Do you think all products are the same? Obviously not, and this is what we come to explain here, sustainable livestock farming, apart from producing high quality products, promotes environmental care, a huge competitive advantage over conventional livestock farming.
The consumption of livestock products continues to increase despite the negative effects on greenhouse gas emissions, for this reason, from Marine Breed we are committed to continue with our production but with a sustainable livestock with exemplary animals to bring to your home, products of the highest quality.
At Raza Merina we are delighted with the idea of producing high quality pieces from an excellent care of our sheep because as we usually say “from exemplary animals, exemplary products”.
From our company we carry out the tasks of conservation, improvement and promotion of Raza Marina, as well as the environment.
What is sustainable livestock farming?
Sustainable livestock farming is that which does not promote the use of chemicals or hormones for the subsequent treatment of animals. It is also concerned about the levels of emissions caused by the sector and rationalizes the use of natural resources, as it is closely committed to using only what is necessary so as not to create surpluses.
Advantages of sustainable livestock farming
- It keeps alive native livestock breeds, many of which are in danger of extinction.
- Respect the animals, leaving them free to grow at their own pace.
- It shapes the landscape and respects the natural heritage of the ecosystem, i.e. it uses the land’s resources in a responsible manner.
- It is better adapted to European legislation on water and energy consumption.
- Helps prevent erosion, enriching soils.
- Generates better quality products.
- Increasing population in rural areas.
- Helps prevent forest fires.
- It takes advantage of areas in which, if it were not for this sector, they would have no use.
It allows to take advantage of and maintain ecosystems of enormous ecological and environmental value.
The Sustainable livestock farming has a great quality, as it is so closely linked to the conservation of the environment, they do not use chemical products for the land nor for the animals; this means that the fields are cared for by both people and animals, since by not using this type of products, the feces are not excessively harmful to the fields.
They also promote the conservation and maintenance of areas such as pastures and mountain pastures, areas where it is difficult to take advantage, if not for this type of activities, and who knows if these areas would continue to exist if sustainable livestock farming were not promoted.
Sustainable livestock farming generates high quality food products
In Spain we have iberian products considered some of the best in the world and even have designation of origin awards.
The key is to carry out sustainable livestock farming, it is true that it is more expensive since the farmer must use high quality feed and does not use hormones on the animals to accelerate their growth. This may seem negative for the worker, since he invests more and takes more time to sell his products, but the quality of these products is infinitely higher than others that are produced with different techniques that are less environmentally friendly.
Some high quality products are Iberian ham, various cheeses, sausages, quality meats, free-range eggs, etc…
It should be noted that acorn-fed Iberian ham perfectly represents Spanish sustainable livestock farming, since the farmer feeds the pigs with acorns, which fall from trees planted in areas such as Salamanca or Huelva. It perfectly preserves ecosystems with great ecological and environmental value and also does not use any type of chemical or hormones to carry out the production.
At this point it is impossible not to recommend Raza Merina products, they offer a selection of products from exclusive sheep breeding of high quality, such as meat, cheese or wool.
It makes reasonable use of water, another of the main benefits of sustainable livestock farming.
As mentioned above, sustainable livestock farming is better adapted to European water legislation, as it makes efficient use of all the natural resources at its disposal.
For this reason, there is a better use of water because integrated micro-watershed systems are used, adequately disposing of wastewater, water flows and rainwater is stored.
Makes the most of huge surface areas
There are areas throughout the Iberian Peninsula, such as fallow land, stubble fields, mountain pastures and grazing wastelands, which are spread over large areas and where it would be difficult to get more out of them.
Certain fallow areas are useless for long periods of time because planting must be stopped so as not to deplete all the elements that make the soil fertile. Thanks to sustainable livestock farming, the land is more fertile and the space is used in some way.
The same occurs in areas with stubble or pastureland; these are areas where no other function could be carried out. Thanks to livestock farming, these spaces are used, improving the landscape and helping to combat global warming.
Sustainable livestock farming boosts species biodiversity
Species biodiversity is a problem for livestock farming itself, since traditional livestock farming is always used. But sustainable livestock farming is concerned about this problem, which is why they keep native livestock breeds alive, many of which are in danger of extinction, such as, for example, the ox.
In arid climate areas, it helps to conserve soils, another advantage of sustainable livestock farming.
Another very important advantage of sustainable livestock farming is the conservation of soils, firstly by not using chemicals on the land and also by providing a good feed to the cattle and that the feces, being completely natural, contribute to improve the fields.
Traditional practices such as grazing, re-disturbing or mowing are also carried out in sustainable sheep farming, which effectively contribute to increase organic matter and conserve the vegetation cover of the poorest soils.
As you may have seen, sustainable livestock farming brings only positive advantages, from the care and maintenance of large areas of the Iberian Peninsula, the care of the environment, produces high quality products and ensures the care of endangered species.