhart & Wiseman's Crop Husbandry Including Grassland have upheld and increased the book's good reputation. This ninth edition maintains its status as the standard textbook for many agricultural courses. Part one covers the principles of crop production with chapters concerning plants, climate, soil management, fertilizers, manures, weeds, and diseases threatening farm crops. Part two surveys crop husbandry techniques. Environmental impact has been addressed in greater detail in this edition. This section looks at issues such as sustainable crop management, precision farming, and organic crop husbandry. The way these general techniques apply to individual crops is explained in part three. This part considers a range of cereals, combinable break crops, root crops, industrial crops, and fresh produce crops. Part four looks at the use of grassland and forage crops, with chapters considering arable forage crops, the characteristics of grassland, and the corresponding methods for establishing and improving grassland. This part also includes information regarding equine grassland management and conservation of grass and forage crops. This ninth edition of Lockhart and Wiseman's Crop Husbandry Including Grassland is relevant for students throughout the United Kingdom and Europe. It is a useful reference book for agriculture National Diploma courses, Foundation Degrees, and BSc degrees, and is important for Masters level students entering agriculture from another discipline. - The previous edition has been widely expanded and remains the standard text for general agriculture, land management, and agri-business courses - Includes new chapters on cropping techniques, integrated crop management and quality assurance, seed production and selection, and the influence of climate - Discusses basic conditions for crop growth, how techniques are applied to particular crops, the influence of weather, and the use of grassland




Examining European semi-natural grassland silages and urban green cut as input sources for the integrated generation of solid fuel and biogas from biomass


Book Description

To act against the negative effects of climate change, the European Union (EU) has increased its efforts in the field of renewable energies. This led to the definition of national and EU wide targets for the share of energy from renewable sources in gross final consumption of energy by the year 2020 for each EU-Member state and the Union as a whole. To reach these aims without jeopardising other important aims like food security and nature conservation, sustainable systems of recovery of renewable energy have to be developed. One possibility is the “integrated generation of solid fuel and biogas from biomass” (IFBB). Its core element is the mechanical separation of the biomass into a solid fuel for combustion and a liquid for anaerobic digestion. This study investigated the technology on a prototype scale for a variety of European semi natural grasslands and urban green cut biomasses. The quality of the derived energy carriers and the parameters influencing these qualities were in the research focus. In addition, the IFBB system was compared to other energy recovery systems.




Land Use Systems in Grassland Dominated Regions


Book Description

Agriculture, alpine, global change, nutrients, farming