Opportunities for precision livestock management in the face of climate change: A focus on extensive systems

Climate change and carbon neutrality have become key topics in extensive livestock industries in recent years as mankind attempts to meet its commitments to restricting global warming (United Nations, 2015). Initial impressions are that extensive livestock systems involving low cattle stocking rates over large rangeland areas are inefficient and produce more greenhouse gases (GHG) per harvested animal compared with intensive systems. Extensive livestock enterprises are often located in dry geographical areas with increasingly inconsistent rainfall, making them vulnerable to the impacts of climate change (Huang et al., 2017). Changing and more variable climates require producers to adapt their management practices to remain sustainable and increase enterprise resilience (Rust, 2019). In these environments, understanding the relationship between nutrient availability and animal performance is vital.