Plantago lanceolata L. is increasingly incorporated in temperate pasture systems for its agronomic resilience and potential to reduce the environmental footprint of ruminant production through its specific secondary metabolites (SMs). However, how light intensity per se regulates P. lanceolata L. physiology, nutritive value and SM accumulation remains poorly understood due to confounding factors in field studies. This controlled-environment study evaluated the effects of three light intensities (200, 300, and 400 µmol photons m−2 s−1) on morphophysiological traits, forage quality, and SM concentrations in P. lanceolata L. cv. “Ceres Tonic”. Plants were grown in controlled-environment chambers under similar temperature, humidity and nutrient conditions. Morphological traits, biomass allocation, chlorophyll fluorescence, gas exchange, chemical composition, and root architecture were measured. Additionally, the most important secondary metabolites, aucubin, catalpol and acteoside, were also evaluated. Under the different light intensity treatments plants maintained stable physiological parameters, total biomass production, leaf dimensions or root architecture. However, moderate light intensity (300 µmol photons m−2 s−1) optimized nutritive value by minimizing fiber concentrations and maximizing metabolizable energy. Acteoside concentration, as well as the iridoid glycosides aucubin and catalpol, were not affected by the different light intensities. These findings demonstrate that P. lanceolata L. maintains morphophysiological stability across the tested light intensity range studied, while selectively modulating forage quality.

Background Grassland reseeding typically requires intensive tillage. This disrupts soil nutrient dynamics, especially under varying drainage conditions.Methods This study evaluated the combined effects of tillage legacy, drainage and soil depth on key soil properties within a long-term grassland experiment. Treatments compared two no-tillage durations (5 years of no tillage, 5YNT; 30 years of no tillage, 30YNT), two drainage systems (drained and undrained) and two depths (0-10 and 10-30 cm) following reseeding. Total carbon (TC), total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP) and pH were measured.Results Significant three-way interactions were detected for all variables. At 0-10 cm, undrained 30YNT plots showed 69% greater TC and 66.9% higher TP than the lowest values recorded in 5YNT x drained combinations at 10-30 cm. TN followed a similar pattern, with substantial enrichment under long-term no-tillage. Reseeding reduced TC, TN and TP within 5 years, particularly in surface soils, with the largest proportional losses in undrained plots where nutrient concentrations had been high prior to tillage.Conclusions Findings highlight the importance of conserving long-term no-tillage systems to enhance nutrient retention and promote sustainable grassland productivity. Conventional tillage of nutrient-rich pastures should be avoided to prevent major nutrient losses.

Rising global temperatures and more frequent heat waves impose severe heat stress (HS) on ruminant livestock, threatening the sustainability of intensive and extensive production systems. This mini-review evaluates nutritional, genetic, and engineering (including nature-based) interventions designed to build livestock resilience within climate-smart food systems. HS limits feed intake, disrupts reproductive physiology and elevates disease risk. Climate modelling projections indicate that by 2050, millions of cattle, sheep, and goats will experience 10-20 additional extreme HS days annually, impacting animal welfare, and generating massive economic losses, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Nutritional strategies such as betaine, organic selenium, polyphenols, and chromium reduce endogenous heat production, oxidative stress, and gut permeability, thereby maintaining performance under HS. Mitigating these impacts requires an integrated deployment of targeted nutritional supplements, genomic and indigenous selection for thermotolerance, and environmental modification. This mini-review provides a critical evaluation of these multi-faceted strategies, emphasising their inherent trade-offs, economic feasibility and resources limitations.

Enteric methane emissions from ruminants substantially contribute to global greenhouse gas emissions, necessitating effective mitigation strategies that also support animal productivity. This study assessed the efficacy of a multi-component feed additive that combines medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs), live yeast, plant-based agents, and Vitamin B, in reducing methane emissions, improving feed efficiency, and enhancing growth and immune function in sheep. Twenty crossbred castrated male sheep (52 ± 3.7 kg) were divided into control and treatment groups (n = 10 each), with the treatment group receiving grass pellets supplemented with the multi-component feed additive (20 g/day) for 71 days, including a 30-day acclimatisation period. Feed intake, methane emissions, growth performance, and blood parameters were monitored using BioControl pens, GreenFeed units, and haematological analyses. The treatment group exhibited a 24% increase in daily feed intake (p < 0.001) and a 22.2% reduction in methane yield per kg of dry matter ingested (p < 0.001), which could be attributed to MCFAs’ anti-methanogenic properties and yeast’s rumen modulation. However, no significant improvements were observed in daily live weight gain, feed conversion efficiency, or immune parameters, suggesting limited energy utilisation for growth. These findings highlight this novel multi-component feed additive as a promising strategy for methane mitigation in forage-based systems. Further dosage optimisation and dietary integration could enhance its application across ruminant species, contributing to sustainable livestock production.

