ENVIRONMENTAL sustainability and animal welfare are crucial for the social acceptance of horse husbandry and breeding. Integrating sustainable husbandry and breeding practices improves animal welfare and contributes to environmental conservation. Teagasc suggests 12 steps to reduce gaseous emissions on your farm:

1. Soil test and prepare a fertiliser plan.

Healthy soil, with active biological processes, is essential for nutrient cycling and supporting plant growth while contributing to environmental goals. Soil sampling is key to understanding nutrient needs, and soil analysis determines the fertility levels of important nutrients like lime, phosphorous (P), and potassium (K). Knowing soil fertility helps calculate fertiliser requirements and manage costs. Soil test results guide the creation of a fertiliser plan with the help of an agricultural advisor.

2. Apply lime (target pH of 6.3 to 6.5 on mineral soils & 5.5 to 5.8 on peaty soils).

For optimal grass production, aim for a pH of 6.3 to 6.5 on mineral soils and 5.5 to 5.8 on peaty soils to ensure nutrient availability and enhance grass productivity. Lime application guidelines include:

  • Maximum single lime application 7.5t/ha, with additional lime applied two years later.
  • Apply most effectively to low grass covers, such as after grazing or cutting, but can be applied at any time of year.
  • For high molybdenum (Mo) soils, maintain a pH below 6.2 to prevent copper deficiency, or supplement animals with copper.
  • For heavier or organic soils, apply lower rates (< 5t/ha) more regularly to avoid soil softening and reduce poaching risk.
  • For those maintaining low-input permanent pasture, restricting fertiliser and pesticide use helps promote a more diverse sward, benefiting both plants and wildlife.

    • Soil testing is a vital part of sustainable husbandry

    3. Build/maintain good soil fertility (target soil Phosphorous (P) and Potassium (K) index two on grazing, and index three on forage areas).

    For productive ryegrass swards, the goal is to achieve a P and K Index of three for optimal grass production, especially on haylage and hay areas. For grazing areas used by equines, a P and K Index of two may be sufficient, particularly on more extensively grazed farms or those with lower stocking densities, depending on grass production needs.

    4. Make better use of farmyard manure (FYM) – maximise use of well-composted FYM tested for nutrients and freedom from parasite burden.

    Horse owners must decide whether to keep or export farmyard manure, considering factors like duration and effectiveness of composting system, and potential anthelmintic resistance on the farm.

    They must also assess available land for spreading composted FYM and ensure the land is rested after application before grazing. Composted manure offers several soil benefits:

  • Improves water-holding capacity, reducing flooding risk in light soils.
  • Increases soil microbe diversity and aeration in heavy soils.
  • Provides essential nutrients (N, P, K, and micronutrients), reducing the need for artificial fertilisers and releasing nutrients slowly.
  • Boosts humus content and cam promote more even grazing.

    • Where available, cattle or pig slurry can also be used. Since FYM composition can vary significantly, testing its nutrient value is recommended.

    Native hedgerows increase farm biodiversity and carbon sequestration

    5. Better grassland management – utilising rotational grazing, cattle/sheep if possible.

    Mixed grazing with cattle or sheep helps manage grass supply and maintain an even sward. Sheep cause less damage and poaching during wet periods and leave the turf in a more uniform condition, though suitable fencing is necessary. While grazing with sheep or cattle before or after horses can be very beneficial, caution is needed with high fertiliser inputs used to drive grass growth for other livestock which can inadvertently pose health risks to horses.

    6. Improve animal health – create a herd health plan in consultation with your vet.

    In addition to the financial cost of poor health, there is also an environmental impact from using drugs and medicines to manage illness. Effective health management reduces the need for antibiotics, lowers veterinary costs, and helps prevent performance issues (athletic or reproductive).

    A proactive approach to disease prevention is more sustainable for health, welfare, and the environment. Implementing recommended vaccination protocols, conducting regular health monitoring, and maintaining good biosecurity practices help reduce production losses, lower veterinary costs, improve animal welfare, and increase equine longevity.

    Optimising feeding practices is also important for improving health.

    7. Aim to breed sound horses – screen and select breeding females for genetically transmittable bone and respiratory soundness before breeding. Stallions likewise.

    Screening for genetically inherited unsoundness helps inform breeding decisions, reducing the risk of passing on defects, supporting individual welfare, and minimising the need for veterinary interventions. Selecting for improved longevity and survival rates leads to higher-performing equines and promotes more socially responsible and economically sustainable breeding practices.

    8. Improve breeding husbandry practices – incorporate pre and post breeding veterinary husbandry with the objective of one mating per breeding cycle.

    Reducing the number of matings per cycle while focusing on reproductive fertility indicators directly impacts sustainability by shortening the foaling interval and improving reproductive efficiency, which is also crucial for economic sustainability.

    9. Maximise and maintain farm hedgerows – plant native hedgerows to increase farm biodiversity and carbon sequestration.

    Hedgerows are crucial for carbon sequestration, storing carbon in woody growth, roots, leaf litter, and soil organic matter. Newly planted hedgerows have the highest carbon capture potential, but allowing them to grow outward and upward can increase carbon capture by one to two tons per hectare annually. Hedgerows also provide habitats for pollinators and wildlife, prevent soil erosion, intercept water flows, and offer shelter and stock-proofing.

    10. Protect water quality – allocate appropriate buffer zones when applying pesticides/ nutrients to land.

    Protecting water sources from nutrient, sediment, and pesticide runoff is crucial. When applying fertilisers or spraying fields buffer zones varying in width depending on the landscape and water bodies it protects, prohibit fertiliser application, cultivation, and spraying in the allocated space.

    Runoff is most likely when soils are waterlogged, and widening buffer zones in poorly drained fields enhances water protection. Natural vegetation or native wooded/scrub buffer zones help absorb nutrients, trap sediment, improve water infiltration, and support biodiversity, carbon sequestration, and riverbank stability. Local ASSAP advisors offer free guidance on the appropriate size and location of riparian buffers.

    11. Allocate field margins as space for nature – increase field margins, or unproductive field areas for biodiversity.

    Field margins are strips of naturally growing vegetation along field edges, vital for biodiversity and supporting various habitats and ecological networks. Some management guidelines for field margins include:

  • Maintain at least 1.5m between the main crop and the base of the margin when spraying, cultivating, or applying fertiliser.
  • Fence margins off from livestock and cut in autumn after flowering, mowing at least once every three years to prevent rank growth or scrub development.
  • Do not apply chemical fertilisers, slurry, manure, or lime in margins to prevent nutrient enrichment.

    • These practices help maintain field margins as effective ecological features, supporting biodiversity.

    12. Reduce reliance on fossil fuels – replacing with onsite renewables (wind/solar).

    Integrating renewable energy sources like wind and solar can diversify income, support sustainable energy production, and provide long-term economic benefits.

    However, careful planning is essential, including understanding regulations such as permits, grid connection requirements, environmental impact assessments, and planning permission. Comprehensive financial evaluations are also necessary. Equine owners can incorporate renewable energy leading to environmental benefits and improved economic resilience.

    Wendy Conlon is the Equine Specialist in the Farm Management and Rural Development Department at Teagasc.