Diverse Practices of Free Grazing in the Knowledge Creation Spiral: A Case Study of Cow-Calf Farming in Oita Prefecture

Abstract

With serious issues in the agricultural sector, such as large-scale abandoned farmland and a declining farming population, the livestock industry also faces challenges in Japan. Since confinement rearing requires significant cost and labor for cattle-calf production, grazing has been gaining renewed attention in the industry. Grazing practices have traditionally been diverse, and more recently, one pioneer has emerged with an innovative approach to year-round cattle-calf grazing. This paper attempts to introduce a case of cow-calf farming in Oita prefecture and how the know-how gets distributed to other farmers in the knowledge creation spiral.