RUSLE validation in soils with use in outdoor livestock production

Abstract

Outdoor pig production is considered systems more environmentally friendly and with greater animal welfare, compared to intensive indoor production systems. The Mediterranean region offers good weather conditions for this type of production. However, the behavior of swine that continuously forages the soil, as well as the characteristics of the Mediterranean climate, with the precipitation concentrated in winter as well as the topography of the area are factors that influence the soil erosion in these systems. This work aimed to evaluate the adequacy of the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) applied to an area with outdoor pig production, compared to the observed soil loss after 17 years of testing. The application of RUSLE showed that the risk of soil erosion varied from very to extremely severe in 96% of the area, resulting in a soil loss of 502.4 t/ha.year. The RUSLE model agreed with field data which indicated an effective soil loss of 609.7 t/ha.year. Field data also showed that in 3.4% of the area there was sedimentation, a feature that is not provided by RUSLE.