Dung beetles play valuable role in grassland management (Farmers

Weekly)
Gemma Claxton
Monday 10 August 2015

Livestock farmers walk past piles of cow pats or

sheep droppings every week, but when was the
last time you took a closer look? Gemma
Claxton investigates the importance of dung
beetles.
Rapid and thorough dung decomposition can have
significant benefits for soil nutrients and structure,
while also increasing the area available for grazing
livestock.
Sarah Beynon, founder of Dung Beetles Direct, says in
England an estimated 161,826ha or 4.8% of
permanent pasture could be lost from production each year if cattle dung alone is
not broken down.

Pic. Dung
beetles. Oct 15 (Rob Yorke)

See also: Grassland management revival boosts sheep output

In the UK, we have over 40 species of dung beetle. By feeding-on, breeding-in,
shredding and burying dung, dung beetles can efficiently break down dung, which
can deliver significant benefits to farming businesses.
Heading up a recent Farming Connect dung beetle project, Dr Beynon organised a
pilot release of nearly 2,700 beetles at set points throughout the spring and
summer on three farms. The benefits of dung beetles included:

Faster dung breakdown which increased the amount of available pasture

for grazing

Increased soil nitrogen which reduced the need for artificial fertilisers

Higher pH which reduced the need for lime

Increased soil P, Mg and K, which improved soil nutrient availability

Peter Williams: Great House Farm, Llansoy, Usk

Beef and sheep farmer, Peter Williams, who took part in the trial, admits he didnt
think he had any problems.
The trial at Great House Farm, Llansoy, Usk, involved fencing off a 20sq m area in
a paddock so livestock could not access it. Dung beetle numbers were assessed
using dung baited pitfall traps during a one-week period.
After my attention was drawn to it, I noticed particularly on dry ground, the dung
was not being broken down.
The results showed existing dung beetles at the farm were increasing rates of
dung breakdown by 46% in spring, 4% in summer and 31% in mid-summer on
average.
Dr Beynons top tips for sustainable worm use to preserve dung beetles

Only treat animals with a proven parasite burden; use faecal egg counts
and blood tests

Keep livestock indoors and off pasture for at least 72 hours post-treatment
if possible

Try to use chemicals less toxic to dung beetles when animals are at
pasture

Weigh animals to prevent under dosing

Use additional strategies for example rotating pastures and resting them
for a minimum of three weeks

Create a parasite control plan with your vet

However, after the additional dung beetles were released (2,500 in spring, 100 in
early summer and a further 100 in mid-summer), dung breakdown increased by
an additional 134% in spring and 13% in early summer on average.
But the benefits are not always visible, says Mr Williams. In spring, phosphorous
soil levels were higher under dung pats with dung beetles than without (with =

50mg/litre, without = 45.5mg/litre) and the same was true in early summer (with
= 43.5mg/litre, without = 34.5mg/litre).
Mr Williams has also altered his worm control protocol by reducing the amount of
ivermectin used, as drenching with this chemical can kill the beetles.
I had no idea how important dung beetles are until taking part in this trial, but
without them we cant go on. If you cant get muck into the ground you cant grow
anything.
Mr Williams next step is to monitor the fields to see if the population has
increased and he hopes, in future, savings can be made by reducing the amount
of fertiliser required.

Dung beetle decline

As long as farm management practices dont kill the beetles, the population
should increase year on year, delivering more benefits, says Dr Beynon.
However, dung beetle numbers are declining, she warns. Dr Benyon puts this
down to changes in agricultural practices, intensification and the associated
treatment of livestock with certain wormers, which are toxic to the beetles.
I believe the decline is largely due to more intensive patterns of anthelmintic and
ectoparasiticide treatment of livestock, as well as fewer grazed, old, unimproved
pastures and the upsurge of the short-term ryegrass monoculture.
Chemicals that are toxic to dung beetles should not be routinely employed when
livestock are at pasture, but selectively used and, if possible, used instead during
housing, so the toxic dung does not come into contact with dung beetles.