How to Boost Animal Health and Farm Productivity with Ecological Principles

Guest: Dr. Gustavo Lascano, Associate Professor of Ruminant Nutrition, Clemson UniversityHost: Drs. Gabe Kenne & Buz KlootLength: ~70 minutesIn this conversation with Dr. Gustavo Lascano, Ruminant Nutrition Specialist at Clemson University, we discuss integrating ecological principles like succession and diversity into farm management to improve animal, soil, and human health. Dr. Lascano describes intricate details of ruminant nutrition and reinforces that it should focus not only on calories but also on proper nutrient balance and feeding the microbial ecosystem within the rumen. His expertise in this field comes not only from advanced degrees and field and laboratory research, but also from experiencing indigenous agricultural systems firsthand and seeing how they offer valuable insights into sustainable, low-input food production systems.Episode Highlights:Rethinking Production Systems with Ecological SuccessionDiverse Background with Global RootsFree Choice Feeding & Ruminant EfficiencyRumen Microbiology & Soil ParallelsIndustrial vs. Regenerative Feeding ModelsAgroecological Inspirations from the AmazonThe Role of Animals in Regenerative AgTo learn more about Dr. Lascano and ruminant nutrition, check out the below links:Gustavo Lascano at Clemson UniversityFaculty ProfileSoil Health Lab Podcast ArchivesVisit WebsiteFeatured in the episode: Cotton, Country, Conservation (8-year regenerative agriculture study)