Sustainability assessment of small dairy farms from the main cattle farming systems in the North of Tunisia

New Medit ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Keyword(s):  
Human Population ◽  
Sustainability Assessment ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Mixed System ◽  
Limiting Factor ◽  
Animal Products ◽  
Major Threat ◽  
The North ◽  
Cattle Farms

Demand for animal products is expected to increase due to human population growth, resulting in a need for increased production. At the same time, climate change poses a major threat to the viability and sustainability of livestock production systems. This study aimed to evaluate and compare the sus-tainability of dairy cattle farms belonging to three farming systems (rainfed, irrigated, and mixed) at the northeast zone of Tunisia using the IDEA method (version 3). Collected data of 102 farms were subjected to an analysis of variance using the GLM procedure of SAS software (version 9.4). Results showed that the socio-territorial scale was the limiting factor for all systems and that the irrigated sys-tem had the lowest scores of agro-ecological and socio-territorial scales, compared to the other ones, but it recorded the highest score for the economic scale. The best agro-ecological and socio-territorial scores characterized the mixed system. However, it had the lowest score on the economic scale. Finally, the rain-fed system was exhibited medium performances of the three scales. It was concluded a differ-ence between the three farm systems, but there was no disassociation between the three sustainability dimensions; thus, improvements should proceed across all scales simultaneously.

scholarly journals Acaricides efficiency on Rhipicephalus(Boophilus) microplus from Bahia state North-Central region

2013 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 71-77 ◽  
Author(s):  
José Tadeu Raynal ◽  
Aretha Alves Borges da Silva ◽  
Thiago de Jesus Sousa ◽  
Thiago Campanharo Bahiense ◽  
Roberto Meyer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Central Region ◽  
Boophilus Microplus ◽  
Cattle Tick ◽  
North Central Region ◽  
Resistance Development ◽  
Animal Products ◽  
North Central ◽  
The North ◽  
Cattle Farms

The cattle tick Rhipicephalus(Boophilus) microplus is responsible for major losses in the Brazilian livestock, mainly due to reduction in cattle productive performance. Resistance development to major classes of acaricide widely used nowadays has been extensively reported, as well as the occurrence of residues from these compounds in animal products and the environment. This study aimed to evaluate the efficiency of acaricides onR. (B.)microplus collected from rural properties in the North-Central region of Bahia State. Ticks were collected in several cattle farms in the cited region, and an in vitro acaricide efficiency assay was performed based on the immersion of ticks in acaricide solutions made according to manufacturers' recommendations. The results obtained in the experiments indicated varying degrees of efficiency of the several bases studied, with the products benzofenilurea, macrocyclic lactone and fipronil showing the highest levels of efficiency, 100%, 100% and 97.34%, respectively. It was possible to conclude that, for the region studied, there are different degrees of commercial acaricides efficiency, and many present less than 95% effectiveness, value determined as acceptable by the Brazilian legislation.

scholarly journals Prediction of nutrient flows with potential impacts on the environment in a rabbit farm: a modelling approach

2014 ◽  
Vol 54 (12) ◽  
pp. 2042 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bertrand Méda ◽  
Laurence Fortun-Lamothe ◽  
Mélynda Hassouna
Keyword(s):  
Milk Production ◽  
Dynamic Models ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Livestock Farming ◽  
Animal Products ◽  
Total N ◽  
Nutrient Flows ◽  
Animal Populations

