What is Silvopasture? A Quick Look At Integrating Livestock, Forage, and Forestry

According to the USDA Forest Service, Silvopasture is “the deliberate integration of trees and grazing livestock operations on the same land.”  While that short description can sum up a lot of what silvopasture is, there is a lot more that goes into managing a silvopasture system on a farm than just releasing livestock into a fenced-in forest. Releasing livestock into a natural forest can cause damage to a forest and its ecosystem, and may not have sufficient forage for the livestock to enjoy. It is also incredibly important to select a good variety of trees that work well for each specific situation. Planning out the spacing can also have a major impact, as poorly spaced trees can cause problems for the forage beneath.

A silvopasture system is not truly a silvopasture without livestock. Some common livestock used in silvopastures are cattle, sheep, and goats, though many different species can work with the system. Your silvopasture may need a different setup depending on your chosen livestock and how they interact with the forage and trees. Additionally, rotational grazing is an integral part of the silvopasture system. Allowing the livestock to stay in one area for too long can damage trees, compact soils, and overgraze the forage. It takes extra labor and resources to plan and set up these intense grazing rotations, but failing to do it correctly can cause massive problems. While fairly old, this document from the USDA Forest Service goes in depth to explain how to set up, build, and manage a silvopasture setup, and could be a good place to learn some of the initial concepts.

Silvopasture offers a wide range of potential benefits if implemented correctly. To begin, adding trees provides livestock with shaded areas to help escape the heat. Shade is suggested to offer multiple benefits to livestock. This study from the Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture mentions that heavy heat stress can have multiple negative effects on cattle in the hotter months, and that shade and cool water can help address this. The problem is that with only small shaded areas, the location can become compacted as it gets overused as the animals seek shelter. A well-implemented silvopasture can help alleviate much of this by including more shade options in the pasture.  Additionally, the added trees help prevent soil erosion and increase the soil’s water-holding capacity as the trees’ roots dig deep into the soil.

Setting up a silvopasture system can also provide potential long-term financial benefits. The added trees can help diversify what a farm can produce, adding products such as timber, firewood, fruits and nuts, mushrooms, and more, depending on the type of trees added. When the markets for a specific product are not doing quite well, having a more diverse product set can help soften the blow. It also diversifies what the livestock can eat, often providing more forage options in drier months.

Silvopasture can also be highly beneficial ecologically for the environment through how it impacts soil health and groundwater. The silvopasture system is also known for providing habitats to natural wildlife. Some of the wildlife that naturally find homes in silvopasture systems can provide additional products, such as wild turkey or quail. Along with the increased ecological benefits, researchers also suggest that silvopasture systems are beneficial for the environment beyond wildlife habitats and soil health. The University of New Hampshire suggests that reduced carbon dioxide emissions from the additional trees may also be a benefit. If you are interested in learning more about their study on the effects of silvopasture vs regular pasture on the environment, make sure to check out UNH’s article!

First, a good silvopasture setup requires proper knowledge of how to make it all work.  Silvopasture does not mean just letting your cattle loose into a nearby forest. It requires extensive setup and detailed planning to function correctly, and a poorly executed silvopasture can fall apart, leaving a farm in shambles.  Speaking of that setup, it can be expensive depending on each farm’s situation, with some estimations landing between 500-1500$ per acre to get things started. An additional cost for many farmers would be the acquisition of land that is suitable for a good silvopasture setup. With the amount of effort that goes into building a silvopasture system, trying to build it out on rented ground may not work well for many producers. Once past the initial hurdle, the maintenance cost estimations often fall between 15$-40$ an acre, and may save on some feed costs.

Helping the trees survive and grow strong can also be a hurdle in some cases, as improper management can lead to tree damage from the livestock. Livestock can compact the ground around growing trees when they are allowed to stay in one area for too long, and younger trees will need to be protected until they become sturdier.

The initial start up tends to be one of the biggest problems that the silvopasture system has, which makes it difficult to get running for many producers. Once the system is up and going, it can be fairly labor-intensive in comparison to open pasture. Silvopasture tends to require more monitoring of the livestock and their grazing habits, and the implementation of rotational grazing to keep trees safe and forage areas healthy.

While it can be difficult to get running, a well-maintained silvopasture system can be highly beneficial to both the producer and the livestock. However, every farm is different, and the silvopasture system may not be a great fit for every location and farm. Before diving into setting up your silvopasture, it is highly recommended to analyze your farm and land to see if it can handle the silvopasture system. The USDA and the USDA Forestry Service both offer several resources for learning about silvopastures, and there are plenty of other sources of great information available on the web. To help, we added several links below on different silvopasture resources you may find useful.