The environmental impact of intensive systems of animal production in the lowlands

Environmental issues, linked to the production of animals in lowland farming systems, are reviewed, using pigs, poultry and dairy cattle as examples. The principal livestock production factors influencing their environmental impact are identified as the balance between different farm animal types and the husbandry practices used for these species, the variable potential which exists for the recycling of wastes and the modification of inputs to systems, the extent to which animal production can be integrated into move holistic farming systems and the impact of livestock on 'wildlife' (plant and animal) biodiversity. The production of large quantities of nitrogenous waste, resulting from the importation of large quantities of nitrogen to intensive animal production units, is identified as the major environmental problem for lowland animal production. The development of systems which allow these waste products to be re-used at sites of primary crop production is seen as a sustainable solution to this problem.