The role and value of combining dual-purpose crops and lucerne in a mixed-enterprise farming system

2015 ◽  
Vol 66 (4) ◽  
pp. 399 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Kingwell ◽  
L. Squibb
Keyword(s):  
Farming Systems ◽  
Farming System ◽  
Commodity Price ◽  
Base Case ◽  
Dual Purpose ◽  
Study Region ◽  
Bioeconomic Modelling ◽  
Farm Profit ◽  
Livestock Productivity ◽  
Pasture Area

In Mediterranean-type environments, livestock productivity in mixed livestock and cropping enterprises often is limited by a period of feed scarcity that extends from late autumn, when dry residues of crops and pastures from the previous growing season are being exhausted, through to early winter when green feed is just commencing. Dual-purpose crops have been developed as a source of winter green feed, while still being a source of grain at harvest. These crops increase feed availability and boost livestock productivity. This study evaluates the role and value of dual-purpose wheat and canola crops, in combination with lucerne, in mixed-enterprise farming systems that experience a Mediterranean-type climate. Using bioeconomic modelling, the value of dual-purpose crops is assessed under a range of yield, price and technical assumptions. For an Australian study region, the robust finding is that the joint inclusion of dual-purpose crops and lucerne greatly increases the farming-system profits. Under standard assumptions when the farming system is operated to maximise profit, farm profit increases by AU$68 000 (or 88% over the base case) following the inclusion of both dual-purpose wheat and canola. The increase in profit is attributable to wool and sheep sales rising by 261%, yet the proportions of crop and pasture remain similar with or without the dual-purpose crops. Importantly, the proportion of the pasture area that is lucerne greatly increases to complement the increase in feed availability generated by the dual-purpose crops. The resultant large increase in feed availability in winter and summer allows the stocking rate to increase so sheep numbers and sheep turn-off become the main source of the increase in profit. Sensitivity analysis shows that even with significant commodity price fluctuations and further reduction in grain yield caused by grazing, and exclusion of lucerne, inclusion of dual-purpose crops in these farming systems still increases farm profit.

Implications of low-input farming systems for the U.S. position in world agriculture

1989 ◽  
Vol 4 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 144-152
Author(s):  
John E. Lee ◽  
Kenneth Baum
Keyword(s):  
Production Capacity ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Farming System ◽  
Commodity Price ◽  
Wildlife Habitat ◽  
Export Demand ◽  
Public And Private ◽  
World Markets ◽  
Social Environmental ◽  
The U.S

AbstractThe adoption of sustainable farming system practices by U.S. producers could affect the international competitive position of many agricultural commodities, including livestock. The adoption of such practices over the next several decades will depend on commodity policy legislation, environmental regulation, commodity price and acreage diversion incentives, and the success of ongoing GATT negotiations and trade liberalization. However, the extent and magnitude of these effects are dependent on the internalization and recognition of social costs of agricultural production by farmers and explicit tradeoffs between environmental degradation and agricultural profitability. Environmental externalities include soil loss, surface and ground water contamination by agricultural residuals, loss of wildlife habitat, and diminished aesthetic amenities. In effect, both public and private concerns about the marginal social environmental costs associated with production, when present, will influence the shape and location of commodity supply curves and the U.S. export capability. In turn, these supply curves, which define the production capacity of the U.S. to meet domestic and export demand, will determine our comparative competitive positions for different commodities in world markets.

Seeking simultaneous improvements in farm profit and natural resource indicators: a modelling analysis

2009 ◽  
Vol 49 (10) ◽  
pp. 826 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Robertson ◽  
Andrew Bathgate ◽  
Andrew Moore ◽  
Roger Lawes ◽  
Julianne Lilley
Keyword(s):  
Natural Resource ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Simulation Models ◽  
Farming System ◽  
Economic Incentives ◽  
Catchment Management ◽  
Trade Off ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Farm Profit