To face the increasing demand for animal products throughout the world, livestock-farming systems have been intensified. This intensification has proven to be economically effective but is noted for its negative impact on the environment through the production of ammonia (NH3) and the greenhouse gases nitrous oxide (N2O) and methane. In this context, dynamic models are useful tools to evaluate the effects of farming practice on nutrient flows and losses to the environment. This paper presents the development of a model simulating the flows of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) in a rabbit production farm. The model is comprised of two submodels. The first submodel simulates the number of animals in the farm (births, deaths, culling of does/fatteners) and their respective performances (growth, feed intake, milk production). The second one simulates the excretion of N and P for each animal category using a mass-balance approach between intake (feed and/or milk intake) and exports (body deposition, milk production, gestation). Specific emission factors are then applied to the excreted N amounts to estimate total N, NH3 and N2O losses in the housing unit and during manure storage. Methane emissions from enteric fermentations and manure are also estimated. A simulation example based on French technico-economic data illustrates how the model could be used to study the dynamics of animal populations within the system and of nutrient flows. Finally, there is a need for new knowledge (experimental data) to improve the model and help design more sustainable rabbit production systems by identifying best practices that minimise environmental impacts.

scholarly journals Assessing Sustainability in Cattle Silvopastoral Systems in the Mexican Tropics Using the SAFA Framework

Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 109
Author(s):  
Fernanda Pérez-Lombardini ◽  
Karen F. Mancera ◽  
Gerardo Suzán ◽  
Julio Campo ◽  
Javier Solorio ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sustainability Assessment ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Silvopastoral Systems ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Sustainable Performance ◽  
Holistic Management ◽  
Food And Agriculture ◽  
Feasible Alternative ◽  
Cattle Farms ◽  
Mexican Tropics

The sub-humid native rainforest in Yucatan is one of the most endangered in Mexico. Cattle production is one of the main causes of land use change and silvopastoral systems are a feasible alternative. This work compares the sustainable performance of silvopastoral (native and intensive) and monoculture cattle farms in the state of Yucatan using the Sustainability Assessment for Food and Agriculture (SAFA) framework. Questionnaires and semi-structured interviews were applied in 9 farms. Responses were fed to the SAFA Tool to obtain sustainability polygons. Percentages of SAFA themes positively and negatively valuated were calculated. Native farms had positive ratings for Participation, Land, Biodiversity and Cultural Diversity, whereas intensive excelled on Holistic Management. Native farms had limited ratings for Decent Livelihood. Native farms (and one intensive silvopastoral farm) had the highest percentages of themes positively valuated compared to monocultures (and one intensive silvopastoral farm), which scored the lowest. Positive evaluations identified native systems as an option for sustainable production; however, areas of opportunity in all farms were discovered. This is the first comparative study using SAFA to evaluate differences in farming systems in the Mexican tropics, providing valuable information to generate policies and incentives on sustainable livestock production, as well as for improving evaluation tools for local application.

scholarly journals The Impact of Anthropogenic Climate Change on Egyptian Livestock Production

Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. 3127
Author(s):  
Amira A. Goma ◽  
Clive J. C. Phillips
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Heat Stress ◽  
Milk Production ◽  
Human Population ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Livestock Production ◽  
Mitigation Strategies ◽  
Animal Products ◽  
Alternative Scenarios ◽  
The Impact

Egypt is one of the hottest countries in the world, and extreme climate events are becoming more frequent, which is consistent with the warming of the planet. The impact of this warming on ecosystems is severe, including on livestock production systems. Under Egyptian conditions, livestock already suffer heat stress periods in summer. The predicted increases in temperature as result of climate change will affect livestock production by reducing growth and milk production because of appetite suppression and conception rate reductions and will increase animal welfare concerns. In severe cases, these effects can result in death. We review the heat stress effects on livestock behaviour, reproduction, and production in the context of predicted climate change for Egypt over the course of this century and offer alternative scenarios to achieve food security for a growing human population. As an example, we combine predictions for reduced milk production during heat stress and human population trajectories to predict that milk availability per person will decline from 61 kg/year in 2011 to 26 kg/year in 2064. Mitigation strategies are discussed and include the substitution of animal-based foods for plant-based foods and laboratory-grown animal products.

scholarly journals A multi-criteria qualitative tool for the sustainability assessment of organic durum wheat-based farming systems designed through a participative process