Context: Rothamsted Research's Park Grass Experiment, established in 1856, is the longest-running grassland study globally. Naturally regenerating grassland swards are grown in plots with varying applications of fertiliser including ammonium sulphate and sodium nitrate (at varying application rates), organic fertiliser, minerals (K, Mg, Na, P), and lime, which is mown twice a year. As the world's most widely produced crop, grass is predominantly used to feed ruminants, however, the nutritional properties and carrying capacities of these plots have not previously been quantified. Objective: The objective of this study was to characterise the nutritional profile of forage gathered from the Park Grass plots from 1860 to 2020 and the ruminant carrying capacity that the plots would support. The study further aimed to explore the trade-offs between productivity, forage nutritional quality, and biodiversity. Method: Dried PGE herbage samples were taken from the Rothamsted sample archive at decade intervals from 1860 to 2020, representing a range of plot treatments. Proximate analysis and XRF elemental analysis were performed, and the data was used to estimate ruminant carrying capacity of plots based on metabolisable energy and crude protein requirements for production. Results: Fertiliser applications increased carrying capacity due to yield improvements but reduced crude protein while increasing cellulose and hemicellulose. Increased growth appeared to have a dilution effect on some essential minerals, particularly Ca, Mg, Mn, and P. Sodium nitrate produced higher carrying capacities per unit of nitrogen compared to ammonium sulphate or organic manure. Conclusions: The findings highlight trade-offs in improved grasslands between forage quality, quantity, biodiversity, and management inputs. Results show that fertiliser applications enhance carrying capacity by increasing forage yield but potentially at the cost of reduced nutritional quality and species diversity. This study also provides the first comprehensive nutritional analysis of the Park Grass plots, revealing how historical fertiliser treatments influenced forage quality and ruminant carrying capacity over 160 years. Significance: Studying the trade-offs and gradients within grassland systems is essential for understanding the balance between productivity and biodiversity. This study also contributes to the rich dataset available on the Park Grass Experiment, providing future opportunities and insight, whilst also highlighting the importance of long-term experimental studies in the agricultural and environmental sciences

The yield and quality of biomass produced in a growing season determine feed allocation, livestock performance, and system capacity and resilience. Congo grass (Urochloa ruziziensis, UR) and Rhodes grass (Chloris gayana, CG) are important grass species for livestock in Sub-Saharan Africa, where their high yield potential and adaptability provide leverage to mitigate persistent feed gaps. This study investigated the morphological traits, biomass yield, and nutritive value of UR and CG in the Northern Guinea Savanna of Nigeria over three years (2019–2021) to assess their biomass yield and quality responses to successive harvests. We hypothesised that UR would outperform CG in yield and quality over the study period. Grasses were established in 2019, with multiple harvests annually from four replicate plots per species. UR consistently produced more tillers and leaves per tussock and achieved significantly higher biomass and crude protein (CP) yields at each harvest (p < 0.001), averaging 32.2% and 38.4% greater biomass and CP, respectively, compared to CG. Nutritional analysis revealed that CG contained 19.4% less CP, 23.4% less metabolisable energy, and 22.7% less ash than UR, while having higher fibre fractions (p < 0.001). Overall, UR demonstrated superior productivity and nutritional value under the tested conditions, highlighting its potential as a more reliable forage option for farmers in the Northern Guinea Savanna of Nigeria.

The development of metrics to assess the sustainability of food production systems is vital for achieving sustainable global agri-food systems. Nitrogen use efficiency (NUE), defined as the ratio of nitrogen (N) in food outputs to total N inputs, is a key indicator of resource efficiency in crop and livestock systems. This study quantified and compared NUE, N surplus (NSURP, total N inputs minus N in food products), and N balance (N retained, calculated as inputs minus food outputs and losses) across four pasture-crop rotation systems with varying land-use intensity, evaluated at both component (crop and livestock) and system levels from 2019 to 2022. The systems included continuous cropping (CC), short rotation (SR; 2-year crops + 2-year pasture), long rotation (LR; 2-year crops + 4-year pasture), and forage rotation (FR; continuous pasture with tall fescue). Data were primarily collected at the field level. Major findings showed crop NUE ranging from 62.5% (CC) to 83.8% (SR), livestock NUE from 5.5% (FR) to 24.4% (CC), and system NUE from 5.5% (FR) to 43.4% (CC). Systems with pastures (SR, LR, FR) retained more soil N (up to 64 kg N ha−1 in FR) compared to CC (4.9 kg N ha−1), highlighting the role of pastures in nutrient retention. These component-specific differences underscore the need for tailored management strategies, such as optimizing organic N inputs from livestock and improving grazing practices, to enhance NUE and guide systems toward a sustainable “safe operating space.”