Natural resource indicators are used by catchment management organisations as targets for land use management. However, the nature of the trade-off function between natural resource management (NRM) outcomes and whole-farm profit is ill-defined, and varies between regions and according to the particular NRM indicator considered. Defining this function will assist catchment management organisations and farmers to evaluate the achievability of particular targets, and help determine the size of economic incentives required to offset any expected loss in farm profit associated with meeting targets. We addressed this issue by modelling representative farm businesses in two mixed farming regions (southern New South Wales and the central wheatbelt of Western Australia). The Agricultural Production Systems Simulator (APSIM) and GRAZPLAN farming systems models were linked and used to generate values of four NRM indicators (water leakage, nitrate leaching, groundcover and soil organic carbon change) for a wide range of crop–pasture rotations. The NRM indicator values were then incorporated into the Model of an Integrated Dryland System (MIDAS) whole-farm economic model to define the relationship with farm profit and farm cropping percentage. For some circumstances and indicators, the resulting trade-off functions were relatively flat; a wide range of enterprise mixes can lead to the same NRM outcomes but significant gains in the indicators may not be possible using current rotation options. For others, significant improvements could be achieved but at a substantial loss in whole-farm profit (through the selection of less profitable rotations). There were also examples where simultaneous gains in indicators and farm profit were possible. This analysis demonstrates an approach by which biophysical simulation models of the farming system can be linked to linear-programming representations of farming enterprises, and provides a method for deriving relationships between NRM targets and economic performance.

Regime of soil humus rural residential areas organic farming systems

2018 ◽  
Vol 2 (95) ◽  
pp. 78-81
Author(s):  
L.I. Shkarivska
Keyword(s):  
Organic Farming ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Humus Content ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Farming System ◽  
Organic Substrates ◽  
Residential Areas ◽  
Typical Chernozem ◽  
Podzolic Soils ◽  
Organic Farming System

The changes of the soil’s humus soil within the rural areas are investigated for the organic farming system. The most significant impact of organic agriculture on humus content over 55% was observed on soddy podzolic soils (V>75%), the lowest –7,5% on typical chernozem (V≈16%). Changes in the qualitative composition of humus for the introduction of various types of organic substrates are analyzed.

Micro and Macro-level Analysis of Crop Diversification: Evidence from an Agrarian State West Bengal

2020 ◽  
pp. 489-499
Keyword(s):  
Crop Production ◽  
West Bengal ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Field Studies ◽  
Farming System ◽  
Structure Questionnaire ◽  
Crop Diversification ◽  
The Status ◽  
Block Level ◽  
Diversified Farming Systems

The farming system in West Bengal is being shifted by integration between the set of cash crops and the main food harvest process. This change in diversified farming systems, where smallholders have a production base in rice can complement production; affect technical efficiency and farm performance. The goal of this study was to investigate the status of crop diversification on smallholders in West Bengal. First, crop diversification regions were developed in West Bengal based on the Herfindahl index, which were categorized into three regions. Three sample districts were studied separately at the block level, and 915 small farmers from 41 sample villages of 9 sample blocks were interviewed through a good structure questionnaire for field studies from the sample districts. West Bengal was gradually moving towards multiple crop production. Furthermore, increasing rice production reduced the marginal use of inputs for the production of other crops. Farming and other vital factors such as HYVs area to GCA, average holding size and per capita income in some districts of West Bengal can be identified as determinants of crop diversification.

Enhancement in productivity and income sustainability through Integrated farming system approaches for small and marginal farmers of Eastern India

2017 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
SANJEEV KUMAR ◽  
SHIVANI . ◽  
S. K. SAMAL ◽  
S. K. DWIVEDI ◽  
MANIBHUSHAN .
Keyword(s):  
Nutrient Recycling ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Fruit Trees ◽  
Farming System ◽  
Eastern Region ◽  
Net Income ◽  
System Productivity ◽  
Integrated Farming ◽  
Systems Models ◽  
The Cost

Integration of different components viz. livestock, fishery, horticulture, mushroom etc. along with field crops not only enhanced productivity but by-products (waste) of one component act as input for another component through resource recycling within the system. Six integrated farming systems models with suitable combinations of Crop, vegetables, fruit trees, fish, livestock, mushroom etc. were made and evaluated at the experimental farm of ICAR Research Complex for Eastern Region, Patna during 2012-16 for harness maximum income, nutrient recycling and employment. Among six combinations, crop + fish + duck + goat resulted as most profitable combination in terms of productivity (RGEY- 22.2t), net income (Rs. 2,15,900/ha), additional employment (170 days/year) with income sustainability index (ISI) by 90.2. Upon nutrient recycling prepared from different wastes from the system Crop + fish + duck + goat combination added N (56.5 kg), P (39.6 kg) and K (42.7 kg) into the soil and reduced the cost of cultivation by 24 percent and was followed by crop + fish + goat combination. Crops grown under IFS mode with different types of manures produced 31 percent higher yield over conventional rice- wheat system. The contribution of crops towards the system productivity ranged from 36.4 to 56.2 %, while fish ranged from 22.0-33.5 %; for goat 25.4-32.9 %; for poultry 38.7 %; for duck 22.0-29.0 %; for cattle 32.2% and for mushroom 10.3 %.

