Silvopasture

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Silvopasture

• An agroforestry practice

This presentation was developed by the USDA
National Agroforestry Center
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Presentation Objectives

• Define silvopasture
• Recognize management system components
• Describe the benefits

Silvopasture
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What is Agroforestry?
the intentional combining of agriculture and
working trees to create sustainable farming
systems.
Riparian buffer
Forest farming
Silvopasture
Alley cropping
Windbreaks
Silvopasture
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What is silvopasture?

• Combining timber, livestock and forage production
  on the same acreage. Trees provide long-term
  returns, while livestock and forages generate an
  annual income.

Silvopasture
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Silvopasture is not

• Woodland grazing
• Forest grazing
• Range grazing

Silvopasture
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Management System Components

• Trees
• Forages
• Livestock

Silvopasture
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Types of trees

• Loblolly Pine
• Slash Pine
• Longleaf Pine
• Shortleaf Pine
• Ponderosa pine
• Douglas fir
• Hardwoods
• Nut trees
• Fine hardwoods

Silvopasture
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Types of forages

• Cool season
• Grasses
• Legumes
• Warm season
• Bahiagrass
• Bermuda grass
• Switchgrass
• Big bluestem
• Little bluestem
• Indian grass
• Legumes

Silvopasture
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Types of livestock

• Cattle
• Goats
• Sheep
• Horses
• Poultry
• Specialty

Silvopasture
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Silvopasture Benefits

• Improved plant vigor
• Lower animal stress
• Reduced wildfire risk
• Improved wildlife habitat
• Annual income
• Long-term income

Silvopasture
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Benefits - improved plant vigor

• Faster tree growth
• Healthier trees
• Improved nutrient cycling
• Higher forage quality
• Lengthened forage growing season

Silvopasture
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Benefits - lower animal stress

• Increased weight gain
• Increase milk yields
• Higher conception rates
• Lower veterinarian bills

Silvopasture
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Benefits - reduced wildfire risk

• Reduced
• Stand density
• Ladder fuels
• Fuel loading
• Winds

Silvopasture
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Benefits - improved wildlife habitat

• Sufficient food supplies
• Suitable cover
• Well distributed water
• Adequate habitat

Silvopasture
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Benefits annual and long-term income
Silvopasture
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Summary

• Silvopasture is an agroforestry system that can
• Be economically viable
• Provide wildlife habitat
• Be environmentally sustainable
• Produce livestock and timber
• Have aesthetic and recreational value
• Reduce wildfire risk

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For additional information

• A number of web sites are available to provide
  more detailed information on silvopasture. Here
  are a few
• USDA National Agroforestry Center
  http//www.unl.edu/nac/silvopasture.htm
• The Center for Agroforestry http//www.centerforag
  roforestry.org/practices/sp.php
• Association for Temperate Agroforestry
  http//www.aftaweb.org/silvopasture.php
• USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
  http//www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/home

Silvopasture
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Acknowledgements

• This presentation was developed by the USDA
  National Agroforestry Center (NAC), Lincoln NE.
• NAC is a USDA partnership between the U.S. Forest
  Service and the Natural Resources Conservation
  Service.

A partnership of
NationalAgroforestryCenter

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