Dairy sheep farms in semi-arid rangelands: A carbon footprint dilemma between intensification and land-based grazing

摘要

In recent decades there have been significant changes in land use and production orientation in certain marginal agricultural areas in the southwest of Spain. The abandonment of rainfed cereal crops and their change of use as natural pastures grazed by milk sheep, have led to an improvement in the profitability of the farms, greater industrialisation and a positive impact on rural development.