Mindful of its environmental impact, the PBQ’s veal sector conducted a life cycle assessment to qualitatively and quantitatively understand the environmental effects of veal production.

Separate results were generated for the grain- and milk-fed veal sectors to reflect the unique features of each. The assessment provides a clear picture of the leading sources of impact:

• Raising livestock: the largest source of GHG emissions in both sectors, as well as the largest driver of water consumption for grain-fed veal
• Crops and animal feed: the main driver of land use, as well as the largest driver of water consumption for milk-fed veal

These findings give the sector concrete things it can do to focus its efforts on the most critical points in the production cycle. Work will ensue in the coming years.

In Quebec, 35 beef farms (5 fed cattle operations and 30 feeder calf operations) are taking part in the BOvins pour le climat project. Headed up by the Nova Bœuf team at the Centre de développement du porc du Québec (CDPQ), this project is a testing ground for lowering methane emissions on farms by exploring different practices for grazing management, manure management, herd efficiency, and feed.

Another important aspect of BOvins pour le climat is knowledge transfer. Participating farms begin by calculating a carbon balance for their farm to identify priority actions; they received their results in February 2025. This project is funded by the Government of Quebec as part of the 2023-2028 Implementation Plan of the 2030 Plan for a Green Economy.

To find out more, please see the presentation at the Quebec cattle producers 2025 annual general meeting or consult the CDPQ website.

A number of cattle producers participate in the Living Labs – Racines d’avenir project. The purpose of this project is to develop, discuss, test, and assess innovative agricultural technologies and practices to increase the uptake of sustainable solutions for fighting climate change.

Cattle producers are also involved in the ALUS communities scattered across Quebec. ALUS-supported projects are aimed at increasing biodiversity and protecting water. We invite you to visit the different ALUS community websites to find out more:

ALUS Outaouais  

ALUS Montérégie

ALUS Laurentides

ALUS Lanaudière 

ALUS Chaudière-Appalaches 

Certain producers have also partnered with Agriclimate. The goal of this initiative is to better understand the effects of climate change on agriculture and implement the best solutions for coping with them. Several cattle farms have provided testimonials of their experiences with Agriclimate, which are available for viewing here.

In 2023, the PBQ published an online training resource (french only) that deals with adapting to climate change and reducing GHGs in cattle production.

• For agronomists and aspiring professionals 
• For non-agronomists  

The PBQ supports producers in setting up and managing outdoor cattle housing solutions that safeguard animal welfare and protect the environment. To this end, all producers have access to a specialized training session as well as a guide to alternative setups in cattle production. The guide is based on findings from research conducted in Quebec over the last 20 years.

While both methods measure the environmental impact of a product, they differ in how they are applied, what approaches are used, and which data are measured.

See the comparison table for a summary.

Click the image to open the PDF document.

Sylvain Laroche, producteur de bovins de réforme et de veaux laitiers (Granby, Montérégie)

Lorsqu’il a pris la tête de la Ferme Ruisselet en 2003, Sylvain Laroche a entamé l’implantation de bandes riveraines sur les trois ruisseaux qui sillonnent ses terres. Aujourd’hui, il constate que l’amélioration de la biodiversité présente plusieurs avantages pour sa ferme.

Victor Drury, producteur de veaux d’embouche (La Pêche, Outaouais)

Améliorer la biodiversité à la ferme sans nuire à la production, c’est possible! Le producteur de bovins, Victor Drury, raconte comment il a adopté de nouvelles pratiques comme l’utilisation d’une barre d’effarouchement et la fauche retardée pour aider les oiseaux en péril.

Bertrand Anel, producteur de veaux d’embouche (Cap-d’Espoir, Gaspésie)

Conjuguer la productivité au désir d’embellir le paysage, telle est la mission de Bertrand Anel. Au fil des années, ce producteur de veaux d’embouche a planté une grande variété d’arbres et d’arbustes à la Ferme Percé Nature pour constituer de véritables systèmes agroforestiers favorables à la biodiversité et à son troupeau.