scholarly journals Genome-Wide Associations for Microscopic Differential Somatic Cell Count and Specific Mastitis Pathogens in Holstein Cows in Compost-Bedded Pack and Cubicle Farming Systems

Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 1839
Author(s):  
Patricia Wagner ◽  
Tong Yin ◽  
Kerstin Brügemann ◽  
Petra Engel ◽  
Christina Weimann ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Immune System ◽  
Somatic Cell ◽  
Candidate Genes ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Farming System ◽  
Environmental Stressors ◽  
Udder Health ◽  
Genome Wide ◽  
Cell Fractions ◽  
Mastitis Pathogens

The aim of the present study was to detect significant SNP (single-nucleotide polymorphism) effects and to annotate potential candidate genes for novel udder health traits in two different farming systems. We focused on specific mastitis pathogens and differential somatic cell fractions from 2198 udder quarters of 537 genotyped Holstein Friesian cows. The farming systems comprised compost-bedded pack and conventional cubicle barns. We developed a computer algorithm for genome-wide association studies allowing the estimation of main SNP effects plus consideration of SNPs by farming system interactions. With regard to the main effect, 35 significant SNPs were detected on 14 different chromosomes for the cell fractions and the pathogens. Six SNPs were significant for the interaction effect with the farming system for most of the udder health traits. We inferred two possible candidate genes based on significant SNP interactions. HEMK1 plays a role in the development of the immune system, depending on environmental stressors. CHL1 is regulated in relation to stress level and influences immune system mechanisms. The significant interactions indicate that gene activity can fluctuate depending on environmental stressors. Phenotypically, the prevalence of mastitis indicators differed between systems, with a notably lower prevalence of minor bacterial indicators in compost systems.

scholarly journals Farmer Field Schools (FFSs): A Tool Empowering Sustainability and Food Security in Peasant Farming Systems in the Nicaraguan Highlands

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (9) ◽  
pp. 3020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Esperanza Arnés ◽  
Carlos G. H. Díaz-Ambrona ◽  
Omar Marín-González ◽  
Marta Astier
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Scale Up ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Farming System ◽  
Production Costs ◽  
Farmer Field Schools ◽  
Basic Services ◽  
Long Term Impact ◽  
Field Schools ◽  
The Impact

Farmer field schools (FFSs) emerged in response to the gap left by the worldwide decline in agricultural extension services. With time, this methodology has been adapted to specific rural contexts to solve problems related to the sustainability of peasant-farming systems. In this study we draw upon empirical data regarding the peasant-farming system in the Nicaraguan highlands to evaluate whether FFSs have helped communities improve the sustainability of their systems and the food security of their residents using socioeconomic, environmental, and food and nutrition security (FNS) indicators. In order to appreciate the long-term impact, we studied three communities where FFSs were implemented eight, five, and three years ago, respectively, and we included participants and nonparticipants from each community. We found that FFSs have a gradual impact, as there are significant differences between participants and nonparticipants, and it is the community that first implemented FFSs that scores highest. The impact of FFSs is broad and long lasting for indicators related to participation, access to basic services, and conservation of natural resources. Finally, this paper provides evidence that FFSs have the potential to empower farmers; however, more attention needs to be paid to critical indicators like production costs and the use of external inputs in order to scale up their potential in the future.

scholarly journals MOTIVASI PETANI DALAM MEMPERTAHANKAN SISTEM TRADISIONAL PADA USAHATANI PADI SAWAH DI DESA PARBAJU JULU KABUPATEN TAPANULI UTARA PROPINSI SUMATERA UTARA

2011 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 51-62
Author(s):  
. Reflis ◽  
M. Nurung ◽  
Juliana Dewi Pratiwi
Keyword(s):  
Formal Education ◽  
Family Members ◽  
Rank Correlation ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Farming System ◽  
Farm Size ◽  
Rice Farming ◽  
Traditional System ◽  
Size Number ◽  
Rainfed Farming

