{"id":44110,"date":"2025-10-03T10:54:46","date_gmt":"2025-10-03T14:54:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/smallfarms.cornell.edu\/?page_id=44110"},"modified":"2026-03-19T07:15:13","modified_gmt":"2026-03-19T11:15:13","slug":"silvopasture-benefits","status":"publish","type":"resources","link":"https:\/\/smallfarms.cornell.edu\/es\/recursos\/silvopasture\/silvopasture-benefits\/","title":{"rendered":"Silvopasture Benefits"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text is-stacked-on-mobile\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/smallfarms.cornell.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Silvopasture-Benefits.jpg?resize=1024%2C768&#038;quality=89&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-44133 size-full\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/smallfarms.cornell.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Silvopasture-Benefits-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C768&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/smallfarms.cornell.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Silvopasture-Benefits-scaled.jpg?resize=300%2C225&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/smallfarms.cornell.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Silvopasture-Benefits-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C576&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/smallfarms.cornell.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Silvopasture-Benefits-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1152&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/smallfarms.cornell.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Silvopasture-Benefits-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1536&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While many critical research questions remain, the existing body of scientific literature is clear on the myriad benefits of systems that thoughtfully integrate livestock with forage and woody perennials.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-8cdb3485 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<h2 id=\"animal-health-benefits\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Animal Health Benefits<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Research shows that animals raised in silvopasture systems experience lower stress, higher weight gain, and improved fertility due to better temperature regulation and dietary variety.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thelancet.com\/journals\/lanplh\/article\/PIIS2542-5196(22)00002-X\/fulltext?ref=ambrook\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Impacts of Heat Stress on Global Cattle Production in the 21st Century: A Modeling Study<\/a> &#8211; Study done in 2022 by Cornell researchers. Study directly recommends silvopasture: \u00abA 2022 study from Cornell University predicted that losses of cattle herds due to heat stress will total $15 to $40 billion a year by the end of the century. To avoid these losses, the authors note that \u201ctree\u2013livestock systems can be highly effective in reducing heat stress.\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/peercommunityjournal.org\/articles\/10.24072\/pcjournal.538\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Shade use, welfare and performance of ewes grazing in temperate silvopastures differing in tree density<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-8cdb3485 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<h2 id=\"economics\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Economics<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/pubs.cif-ifc.org\/doi\/pdf\/10.5558\/tfc67232-3\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Browse Agroforestry Using Honeylocust<\/a> &#8211; this study notes annual returns of 9-30% on honey locust planted in pasture<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/journals\/sustainable-food-systems\/articles\/10.3389\/fsufs.2023.1158459\/full\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Silvopasture offers climate change mitigation and profit potential for farmers in the eastern United States<\/a> &#8211; This study notes that there are between 14 million and 62 million acres of potential opportunity to expand silvopasture practices in the eastern United States<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.cornell.edu\/cceforestconnect\/files\/2022\/10\/Economic-Case-Studies.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Economic Case Studies<\/a> (PDF) &#8211; Presentations from the Northeast Silvopasture Conference held in Watkins Glen, NY in November 2011.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-8cdb3485 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<h2 id=\"soil-health-and-ecosystem-services\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Soil Health and Ecosystem Services<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S2214581825002733\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Impact of Silvopasture on Soil Health and Water Quality in the Southeastern US: A Review<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41598-023-45960-0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Temperate silvopastures provide greater ecosystem services than conventional pasture systems<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-8cdb3485 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<h2 id=\"carbon-sequestration\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Carbon Sequestration<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Trees in silvopasture systems absorb atmospheric carbon, contributing to climate mitigation strategies. Well-managed silvopastures can store more carbon than conventional grazing lands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41598-025-91268-6\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Carbon dynamics of silvopasture systems in the Northeastern US<\/a> &#8211; Results indicate that silvopastures stored 43% more total carbon (136.42 Mg C ha\u2212 1) than treeless pastures (95.47 Mg C ha\u2212 1), with tree carbon in silvopastures being the driving factor.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/acsess.onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/abs\/10.1002\/saj2.70080\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Trees for soil organic carbon storage in a temperate organic agroforestry system<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.soilbio.2020.107936.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Potential of crop-livestock integration to enhance carbon sequestration and agroecosystem functioning in semi-arid croplands<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-8cdb3485 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<h2 id=\"tree-fodder-as-livestock-feed\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Tree Fodder as Livestock Feed<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When properly managed, trees can not only reduce heat stress, store carbon, and improve soil health, but can also provide feed for livestock during dry times when pastures aren\u2019t producing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.zotero.org\/groups\/4537913\/tree_fodder_references\/items\/TRRE28ST\/library\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Zotero database of on tree fodder maintained by Steve Gabriel of Wellspring Forest Farm<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>While many critical research questions remain, the existing body of scientific literature is clear on the myriad benefits of systems that thoughtfully integrate livestock with forage and woody perennials. 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