Dung beetles key to maintaining healthy pasture 9 June 2021 | Wiltshire farmer Sally-Ann runs a project on her farm to revive its dung beetle population Healthy dung beetle populations can help livestock farmers to maintain high performing grassland, but the insects are becoming increasingly rare. Dung beetles are a vitally important species for farmers, providing crucial services within the agricultural system. However, as intensification and changes to rural landscapes take hold, the beetles are struggling. Their primary function is as one of ‘nature’s recyclers’, they break down livestock dung by either consuming it themselves or burying it in the soil where it is at the disposal of plant roots.