Agroforestry with animals

Agroforestry comes in many shapes and sizes, including in combination with animals. When the cultivation of trees or shrubs is combined with livestock (and pasture) it is called a silvopastoral system.

Why would you want to combine trees and shrubs with animals? Trees and shrubs provide a variety of benefits to animals, such as shelter from the sun and reducing heat and cold stress. In addition, certain tree species are suitable as forage trees, allowing livestock to eat additional twigs, leaves and/or fruit. Twigs and leaves in particular are an interesting addition to the diet, as they contain, for example, other trace elements than grasses. Animals also like to use trees and shrubs as a natural scrubbing brush to maintain their fur. Another advantage is that the birds and bats attracted to the trees and shrubs hunt down nuisance insects.