Mixed systems based on cut and carry

Mixed farming cut and carry systems are defined as systems where feed, crop residues and/ or litter is cut and carried from communal areas and / or other farms to livestock on the farm.

The major share of the feed is cut and carried from outside the farm. Part of the time animals may still be tethered on communal areas to eat what ever they can reach. Crop residues and fodder resources at own farm are intensively used but limited in quantity.

External and local concentrates are supplied only occasionally in small amounts, if at all. If concentrate feeds are part of the daily ration of productive animals then the system has become a mixed system external feed and one should proceed from there on.

Farmers in the cut and carry system are farmers with small farm sizes, those cultivating in shareholding with land owners, farm labourers and landless households for whom livestock is an important activity. In general households are poor and a major share of income is often derived from casual labour and / or low pay regular employment in agriculture.

The cut and carry system is found in densely populated rural areas with a high potential for crop cultivation: i.e. areas with irrigated crop cultivation; valleys of hilly areas; areas surrounding large estates; in peri-urban areas.

The little land farmers have access to is often cultivated intensively: food crops for home consumption; fruits and vegetables for the market.

Livestock numbers are small. Still livestock is often their main asset and saving account. Through sale of products and services livestock contributes considerable to household food security and income.

In the areas concerned free grazing of livestock is not allowed or restricted to prevent damage by livestock to crops, vegetation on hill slopes and / or natural or planted forests.

The major effect of cut and carry system is the transfer of organic matter and plant nutrients from the location of the resource to the farm. The flow is similar as in the system of crop residue harvesting, however, in general the environmental risks are less and benefits are more. Risks are less i.e. because basic soil fertility of the resource location is higher. Benefits are more as i.e. dried manure can replaces fire wood, manure can facilitate a permanent high production level of the little land cultivated by poor households. The cutting of vegetation from road sides, railway dikes, irrigation dikes and bedding are considered by society to have even positive effects on the environment. It changes the vegetation from tall coarse deep rooting species into that of grass and creepers that still provide soil cover but that does not damage these infrastructures. The same accounts for the maintenance of a wanted cover vegetation in forests and tree plantations. However here the drain of soil fertility can be experienced as negative on crop production. Livestock farmers may then be obliged to bring back manure in return for cutting rights.

In general the quality of feed and the year round availability is good. Constraints are mainly the quantity of feed available, household labour availability, distance of resources to farm, means of transport and costs to get access rights to resources on private and / or public owned land.

The potential contribution of animal traction to soil degradation in the cropping systems concerned is different and far less than in the systems of crop residue harvesting. Compared with tractor mechanisation animal traction has important environmental and social benefits .

The presence of this system is an indication for pressure on land for crop cultivation and the existence and application of local rules and regulations in respect of the exploitation of communal and on farm natural resources.

An increase in numbers of small farmers may cause more households to rely on livestock and feed resources from communal areas, plantations and larger farms. The demand for livestock may then increase and along with it the production of animal products. More animals will result in an increased competition for resources. Rations may then be composed of less good quality and more poor quality feed (crop residues). Consequently productivity in terms of daily milk production, live weight gain and reproduction performance will lower. This may even change the composition of animal products finally produced by the system: less milk, large ruminants mainly for traction and manure, more small ruminants for reproduction and sale.

A decrease in livestock productivity can be an indication for:

- an decrease in feed resources and / or or an increase in livestock numbers,
- an increase in number of poor households relying on livestock for income and security.

Options to increase sustainable livestock production:

Agriculture to provide more valuable feed for livestock. The livestock farmers are already there forms of interdependencies / links between crops and livestock crop farmers and livestock farmers are already there.

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