CARGANDO

BEST LIVESTOCK PRACTICES Cerrado

BRAZIL

With almost 2 million km², the Cerrado is the most biodiverse savannah in the world and home to 5% of the animals and plants on the entire planet 11. It is a very important source of fresh water globally, and since 70% of its biomass is underground, it stores enormous amounts of carbon in the soil.

BIODIVERSITY

It is home to around 11.000 plant species, 200 mammal species, 860 bird species, 180 reptile species, 150 amphibian species, 1.200 fish species, and 90 million insect species. There are endangered or vulnerable animal species, such as the giant anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla) and the tatu bola (Tolypeutes tricinctus).

© WWF Brazil

THREATS

More than 50% of the Cerrado has already been modified, mainly for pasture and agriculture. According to MapBiomas, in 2023 the Cerrado surpassed the Amazon as the most deforested biome in Brazil. Habitat destruction and fragmentation are currently the biggest threats to the Cerrado. If conversion continues at the rates of recent years, the Cerrado could disappear in the next three decades. The indiscriminate use of pesticides and fertilizers has also contaminated soil and groundwater.

  • Lack of legal environmental protection to prevent the conversion of natural environments.
  • Advance of monocultures, causing environmental degradation.
  • Increased socio-environmental risk for traditional communities that contribute to conservation.

The Cerrado is one of the oldest and richest ecosystems on the planet, in terms of life forms. The existing flora, fauna and culture make the Cerrado one of the most important natural regions to preserve for future generations. It is possible to reconcile food production with the environmental and sociocultural conservation of the Cerrado. To do this, it should not be transformed legally or illegally, and best practices should be implemented, to allow the conservation or recovery of soils, pastures and waters.

The main threat to the survival of the Cerrado is the indiscriminate advance of the agricultural frontier. The conversion of the Cerrado to monocultures, especially soybeans, is one of the main threats to the socioecosystem. The loss of habitat of native species, soil contamination and conflicts with traditional populations are among the main challenges for conserving this territory.

Forest monoculture, especially of exotic species, is another threat since it introduces pesticides and degrades the landscape and ecosystem, harming the permanence of native species of fauna and flora.

After the Atlantic Forest, the Cerrado is the Brazilian ecosystem that suffered the most alterations due to human occupation. Extensive low-productivity livestock farming is a key factor in the degradation of the ecoregion, since it is where the largest livestock farm in the country is concentrated. Burning, a widely used method to remove original vegetation, intensifies atmospheric pollution, reduces soil nutrients, and increases pesticides that contaminate soil, groundwater and rivers.

Forest fires, infrastructure works, mainly Small Hydroelectric Power Plants (SHPs), Hydroelectric Power Plants (UHEs) and the demand for charcoal from native trees for the steel industry also put the Cerrado at risk.

The Cerrado is one of the oldest and richest ecosystems on the planet, in terms of life forms. The existing flora, fauna and culture make the Cerrado one of the most important natural regions to preserve for future generations. It is possible to reconcile food production with the environmental and sociocultural conservation of the Cerrado. To do this, it should not be transformed legally or illegally, and best practices should be implemented, to allow the conservation or recovery of soils, pastures and waters.

The main threat to the survival of the Cerrado is the indiscriminate advance of the agricultural frontier. The conversion of the Cerrado to monocultures, especially soybeans, is one of the main threats to the socioecosystem. The loss of habitat of native species, soil contamination and conflicts with traditional populations are among the main challenges for conserving this territory.

 

Forest monoculture, especially of exotic species, is another threat since it introduces pesticides and degrades the landscape and ecosystem, harming the permanence of native species of fauna and flora.

After the Atlantic Forest, the Cerrado is the Brazilian ecosystem that suffered the most alterations due to human occupation. Extensive low-productivity livestock farming is a key factor in the degradation of the ecoregion, since it is where the largest livestock farm in the country is concentrated. Burning, a widely used method to remove original vegetation, intensifies atmospheric pollution, reduces soil nutrients, and increases pesticides that contaminate soil, groundwater and rivers.

