Ricardo Miranda, together with his family, manages the farm school “Las Cortas de Blas”; located in Villalba de los Alcores, Valladolid. He has been collaborating with ITACYL for many years on issues related to agriculture and livestock and shares with us his experience within the Life Green Sheep project.
What is ‘Las Cortas de Blas’ farm like?
At the farm we try to use the resources of the territory in an efficient way, with a productive breed but adapted to the conditions of the production system, making production compatible with environmental sustainability and generating environmental and social services.
It is a dairy sheep farm with 750 head of Assaf sheep. with its own cheese dairy, where we transform part of the milk produced. In addition, there are 150 hectares, of which 50 hectares are wooded and 100 hectares of agricultural land used for the production of fodder to feed the sheep.
Is the fodder used for grazing?
Grazing is one of the most common activities in our farming system. On this farm we have been practising it for a long time. We actually have a semi-extensive production system, whereby the sheep go out to graze every day.
Why did you decide to get involved in the project?
We have always been concerned about issues that can be beneficial for both the farm and the sector, and it is a necessity to constantly adapt the management to improve the results of the farm. In relation to reducing the carbon footprint and increasing resource efficiency, we have implemented some of the practices proposed under the Life Green Sheep project.
What benefits do you expect from the project?
Although the first one would be to know the carbon footprint of my farm, I think it is more interesting to know and implement practices that lead to better efficiency and a lower carbon footprint.
What practices within the Life Green Sheep project have you implemented on the farm?
In connection with the Life Green Sheep project and with the aim of reducing the carbon footprint, the farm has started to implement rotational grazing and has installed photovoltaic panels.
Why did you choose to implement rotational grazing?
It seemed to us a very logical initiative, mainly for animal welfare, as it favours better conditions for the sheep (they go out to pasture every day), which translates into better production. Another motivation for following the initiative is the rational management of the soil.
Rotational grazing means that the animals use the pasture in a more efficient way, so that sheep graze for short periods of time in small plots consuming nearly all their production and leave them to rest for a longer period of time.
In addition, rotational grazing has several environmental, technical and economic benefits as the carbon fixed in the soil is not emitted into the atmosphere. It allows a greater accumulation of carbon in the top layer of the soil, in the form of organic matter, which makes the soil more fertile and healthier, favouring biological activity and grass growth. It also improves water retention and the nutrient and plant cycles.
Therefore, dependence on other types of resources, e.g. feed and concentrated feed or fodder, will be reduced. In addition, if the animals have more grass available to consume, milk production can increase, as well as the efficiency per animal present on the farm and therefore further the carbon footprint of the farm can decrease even more.
Why did you decide to install photovoltaic panels?
We have installed a system of photovoltaic panels on the roof of the sheepfold to be able to produce our own energy and thus to reduce the dependence and consumption of purchased energy. This results in higher efficiency and better profitability of the farm. At the same time, photovoltaic panels could also contribute to reducing the carbon footprint.
In any case, greater efficiency in the use of energy resources and materials is sought to move towards more profitable and sustainable production.
