Restoring pastures could be a boost to cattle farming in Brazil

The expansion of cattle farming in Brazil is often linked to deforestation, but a recent study shows that environmentally responsible practices could be a way to increase the sector further

Jul 28, 2021 15:24 4 min read

Cattle first arrived in Brazil during colonial times, brought over from Europe to work on sugar cane mills. Soon after, a sudden increase in cow populations began causing problems on plantations, causing the Portuguese crown to ban the breeding of cattle on the Brazilian coast.

With that, bulls were taken inland, accompanying the explorers and fortune-seekers who occupied rural regions by force, enslaving and decimating indigenous populations.

Three centuries later, Brazil has the highest number of cattle on the planet, with 215 million heads. It is also the world’s biggest supplier of beef. There are cows in all...

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Restoring pastures could be a boost to cattle farming in Brazil

The expansion of cattle farming in Brazil is often linked to deforestation, but a recent study shows that environmentally responsible practices could be a way to increase the sector further

Access all of The Brazilian Report

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