tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4227507713475561895.post6410669727099970271..comments2023-12-22T08:42:06.087+00:00Comments on Pasture to Profit: Caring Pasture Based Dairy Farmers Encourage BiodiversityPasture to Profithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09918321236101650313noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4227507713475561895.post-8536410375726220032012-12-05T20:13:49.308+00:002012-12-05T20:13:49.308+00:00Dear Emily,
Thank you very much for your question ...Dear Emily,<br />Thank you very much for your question regarding why biodiversity is important for farm ecosystems. It’s a very good question & I hope I can help you with your school project.<br />Biodiversity to me means lots of different creatures not only on the land but in the air water & soil. Different creatures have different tasks eg some eat the rubbish while other convert straw or plant waste to humus.<br /><br />Biodiversity is hugely important to a healthy environment. In much the same way as monocultures (say farms with only one crop) are vulnerable or are at risk from say diseases. They say if you see one new species on your farm there must be another 7 new species that you haven’t seen yet but are required to support the first ones you saw.<br />Charles Darwin did some amazing studies about how life has evolved over time. Key to his findings are that only the fittest survive……….so the survivors not only change over time but they compete to be the best. With the world climate being very wild & changeable it is very important we have species that are “fit” and can survive. Most species depend on other species to survive. Think of cats eating mice for example.<br /><br />On farms we will have far less diseases if there are a range of different plants & creatures…………some of whom eat bacteria & fungi.<br />For a healthy dairy farm you need the same liveweight of organisms, bacteria, small creatures in the soil as you have above the ground as cattle. So a healthy soil that supports 2 cows per acre(assume each cow weighs say 1200lbs) must have 2400lbs of soil organisms per acre. Amazing…..2 tons of creatures in the soil per acre all very busy doing their jobs.<br /><br />Another example is to have lots of bees & pollinating insects so that farm crops are fertilized & reproduce. Without bees farmers would be in serious trouble producing crops.<br /><br />Your Brown Swiss dairy cows are ruminants (have 4 stomachs). They need a diverse set of bacteria & protozoa (tiny creatures) in their rumens to digest grass alfalfa & corn. If the farmer changes the diet a new set of bacteria & protozoa are needed to digest the new feed. So its very important to have lots of biodiversity even in the cows stomach.<br /><br />Farmers depend on a healthy environment with lots of biodiversity. The environment is amazing & if farmers do the wrong thing (say cultivate too much) nature has a way of telling farmers they have made a mistake. Most farmers try very hard to protect the environment so that nature looks after the farm & the farming family. Farming is great because you can work with nature.<br /><br />I hope this helps you. I live in New Zealand do you know where that is? New Zealand is a very beautiful country in the South Pacific………….we have lots of dairy farmers & lots of cows. I hope you get the chance to visit one day.<br />I hope you have a great 7th Grade year<br />Kind regards Tom<br />Pasture to Profithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09918321236101650313noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4227507713475561895.post-62718986578556368792012-11-29T18:39:46.674+00:002012-11-29T18:39:46.674+00:00Hello, my name is Emily and I am in the seventh gr...Hello, my name is Emily and I am in the seventh grade. In science I am doing a project and I chose the brown Swiss dairy cow as my research animal.(Because I show them) and I need to explain the role of biodiversity in ecosystems with Brown Swiss cows.Why is biodiversity so important to farmers? You can e-mail me at udulemi18@pewaukee.k12.wi.us. thank you, Emily.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09460182989013616093noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4227507713475561895.post-62246868393975023362011-08-08T05:35:47.327+01:002011-08-08T05:35:47.327+01:00Hi
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