Heat stress is a significant challenge in tropical beef production systems, affecting feed intake, water intake, and overall animal welfare. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of shade provision on the water intake and drinking behaviour of Nellore steers (Bos indicus) in a tropical feedlot environment. A total of 47 steers (~450 kg body weight) were allocated into two groups: one with access to shade (+S) and another without (-S). Individual water intake, drinking behaviour (e.g., frequency, daily patters), and animal performance were monitored over 83 days using automated recording systems. Results showed that -S steers consumed 8% more water per day (p < 0.001), made more frequent visits to the water trough (p < 0.001), but drank less per visit (p < 0.001) and overall spend 39% more time per day drinking (p < 0.001) compared to the + S steers. Despite these differences in drinking behaviour, average daily gain and feed intake did not differ between groups (p > 0.05). Environmental factors like temperature, humidity, and solar radiation affected water intake in both groups. Higher air temperatures increased water intake by boosting drinking frequency, while higher relative humidity reduced water intake by decreasing visit frequency. Shade provision reduced water demand per unit of body weight gain, improving water-use efficiency. These findings suggest that while shade may not directly enhance body weight gain, it can optimise drinking behaviour, reduce water intake, and improve animal welfare in tropical beef production systems.

Africa, with 55 Member States and over 1 billion people, is projected to nearly double its population to 2.5 billion by 2050, presenting both opportunities and challenges for sustainable development. Agriculture employs 65% of the labour force and contributes 32% to gross domestic product. The aim of this perspective is to highlight the challenges and opportunities of achieving net-zero agriculture in Africa while proffering appropriate recommendations. The primary issues are how extreme weather events affect food security and how to cut emissions from livestock farming as well as rice cultivation and fertilizer usage alongside evaluating current policies that support climate-smart agricultural practices. Africa needs to investigate how its expanding young population along with research and innovation can advance the move towards net-zero agricultural practices. Challenges of insufficient data availability together with ineffective policy enforcement, financial barriers, and limited awareness, decreasing precipitation levels coupled with regional conflicts and population migration hinder progress in achieving net-zero agriculture on the continent. However, Africa possesses substantial opportunities through its extensive arable land combined with its youthful workforce and renewable energy capabilities. Africa needs to obtain climate funds and strengthen regional partnerships while enhancing climate information services and creating inclusive and gender-responsive policies to address these issues. Investing in innovative technologies alongside renewable energy sources and crops resistant to climate change stands as an essential strategy. The implementation of early warning systems along with the development of alternative livelihoods will enhance efforts towards sustainable management of climate-induced migration. Africa will develop a climate-resilient agricultural system by confronting existing challenges while capitalizing on emerging opportunities.

Livestock grazing in confined pastures often means grazing on a less diverse diet than under more natural conditions and increased exposure to gastrointestinal parasites prevailing in these pastures. However, how sward composition influences gut microbiome (GM) diversity and its relationship with parasite burden remains poorly understood. In this study, we analysed the faecal GM of weaned lambs grazing on two distinct sward types (perennial ryegrass and a mixed-species sward) over three consecutive months using 16S rRNA sequencing, in order to assess how microbial diversity and composition are related to environmental conditions and the gastrointestinal nematode (GIN) burden in naturally infected lambs. Sward type and sampling time explained some of the variation in GM alpha diversity and community composition (beta diversity), whereas individual lamb identity accounted for considerably more variation in microbial assemblages. Shifts in the relative abundance of bacterial genera such as Saccharofermentans, Anaerosporobacter, Butyrivibrio in relation to sward type and sampling time suggest mostly adaptive fluctuations in response to diet and pasture condition. Abundance shifts of Negativibacillus, and Candidatus Saccharimonas were also associated with GIN burden, which, in turn, was higher in lambs grazing on mixed swards compared to ryegrass. Our findings add to the growing understanding of how sheep microbiomes vary with pasture management and changes in parasite burden. We highlight that individual identity may shape gut microbiota, and that potential triadic interactions among gastrointestinal parasites, sward exposure, and the gut microbiome underscore the importance of considering host, parasite, and environmental factors collectively when evaluating microbiome dynamics in grazing livestock.

