Meat production and maintaining biodiversity: Grazing by traditional breeds and crossbred beef cattle in marshes and grasslands

Traditional cattle breeds play a crucial role in maintaining biodiversity and habitat conservation values in marshes, outperforming crossbred beef cattle. A grazing experiment in Hortobágy National Park, Hungary, revealed that traditional breeds significantly increased species diversity and Shannon diversity in marsh habitats compared to crossbred cattle. Additionally, crossbred cattle grazing led to a decrease in moisture indicator values in these environments. The study highlights the importance of prioritizing traditional breeds for managing wet alkaline grasslands and marshes to balance agricultural production with nature conservation. This research provides evidence that breed-specific grazing practices can effectively harmonize the needs of both sectors.

Kovácsné Koncz, N., Béri, B., Deák, B., Kelemen, A., Tóth, K., Kiss, R., Radócz, S., Miglécz, T., Tóthmérész, B., & Valkó, O. (2020). Meat production and maintaining biodiversity: Grazing by traditional breeds and crossbred beef cattle in marshes and grasslands. Applied Vegetation Science, 23(2), 139–148. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1111/avsc.12475