Case Study

US study proves AMP grazing offers sustainable gains for beef production

A study published by Colorado State University and partners in February 2021 found that Adaptive Multi-Paddock (AMP) grazing - which involves grazing small areas with a high density of livestock for a short period of time, followed by long rest periods - can help capture carbon and boost nitrogen soil retention.

Soil metrics were compared on five pairs of neighbouring beef cattle farms, with one neighbour in each pair managing their land using AMP grazing, and the other deploying conventional grazing practice.

Soils under AMP grazing had on average 13 per cent more soil organic carbon than soils conventionally grazed. AMP also had 9 per cent higher soil nitrogen stocks than conventionally grazed farms. The study results indicate the potential of AMP grazing for capturing carbon and reducing nitrogen pollution.

McDonald’s AMP project adds to growing evidence of regenerative agriculture benefits

Figure: Carbon and nitrogen stocks on AMP grazed vs conventionally grazed farms

This important study helps to validate AMP grazing as a vital tool for climate mitigation - one of several ecosystem benefits provided by regenerative agriculture. The McDonald’s UK and FAI AMP project is adding to this growing evidence base by monitoring a number of other metrics including soil biology, carbon emissions, animal behaviour and daily live weight gains. This evidence could help scale regenerative principles across the industry.

Figure: Total soil organic C stocks (a) and total soil N stocks (b) down to 1 m separated by depth and by adaptive multi-paddock (AMP) and conventional grazing (CG) managements (Mosier et al, 2021).

eLearning: Foundations of Regenerative Agriculture

It starts with you

This course is the perfect starting point for anyone looking to learn more about one of the most promising potential solutions to biodiversity loss and global warming. Through an interactive online learning you will better understand the challenges and opportunities of regenerative agriculture.

We explain how leveraging ecological principles and processes can move us towards food production practices that build resilience while at the same time producing the highest quality, nutrient-dense and delicious foods.