This research aims to identify factors correlated significantly to the motivation of farmers in perseving traditional rainfed farming systems, such as using local seeds and planting once a year.  The population of this study is farmer who still perform the traditional paddy farming system in the Village of North Tapanuli Parbaju Julu County North Sumatra Province. As much as 48 respondents randomly selected from 160 farmers.  A descriptive analyse and Spearman rank correlation are applied in this study.   The study showed that formal education, farmers' perception of the traditional system of rice farming are correlated significantly to farmer motivation in preserving tradional farming system while non-formal education, the traditional system of farming experience, farm size, number of family members are not.  Factors that correlated significantly to farmer motivation in maintaining local seed is non-formal education, farming experience, while the traditional system of formal education, farmers' perception of traditional rice farming system, farm size, number of family members are not correlated significantly.  Furthermore, the number of family members is merely factor that correlated significantly to the farmers motivation in maintaining once a year plantings while others factors are not correlated. Key words: farmer motivation, preserving, traditional farming

scholarly journals Assessing Genomic Diversity and Productivity Signatures in Dianzhong Cattle by Whole-Genome Scanning

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xianfu Zhang ◽  
Kaixing Qu ◽  
Peng Jia ◽  
Jicai Zhang ◽  
Jianyong Liu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heat Resistance ◽  
Candidate Genes ◽  
Cattle Breed ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Fat Deposition ◽  
Male Reproduction ◽  
Genomic Diversity ◽  
Missense Mutations ◽  
Indigenous Cattle ◽  
Livestock Productivity

Dianzhong cattle is a classic Chinese indigenous cattle breed with historical records dating back to 200 BC. But with its genomic differences having not been clearly elucidated, the quest for genomic characterization will be an essential step towards understanding the genomic basis of productivity and adaptation to survival under Chinese farming systems. Here we compared 10 Dianzhong cattle (four newly sequenced and six downloaded) with 29 published genomes of three underlying ancestral populations (Chinese zebu, Indian zebu, and Yanbian cattle) to characterize the genomic variations of Dianzhong cattle. Dianzhong cattle has a high nucleotide diversity (0.0034), second only to Chinese zebu. Together with analyses of linkage disequilibrium decay and runs of homozygosity, Dianzhong cattle displayed higher genomic diversity and weaker artificial selection compared with Yanbian cattle. From a selective sweep analysis by four methods (Fst, π-ratio, XP-CLR, and XP-EHH), the positive selective signals were mainly manifested in candidate genes and pathways related to heat resistance, growth and development, fat deposition, and male reproduction. Missense mutations were detected in candidate genes, SDS (c.944C > A and p.Ala315Glu), PDGFD (c.473A > G and p.Lys158Arg), and DDX4 (rs460251486, rs722912933, and rs517668236), which related to heat resistance, fat deposition, and spermatogenesis, respectively. Our findings unravel, at the genome-wide level, the unique diversity of Dianzhong cattle while emphasizing the opportunities for improvement of livestock productivity in further breeding programs.

scholarly journals Impact of microbial preparations on the activity of rhizosphere and the productivity of oil flax under no-till

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
T.N. Melnichuk ◽  
◽  
A.A. Gongalo ◽  
A.Yu. Egovtseva ◽  
E.R. Abdurashytova ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Farming Systems ◽  
Farming System ◽  
Stress Factors ◽  
Microbiological Analysis ◽  
Conventional Farming ◽  
Nitrogen Fixers ◽  
No Till ◽  
Number Of Microorganisms ◽  
Resistance To Stress ◽  
Direct Sowing

Microbial preparations improve mineral nutrition of plants, protect against phytopathogens, and increase their resistance to stress factors. The aim of our research is to study the effect of microbial preparations on the biological activity of rhizosphere and the productivity of oil flax under no-till in the Crimean Steppe. Microbiological analysis of the rhizosphere of oil flax showed that there is a tendency to increase the number of microorganisms of various ecological and trophic groups both under the conditions of the conventional farming system (CFS) and no-till when seeds are inoculated with a complex of microbial preparations (CMP). Under CFS, the number of microorganisms using mineral forms of nitrogen as nutrition increased by 28 %; pedotrophs – by 37 %; ammonifiers and oligotrophs increased under both farming systems. The total number of nitrogen fixers increased by 29 % under CFS as a result of biological preparations use, while under no-till there was only a trend towards increasing the amount of azotobacter. The number of actinomycetes increased under the influence of CMP by 50% under direct sowing; micromycetes decreased under both farming systems. The number of cellulose-degrading microorganisms increased by 18 and 27 % under no- till and CFS, respectively. The yield of oilseed flax under no-till was 0.11 t/ha (12.9 %) higher than under conventional farming system. On average, over three years (2017-2019), an increase in yield amounted to 0.12 t/ha (19%) due to the use of microbial preparations.

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