Ranching and Farming Grazing Sub-system in Temperate Zones and Tropical Highlands - LGT3

In this sub-system, ruminants are raised on privately owned pastures and are predominantly fed on pasture.

Ranching is the most extensive grazing system, occurring in regions with climatic or edaphic constraint to the plant growth and a low population density. Among the temperate countries, ranching is commonly adopted in North America, South America, South Africa, Australia.

Farming implies a more intensive system, adopted in regions suitable for a long annual period of plant growth and with a consistent population density. Farming is common in Europe, in Australia and New Zealand. Supplementary feeding during winter, primarily with hay, is a common practice in much of the USA and Canada. Sometimes, the owner uses seasonal transhumance, moving livestock to private, rented or communal pastures (examples in European mountains, in North Africa), combining farming and extensive grazing.

When farming is becomming more intensive, some of animal feed is produced on crop lands in or out of the farm : the livestock production system changes to the mixed system.

Environmental impacts depend on the level of intensification. The major impacts are on soil erosion, degradation of riparian areas affecting the stream flow, positive and negative effects on botanical composition, changes on forest ecosystems, competition for food and space with wildlife. Under careful management, ranching and farming with grazing system appear to be much less damaging for soil and biodiversity than ploughing the soil for cultivation. Integration of the farming system in complex landscapes maintains various complementary ecosystems beneficial to biodiversity.

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