Mixed Farming Systems Objectives

The overall objective of mixed farming is to realise the optimal result from a combination of crop and livestock activities. In mixed system crops and livestock activities compete for the same scarce resources such as land, labour, capital and skills. Consequently, the production level of livestock in mixed systems (milk production per animal and per day, growth and reproduction rates), in general, is lower than in specialised systems. | Objectives of mixed farming (economic and organic) Objectives of farmers (socio-economic values of livestock) Objectives of livestock production (feed requirements and availability) Note on manure as a production objective.

Objectives of mixed farming (economic and organic)

The overall objective of mixed farming is to realise the optimal result from a combination of crop and livestock activities. In mixed system crops and livestock activities compete for the same scarce resources such as land, labour, capital and skills. Consequently, the production level of livestock in mixed systems (milk production per animal and per day, growth and reproduction rates), in general, is lower than in specialised systems.

One of the options to increase productivity through specialisation (economics of specialisation) while maintaining the complementary economic and environmental benefits from mixed farming is to form associations with specialised farms. Such associations should facilitate and guarantee the exchange of crop by products and residues for manure. An example of a traditional association is the one between nomads and crop farmers, whereby livestock of nomads convert crop residues (feed) into manure for crop cultivation.

More recent developments include associations between dairy farmers and vegetable growers. Similar to organic farming in Europe, an exchange of crop by-products and residues for manure between specialised ecological farms.

Objectives of farmers (socio-economic values of livestock)

Notably smallholder farmers keep livestock for multiple purposes:

- food security fund (sale of animals in exchange for basic foods)
- capital savings and security account (sale of animals when needed, family capital);
- income generation (sale of animals and animal products; traction services);
- home consumption: (animal products, manure as fuel: dried or as source for bio-gas;
- to enhance crop cultivation (traction and manure);
- a means to exploit communal, cover, fallow and border vegetation: (livestock products; maintenance of vegetation; manure for crops).

Next, social and cultural values attached to livestock and livestock products vary from society to society. They largely determine the demand and development opportunities for livestock.

- Owning livestock can give social status (leadership) and economic status (access to informal credits and loans);
- Passing on livestock can strengthen relationships between families and opens ways for marriages (bride price);
- Animals can be slaughtered at funerals, name giving days, and at other social or religious events to honour the person or god concerned;
- Livestock can be used in settling local disputes, whereby fines are paid in numbers.

In respect of cultural values attached to livestock and livestock products the world is colourful and each society is painted differently. E.g. people following Moslem or Jewish religions are not allowed to consume pork, while according to British culture it is not done to eat horsemeat.

Socio-economic and cultural values largely determine the driving forces in society and thus development trends, policies, strategies, plans, and interventions also in the livestock sector. However, it goes beyond the scope of this toolbox to deal with these factors in detail.

Objectives of livestock production (feed requirements and availability)

In practice there is a strong interaction between production objectives and availability of feed in quantity and quality. In resource driven systems, the production objective is adjusted to what is available. In demand driven systems feed is made available / reserved for the desired production level. A simplified schematic assessment is presented below.

Objective | Feed requirements (times maintenance) | Corresponding Feed quality in Total Digestible Nutients | Concentrate requirements
Manure | 0.9 – 1.1 | 40 – 45 | None
Traction | 0.9 – 1.25 | 40 – 50 | None
Reproduction | 1.25 | 50 | None
Growth of Values | 1.25 | 50 | None
Milk 5 litres (cow of 300 kg) | 1.5 | 60 | Seasonal
Milk 20 litres (cow of 300 kg) | 3 | 70 | Daily

All these different production levels or objectives can exist in one location, based on resources that are (made) available in that location. In India the poorest feed is left for the "holy" cow (manure); poor feed for oxen (they can work on body reserves); poor feed for local cows (once pregnant they can reproduces on body reserves), better feed and by products to cross- and pure breed dairy cows (maintain milk production). On farm similar patterns can exist: poor pastures for donkey / horse (traction, pleasure); moderate pastures for young stock and dry cows; good pastures and concentrates for lactating dairy cows (milk); and hill slopes grazed by sheep and/or browsed by goats (reproduction, control of vegetation, manure production).

Note on manure as production objective.
Animals that survive on a ration that just supports maintenance are by definition "non-productive". However they convert poor quality feed into manure and are still productive in terms of manure production. As such they still play an important role in rural societies where manure is intensively used for crop cultivation or where dried manure is an important fuel source as is the case for instance in parts of India and the highlands of Ethiopia. In practice these "non-productive" animals hardly compete for feed with productive animals because the quality of the feed they get access to is too poor for productive animals.

LxE(+): conversion of poor quality feed in manure.
Notably in situations where the alternative practice is to burn poor quality crop residues / standing hay (loss of Organic Matter, Nitrogen and Sulphate)

LxE(-): accelerated erosion due to trampling (gully erosion) and/or to overgrazing (run-off and wind erosion).Notably in situations where poor quality pastures are the main feed resource base

NB In situations where there is fuel wood scarcity dried manure can help to avoid further deforestation, but availability by itself is not sufficient to prevent households from harvesting the last wood resources.

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