Mixed Systems: 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 which are cinfined to on or close to 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 from the farm are intensively used but are insufficient to meet all feed requirement.

External and local concentrates are supplied only occasionally in small amounts, if at all. When 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.

The cut and carry system is labour intensive and 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, surroundings large estates, and in peri-urban areas. In the areas concerned, free grazing of livestock is not allowed or is restricted to prevent damage by livestock to crops, vegetation on hill slopes and / or natural or planted forests.

Farmers involved are those with small farm sizes, cultivating as shareholder, farm labourers and "landless" households. The land they have access to is often cultivated intensively: food crops for home consumption, fruits and vegetables for the market. In general households are poor and a major share of income is derived from casual labour and / or employment. In general livestock are their main asset and savings account. Through sale of products and services they contribute considerably to household food security and income.

The principal Livestock Environment Interaction is the trade of organic matter and plant nutrients from the location of the feed resource to the farm. The flow is similar as in the system of crop residue harvesting, but in general risks are less and benefits greater. The same applies for the environmental risks and benefits of DAP in these systems. The livestock / cropland ratio varies and can even result in surplus of manure.

The presence of this system is an indicator of 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.

Present trends in population growth and land ownership cause an increase in the number of cut and carry systems and the competition for feed resources. This can result in lower production levels and even in a change to lower production objectives (from milk to traction or reproduction and growth) and in herd composition (less large and more small ruminants).

The potential of the system to produce more animal products for the market is in the first place through the increase number offarms in this labour intensive system. Next, through maintaining and improving production levels:
- more and better quality feed resources from cropland (varieties and farming practices);
- clear local rules regulating the exploitation of communal resources;
- access to more external feeds from agro processing industry.

In general the quality of feed and the year round availability is good. Constraints are mainly the availability of feed and household labour, distance of resources to farm, means of transport and 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 . Compared with tractor mechanisation animal traction has important environmental and social benefits .

A decrease in livestock productivity can be an indicator of:
- an decrease in feed resources and / or an increase in livestock numbers,crop residue harvesting
- an increase in number of poor households relying on livestock for income and security.

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