2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ileana Iocola ◽  
Luca Colombo ◽  
Giovanni Dara Guccione ◽  
Pasquale De Vita ◽  
Massimo Palumbo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Durum Wheat ◽  
Sustainability Assessment ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Organic Farms ◽  
Short Supply ◽  
Ex Post ◽  
Conflicting Objectives ◽  
Hierarchic Structure ◽  
Ex Ante

The agriculture sustainability assessment is a difficult issue for the coexistence of conflicting objectives and the multidimensionality of the performances. The environmental, economic and social pillars need to be simultaneously considered in an assessment to evaluate potential synergies and trade-offs of the agricultural processes within and among the attributes of the dimensions in both implemented systems (ex-post analysis) and potential options (ex-ante analysis). Among several sustainability assessment methods, tools based on multi-criteria analysis (MCA) are increasingly adopted in evaluating sustainability in agriculture. The aim of this work was to present the MCA tool developed in the framework of the BioDurum project for the sustainability assessment of organic farms located in southern Italy and characterised by durum wheat-based crop rotations. The tool was entirely designed through a participatory process and it was realised using the open-source DEXi software that have demonstrated to be particularly suitable for creating qualitative multi-criterial hierarchic models with the engage of stakeholders. The hierarchic structure of BioDurum_MCA tool was resulted composed by 64 indicators and 45 aggregated attributes articulated in three branches representing the agro-environment, economic, and social sustainability pillars. The articulated structure of the tool reflected the complexity and the sustainability issues and priorities expressed by the involved stakeholders. The tool was tested in four Italian organic farms presenting different agro-environmental and socio-economic patterns for their ex-post evaluations and in three different ex-ante production systems identified in compliance with the Italian regulation concerning the requirements of the rotations to be implemented in organic farming. The results highlighted the well discriminatory power of the tool. The best overall sustainability scores were reached in both ex-post and ex-ante analysis by the well diversified cereal farming systems with processed products sold through short supply chain mechanisms. BioDurum_MCA has proved to be a feasible tool to identify strengths and weaknesses of organic durum wheat-based production systems. Its adoption can support the definition of specific interventions for the sector in the Italian Strategic National Plan of the Common Agricultural Policy. Further improvements in the threshold classes of some indicators by using the tool in a wider number of Italian durum wheat based organic farms will increase model sensitivity and reliability of the results. Highlights - BioDurum_MCA is an effective tool for sustainability assessment of durum wheat organic Italian production systems. - Hierarchic structure of the tool reflects the sustainability issues and priorities expressed by involved stakeholders. - MCA tools can support a holistic evaluation of farm sustainability performances in the frame of post-2020 CAP.

scholarly journals PRODUCTION POTENTIALS OF HILL COUNTRY IN THE NORTHERN SOUTH ISLAND

1983 ◽  
pp. 108-119
Author(s):  
A.D.H. Joblin
Keyword(s):  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Limiting Factor ◽  
Summer Drought ◽  
Land Resource ◽  
Economic Returns ◽  
The South ◽  
Pasture Production ◽  
Hill Country ◽  
The North

Hill country, defined as land over 15O slope, comprises 51% of the agricultural land resource and 44% of the grassland in the Northern South Island. This steeper land is assessed as carrying 20% of the current grazing stock numbers, with an estimated capacity to expand by 13 million stock units to support 31% of the region's livestock. The ability to achieve this potential will be influenced by the profitability of farming the land more intensively. At present the South Island hill and high country is farmed much more extensively than North Island hill country with net incomes of $9 and $1.5/ha respectively compared with $53 and $30/ha for hill and hard hill country in the North Island. Production output figures show similar trends. The challenge to research workers, advisers and farmers is to develop farming systems that will lead to a profitable expansion of production to the South Island hill and high country's potential. These systems will need to recognise the crucial importance of summer drought as a limiting factor to these production increases. Keywords: Hill country, slope, vegetation, production potentials, productivity, economic returns, costs, microsite pasture production, research requirements.