Forest fires, infrastructure works, mainly Small Hydroelectric Power Plants (SHPs), Hydroelectric Power Plants (UHEs) and the demand for charcoal from native trees for the steel industry also put the Cerrado at risk.

OPPORTUNITIES

Some of the actions necessary to stop the advance of unsustainable agriculture are:

Public policies that guarantee the application of existing regulations and sustainable financial strategies.

Involvement of the production chains generating zero degradation and reconversion commitments.

© Augusto Alves Simão / WWF Brazil

Best livestock practices

The implementation of BLP allows for a significant increase in production in already converted areas, while at the same time, reducing the pressure on the remaining natural areas.

Restore degraded natural pastures.

Perform good soil management on the farm, preparing the soil in a less aggressive way and recovering areas of exposed soil.

Build dams and drinking troughs, and use canals, pumps, pipes, excavated tanks to supply water to livestock, preventing animals from traveling more than 2 km in search of water.

Conserve vegetation in areas near watercourses and springs, and design adequate water infrastructure for livestock.

Use a landscape approach to ensure connectivity and apply holistic management and planning of pastures and rangelands, maintaining their structure and functionality and giving priority to native species.

Favor harmonious integration between domestic and wild animals.

Reduce and preferably eliminate the use of agrochemicals and increase the use of bio-inputs.

Guarantee adequate working conditions, respect workers’ rights and generate opportunities for personal growth and training in accordance with responsibilities and tasks.

© Andre Dib / WWF Brazil

CASE STUDY ESTANCIA MILLENIUM – CERRADO

MARACAJU, MATO GROSSO DO SUL, BRAZIL.

Estancia Milenium is an example of improvement and reflects the philosophy of life of its owners, Thimoteo Lobreiro and Maura Correa. They managed to transform a land that was almost completely degraded into a model of sustainable livestock production, with 1,500 head of cattle that currently conserves 75% of its surface 12. They produce organic meat certified by the Institute of Biodynamics (IBD) and are members of the Brazilian Association of Organic Producers (ABPO).

AREAS BY TYPE OF ENVIRONMENTS (HECTARES)

  • 1.093 Total area

  • 863Natural grasslands

©WWF Brazil

CHARACTERISTICS

  • Stocking rates

    Average livestock density of 1.2 animal units/ha.

  • Production costs

    47.1% more efficient than the cost estimated by EMBRAPA

  • Mortality

    Reduction in calf mortality rate over the years.

  • Management

    Full-cycle, highly efficient livestock farming with paddock rotation. Agroecological practices are implemented for soil, pasture and forage management.

  • Productivity

    Reproduction rate of 95%, and pregnancy rate of 84%, above the national average. Improvement in weight gain above 50%, reaching 110kg, above the national average.

  • Productivity efficiency

    Improvement in weight gain of 52% (females) and 51% for males (males), 110kg above the national average of 88kg. The live weight before going to the slaughterhouse increased in the last three years by 7.2% (females) and 4.4% (males). The production sold is 88kg/ha/year.

  • Soils

    Increase in organic matter and micromineral content in forage.

  • Fertilization

    Use of organic fertilizer and biofertilizers fortified with microorganisms, minerals and native herbs.

  • Nutrition

    Reduction of 44 gr. in the consumption of mineral salts, in 4 years.

  • Animal health and nutrition

    Phytotherapy and bio inputs in animal nutrition and health. Nutritional management allows zootechnical indices above the national average.

BIODIVERSITY

The pasture management model ensures the protection of water sources and contributes to the conservation of local biodiversity and the conservation of the natural habitat of local fauna. Shrub species are maintained for the maintenance of the Cerrado and to promote the well-being of the animals (shaded areas, protection from the wind).

  • RED SQUIRRELSciurus spadiceus

    © Chaco Films – WWF Paraguay

  • MANNED WOLFChrysocyon brachyurus

    © Patricia Roche – WWF Paraguay

  • RED-AND-GREEN MACAWAra chloropterus

    © Gianfranco Mancusi WWF Paraguay

  • GIANT ANTEATERMyrmecophaga trydactyla

    © Fernando Allen – WWF Paraguay

  • WHITE LIPPED PECCARYTayassu pecari

    © Gianfranco Mancusi WWF-Paraguay