Retour en haut

À l’été 2023, les Producteurs de bovins du Québec ont réalisé auprès de leurs membres une enquête sur les pratiques favorables à la biodiversité. Il s’agit du premier exercice du genre. En voici les faits saillants :

	91 % possèdent une zone de forêt dans leur ferme
	41 % ont implanté des haies brise-vent
	32 % ont planté des arbres au cours des 3 dernières années
	20 % ont des bandes riveraines d’une largeur dépassant les 3 mètres recommandés
	79 % de ceux qui possèdent des pâturages ou des prairies pratiquent la rotation des pâturages
	51 % accueillent à leur ferme des nichoirs d’oiseaux, des dortoirs de chauve-souris et des ruches
	18 % modifient leur patron de fauche pour protéger la faune
	65 % veulent réaliser dans le futur des pratiques favorables à la biodiversité dans leur ferme

Source et méthodologie : Questionnaire sur la biodiversité réalisé par les PBQ à l’été 2023 et rempli par 270 répondants, pour un taux de réponse de 9,44 %, avec un niveau de confiance de 90 % et une marge d’erreur de 5 %.

Retour en haut

What we’re doing

The PBQ received funding from the Ministère de l’Agriculture, des Pêcheries et de l’Alimentation du Québec through the Prime-Vert program to support the Programme biodiversité en production bovine (Biodiversity in cattle production program).

The project ran from March 2022 to December 2024. The goal was to train and support cattle producers to implement practices that foster habitats for wildlife, especially ground-nesting birds and pollinators, and improve biodiversity.

		Mowing demonstration with a flushing bar, Outaouais region (June 2022)
		A chick found in a field, Outaouais region (June 2022)

Through the Programme biodiversité en production bovine, 16 information activities were organized on cattle farms. These gatherings gave attendees a chance to learn about a range of practices in cattle raising, grazing, and crop production that foster biodiversity, especially when it comes to ground-nesting birds and pollinators. Other topics covered in these events included pasture management, mowing techniques to protect birds, and delayed mowing.

Students from the Institut de technologie agroalimentaire du Québec visit Ferme Brotail for a workshop on pro-biodiversity farm setups (October 2023)

A presentation about wild plants, delivered by the Gestrie-Sol club on Ferme WB (September 2023)

Biologists also met with producers and gave presentations on certain species at risk that dwell in agricultural systems in Quebec. These included the eastern meadowlark, the bobolink, and the western chorus frog. A total of 677 people attended events organized through this program.

Cattle producers are also involved in the ALUS communities scattered across Quebec. ALUS-supported projects are aimed at increasing biodiversity and protecting water. We invite you to visit the different ALUS community websites to find out more:

ALUS Outaouais 

ALUS Montérégie :

ALUS Laurentides 

ALUS Lanaudière 

ALUS Chaudière-Appalaches 

Cattle producers are also collaborators in the following bird protection projects:

• Dura-Club :  
• Gestrie-Sol 
• Stewardship initiative for ground-nesting birds on farms in the Green Mountains
• QuébecOiseaux: voluntary conservation of nesting habitats for ground-nesting birds in farming areas

Here are some pro-biodiversity practices available to cattle producers.

Farm installations

Extended riparian buffer strips

Riparian buffer strips are areas of land alongside streams where native plant species are planted. These plants are adapted to local conditions and provide habitat for various wild animals including birds, insects, reptiles, and mammals.

The plants in these strips also help filter contaminants (which would otherwise make their way into the water), prevent soil erosion, and regulate fluctuations in the water level. Strips may vary in width based on their location and the prevailing environmental conditions at play. A minimum width of three metres is recommended, however.

Find out more

Factsheet on extended riparian buffer strips

Flower strips

Flower strips are zones of vegetation filled with flowering plants. They are generally located at the margins of wooded areas, hedges, fields, and ditches. One purpose of these structures is to provide pollinators with shelter and food. Flower strips may also house populations of mammals or birds that play a role in pest control.

Find out more

Factsheet on flower strips

Factsheet on promoting pollinators on farms

Birdhouses and bat boxes

Installing artificial structures is one way to provide extra nesting sites for bird species that naturally nest in holes found in dead trees and snags. These structures also attract certain insectivorous birds and birds of prey, which serve as natural enemies to crop pests. Easy-to-install structures also exist to provide shelter for bats.

Find out more

Guide to setups for ground-nesting birds

Factsheet on bat boxes

Factsheet on promoting ground-nesting birds on farms

Shelterbelts

Shelterbelts are rows of trees and/or shrubs whose primary function is to absorb wind. These structures can also have positive effects on the local environment by providing wildlife habitats, reducing soil erosion, improving water quality, and increasing biodiversity.

