Managing the Environmental Impacts of Outdoor Winter Grazing by Livestock

This review presents a synthesis of current knowledge about managing the potential impacts of outdoor animal wintering activities and their consequences for a range of environmental outcomes. The scope is confined to field‐based wintering approaches and thus, does not consider issues associated with the winter use of animal shelters or standoff systems. Studies that have documented some effects of winter grazing activity are summarised focussing on outcomes for soil condition, nitrogen (N) leaching and contaminant transport via surface runoff. Four key themes are shown to influence environmental outcomes: (i) grazing pressure, (ii) dietary N intake, (iii) landscape vulnerability attributes and (iv) the use of subsequent catch crops. A suite of relevant planning and management considerations are listed that align with pre‐, during‐ and post‐grazing phases of wintering systems. Some initiatives to address remaining knowledge gaps and assess effects that future changes to animal wintering practices may have on environmental outcomes and consequences for the farm system are also provided.