Soil has supported terrestrial food production for millennia; however, agricultural intensification may affect its resilience. Using a systems-thinking approach, we reviewed the impacts of conventional-agriculture practices on soil resilience and identified alternative practices that could mitigate these effects. We found that many practices only affect soil resilience with their long-term repeated use. Lastly, we ranked the impacts that pose the greatest threats to soil resilience and, consequently, food and feed security.

The productivity and persistence of pasture species in Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ) are crucial for pastoral systems including the dairy, sheep, and beef industries and are predominantly based on perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) and white clover (Trifolium repens L.). Increasingly, farmers are exploring other simple grass/legume mixtures and also incorporating mixed species swards. This perspective paper critically examines the methods and challenges associated with pasture establishment, focusing on seed germination, sowing techniques, and post-establishment management. It discusses the influence of environmental factors including soil type, moisture, and temperature on seed germination and seedling persistence, alongside the impact of grazing practices on pasture longevity. Economic considerations and environmental impacts of various establishment methods, including overgrazing, chemical termination, and direct drilling, are examined. This perspective paper also covers the integration of new technologies such as precision agriculture, robotics, and advanced seed genetics, noting barriers to their adoption. From an agroecological perspective, we argue for a systems-based approach that integrates biodiversity, farmer knowledge, and long-term resilience into pasture renewal strategies. We also identify research gaps related to species persistence, climate adaptation, and policy support, and call for collaborative innovation to ensure the future productivity and ecological integrity of NZ pastoral system. Lastly, the paper highlights the need for further research into long-term pasture performance, species persistence, and the effectiveness of emerging technologies to optimise pasture management in NZ changing climate.

Climate change has negatively impacted grassland productivity in Africa. Climate-smart technologies such as forage grass, legume, and herb mixtures could enhance grassland productivity and resilience, offering a sustainable solution for African pasture-based livestock systems.

Agricultural soils account for about 60% of the global atmospheric emissions of the potent greenhouse gas nitrous oxide (N2O). One of the main processes producing N2O is denitrification, which occurs under oxygen-limiting conditions when carbon is readily available. On grazed pastures, urine patches create ideal conditions for denitrification, especially in soils with high organic matter content, like Andisols. This lab study looks at the effects of Urine-urea-N load on the Andisol potential to emit N2O. For this, we investigated the effects of three levels of urea-N concentrations in cow urine on emissions of N2O, N2, and CO2 under controlled conditions optimised for denitrification to occur. Results show total N2O emissions increased with increasing urine-N concentration and indicate that denitrification was the main N2O-producing process during the first 2–3 days after urine application, though it was most likely soil native N rather than urine-N being utilised at this stage. An increase in soil nitrate indicates that a second peak of N2O emissions was most likely due to the nitrification of ammonium hydrolysed from the added urine, showing that nitrification and denitrification have the potential to play a big part in N losses and greenhouse gas production from these soils.

Plantago lanceolata L. (plantain) increases herbage dry matter (DM) production and quality during warm and dry conditions due to its deep roots and drought tolerance and reduces nitrogen losses in grazing systems compared to traditional pastures. However, plantain density usually declines after the third growing season, mainly due to defoliation management. The effects of defoliation frequency and intensity on water-soluble carbohydrate (WSC) reserves and below-ground plant responses need further research to optimize grazing strategies for improved productivity and sustainability of grazing systems. Our study investigated the effects of defoliation frequencies (15, 25, and 35 cm of extended leaf length, ELL) and intensities (5 and 8 cm of residual heights) on morphological traits and WSC concentrations in plantain biomass under controlled environmental conditions. Defoliation frequency significantly influenced morphological and chemical characteristics and biomass distribution more than residual height. Less frequent defoliations promoted above-ground herbage DM production, reproductive stems, and root biomass. Root architecture showed adaptations in response to defoliation frequency, optimizing resource acquisition efficiency. Frequent defoliation reduced high molecular weight WSC concentrations in leaves, affecting regrowth capacity and DM mass. A defoliation frequency of 25 cm ELL (~15 days) balances herbage production and root development, promoting long-term pasture sustainability.