Find out more

Agroforestry system setup guide (paid)

Factsheet on shelterbelts

Agroforestry knowledge transfer resources

Pasture, grassland, and crop practices

Rotational grazing

This practice improves pasture health and maintains biodiversity.[ii] It involves dividing pastures into sections and moving livestock from one section to another. This allows the grass to regenerate and fosters the growth of different plants. Rotational grazing also helps reduce overgrazing, which can permanently damage biodiversity levels. The grazing action of the livestock can provide an appropriate nesting site for certain birds and other wild species provided the grass height stays between 12 and 30 cm from May to July.

Find out more

Factsheet on shelterbelts

Présentation sur la régie intensive des pâturages

Fiche technique sur le pâturage en rotation

Reduced livestock density

Reducing the density of livestock on pasture before July 1 gives ground-nesting birds a better environment in which to build their nests. The recommended densities are 4.2 head/hectare for cattle aged 6 months to 2 years for continuous pasture and 6.7 head/hectare for rotational grazing systems. For cattle under 6 months of age, the recommended densities are 6.3 head/hectare for continuous pasture and 10 head/hectare for rotational grazing systems.[i]

Find out more

Guide to setups for ground-nesting birds

Delayed mowing

In delayed mowing, the producer chooses a later date for mowing grasslands, generally a few weeks to one month after the usual mowing date. The purpose of this farming practice is to foster biodiversity by allowing the plants and animals in these areas to reproduce and grow before the vegetation is cut down.

Delayed mowing can provide habitat and food for many animals, including ground-nesting birds, insects, and mammals that depend on the vegetation for their survival. The literature generally recommends delaying mowing until after July 15 to encourage ground-nesting birds to build their nests.[i]

Some producers avoid mowing in certain areas to encourage species such as the bobolink; others use the presence of flowers to determine when to mow.

Find out more

Presentation on farming practices that foster ground-nesting birds

Flushing bars

A flushing bar is a tool installed at the front of a tractor. It gives chicks and female birds extra time to get out of the way of the mower. This technique is not yet widely known, and flushing bars are still hard to find on the market. However, plans are available on the Internet, and producers can have them custom-built by welders.

Find out more

Presentation on farming practices that foster ground-nesting birds

Mowing speed and pattern

Credit: Lamoureux, S. and C. Dion, 2019. Guide de recommandations — Aménagements et pratiques favorisant la protection des oiseaux champêtres, 2nd edition. QuébecOiseaux, Montreal, 198 pages.

Certain animals have breeding seasons that coincide with intensive farming activities. In Quebec, the riskiest period for this is from April to July. By taking certain precautions, such as reducing the mower speed to 10 km/h or using the centre-out mowing technique, farmers can limit disturbances to wildlife.

In centre-out mowing, the farmer starts at the centre of the meadow or field and makes their way to the outside edges, rather than the reverse. This gives animals the opportunity to get out of the way of the mower and to find refuge in areas that are not yet mown. Plants can also be preserved at the edge of the field, providing refuges and food for wild animals.

Centre-out mowing reduces the impacts of mowing on wild plants and animals, while fostering a diversity of habitats in meadows and fields. This can encourage the presence of rare or threatened animal and plant species, thus helping preserve biodiversity.

Find out more

Presentation on farming practices beneficial to ground-nesting birdss

[i] Lamoureux, S. et C. Dion. 2019. Guide de recommandations — Aménagements et pratiques favorisant la protection des oiseaux champêtres, 2^e édition. QuébecOiseaux, Montréal, page 85

[ii] Lamoureux, S. et C. Dion. 2019. Guide de recommandations — Aménagements et pratiques favorisant la protection des oiseaux champêtres, 2^e édition. QuébecOiseaux, Montréal, page 64.

Grasslands on Quebec cattle farms are home to at least 545 terrestrial vertebrate species, as well as many insect and plant species. Read on to explore some representatives of this flourishing biodiversity, which often play a role in ecosystem balance.

Eastern meadowlark

Goglu des prés

Barn swallow

Eastern bluebird

Upland sandpiper

Western chorus frog

Wood turtle

Yellow-banded bumble bee

Monarch butterfly

Source : Connaître pour mieux protéger (ALUS, UPA Outaouais-Laurentides), Aménagements et pratiques favorisant la protection des oiseaux champêtres (QuébecOiseaux)