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Livestock-Environment Interactions

Why a concern ?

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Causes:

• Increased industrial animal production

• More intensive use of local resources

Underlying causes:

• Increase demand for animal products

• Increase in animals • Decrease of local

resources

Impact of Production on Environment

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Nutrient Flows, Risks & Benefits

• Feed

• Converted by Animals into

• Products for Consumption and

• Manure for Crop and Feed Production

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Nutrient Flows and Risks

FEED

FARM

ANIMALS PRODUCTS

MANURE

CROPS

DEGRADATION POLLUTIONLOSSES

CROP AND LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION IN ISOLATION

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Nutrient Flows and Benefits

FEED

FARM

ANIMALS PRODUCTS

MANURE

CROPS

NutrientsUsed

NutrientsSaved

NutrientsSaved

CROP - LIVESTOCK INTEGRATION

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Environmental impacts

• Land• Water• Air• Vegetation• Bio-diversity • Genetic-

diversity

– degradation, erosion– pollution N,

additives– N and C emissions– change in

compostion– loss of habitat– loss of breeds

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Technologies:• Feed Availability • Feed Quality • Animal Health • Human Health Risk • Animal Bio-diversity • Plant Bio-diversity • Farm Productivity

Policies:• Knowledge• Financial• Property-rights• Regulations• Institutional

reform• Organisational

OptionsOPTIONS

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Principal Livestock Systems

GRAZING - nomadic- trans humance- sedentary

MIXED- grazing- crop residues- cut and carry- feed from farm- external feed

INDUSTRIAL- feed processing- farm production- product processing

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Grazing Systems

• Nomadic Systems• Transhumance• Sedentary

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Nomadic Systems

PRODUCTION - static / decreasing

OPTIONS - integration of mobile livestock systems in natural resource management of remote and dry/ winter grazing areas

CONCERNS - degradation of vegetation- loss of bio-diversity- grazing conflicts in dry/ winter season

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Transhumance

PRODUCTION - stagnant / decreasing

CONCERNS - degradation of vegetation- loss of bio-diversity

OPTIONS - integration of trans humance in natural resources management- crop residues as feed source- cultivation of feed

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Sedentary

PRODUCTION - stagnant / decreasing

CONCERNS - expansion through deforestation - loss of bio-diversity - excessive burning

OPTIONS - crop livestock integration - livestock - wild life integration - mixed crop livestock farming

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Mixed Systems

• Mixed Communal Grazing• Mixed Crop Residues• Mixed Cut & Carry• Mixed Feed from Farm• Mixed External Feed

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Mixed Communal Grazing

CONCERNS - land degradation through crop cultivation- pasture degradation through grazing

PRODUCTION - static / decreasing

OPTIONS - community management of communal pastures - feed production on farm- improved manure management

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Mixed Crop Residues

PRODUCTION - static

CONCERNS - land degradation through crop cultivation

OPTIONS - land for feed production- more livestock- improved manure management- fertilisers for crop cultivation

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PRODUCTION - static

CONCERNS - competition for communal feed- declining soil fertility in areas of

feed origin

OPTIONS - land for feed production- improved manure management- external feed for livestock

Mixed Cut & Carry

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Mixed Feed from Farm

PRODUCTION - static

CONCERNS - declining soil fertility

OPTIONS - external feed for livestock- fertilisers

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Mixed External Feed

PRODUCTION - increasing

CONCERNS - manure surplus and nutrient loss

OPTIONS - improved manure management- integration with crop cultivation- mixed system as an alternative to industrial production

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Industrial Systems

• Industrial Feed Processing• Industrial Livestock Production• Livestock Product Processing

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Industrial Feed Processing

PRODUCTION - increasing

CONCERNS - food for feed- nutrient import from areas of origin- fossil fuel requirements

OPTIONS - move food and feed processing to areas of crop production- increase crop production- import components to improve quality

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Industrial Livestock Production

PRODUCTION - increasing- feed from feed processing industry

CONCERNS - pollution: poor manure management- feed additives and agro-chemicals

- fossil fuel requirements production

OPTIONS - improve & control manure management- move from (peri-) urban to rural areas - associate industrial livestock production with crop cultivation

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Livestock Product Processing

PRODUCTION - increasing

CONCERNS - pollution: poor waste management - fossil fuel requirements- use of agro-chemicals

OPTIONS - improve & control waste management- move to producing areas - fair competition through import tax on livestock products

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TEPA

• TRAINING

• EXTENSION

• PUBLIC AWARENESS

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TRAINING

• TRAINERS and TRAINING CENTRE• ISSUES AND OPTIONS• TRAINEES:

– livestock specialists– environmentalists– forest / pasture specialists (grazing

systems)– crop specialists (mixed systems)– builders (industrial system)

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EXTENSION

• PUBLIC• PRODUCER ORGANISATIONS• NON GOVERNMENTAL ORGANISATIONS

– stakeholder participation– stakeholder organisation– communication– technologies– policies

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PUBLIC AWARENESS

• PUBLIC & POLITICAL SUPPORT

• Through: Media and Extension• On: Concerns, Policies, Technologies• Using: Positive examples

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