Disease and biosecurity constraints to trade in animal products

2004 ◽  
Vol 33 ◽  
pp. 85-90
Author(s):  
A.D. James
Keyword(s):  
Adverse Effects ◽  
Human Population ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Disease Risk ◽  
Animal Disease ◽  
Animal Products ◽  
Animal Product ◽  
Per Capita ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Animal Production Systems

The major centres of consumption of animal products are countries of relatively high per capita income and human population density. In these countries, the cost of production of animal product tends to be high. In particular, land and labour prices are higher than in less populous and wealthy countries. This also tends to encourage the adoption of more intensive animal production systems, often associated with adverse effects on animal disease risk, product quality, animal welfare and the environment.

scholarly journals Public Perceptions Regarding Genomic Technologies Applied to Breeding Farm Animals: A Qualitative Study

BioTech ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 28
Author(s):  
Francis Z. Naab ◽  
David Coles ◽  
Ellen Goddard ◽  
Lynn J. Frewer
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Policy Development ◽  
Food System ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Farm Animals ◽  
Genetic Changes ◽  
Animal Products ◽  
North East ◽  
The North ◽  
Genomic Technologies

The societal acceptability of different applications of genomic technologies to animal production systems will determine whether their innovation trajectories will reach the commercialisation stage. Importantly, technological implementation and commercialisation trajectories, regulation, and policy development need to take account of public priorities and attitudes. More effective co-production practices will ensure the application of genomic technologies to animals aligns with public priorities and are acceptable to society. Consumer rejection of, and limited demand for, animal products developed using novel genomic technologies will determine whether they are integration into the food system. However, little is known about whether genomic technologies that accelerate breeding but do not introduce cross-species genetic changes are more acceptable to consumers than those that do. Five focus groups, held in the north east of England, were used to explore the perceptions of, and attitudes towards, the use of genomic technologies in breeding farm animals for the human food supply chain. Overall, study participants were more positive towards genomic technologies applied to promote animal welfare (e.g., improved disease resistance), environmental sustainability, and human health. Animal “disenhancement” was viewed negatively and increased food production alone was not perceived as a potential benefit. In comparison to gene editing, research participants were most negative about genetic modification and the application of gene drives, independent of the benefits delivered.

scholarly journals Selective Harvesting Robotics: Current Research, Trends, and Future Directions

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gert Kootstra ◽  
Xin Wang ◽  
Pieter M. Blok ◽  
Jochen Hemming ◽  
Eldert van Henten
Keyword(s):  
Review Paper ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Limiting Factor ◽  
Future Directions ◽  
Research Directions ◽  
Selective Harvesting ◽  
Important Solution ◽  
Future Research Directions ◽  
Current Systems

Abstract Purpose of Review The world-wide demand for agricultural products is rapidly growing. However, despite the growing population, labor shortage becomes a limiting factor for agricultural production. Further automation of agriculture is an important solution to tackle these challenges. Recent Findings Selective harvesting of high-value crops, such as apples, tomatoes, and broccoli, is currently mainly performed by humans, rendering it one of the most labor-intensive and expensive agricultural tasks. This explains the large interest in the development of selective harvesting robots. Selective harvesting, however, is a challenging task for a robot, due to the high levels of variation and incomplete information, as well as safety. Summary This review paper provides an overview of the state of the art in selective harvesting robotics in three different production systems; greenhouse, orchard, and open field. The limitations of current systems are discussed, and future research directions are proposed.

scholarly journals Homegarden agroecosystems managed by Salar people on Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mingjing Zhu ◽  
Binsheng Luo ◽  
Ben La ◽  
Ruijie Chen ◽  
Fenggui Liu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Plant Species ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Field Investigation ◽  
Tibet Plateau ◽  
Ecosystem Functions ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Services Research ◽  
Qinghai Tibet Plateau

Abstract Background Salar is a Turkic-speaking Islamic ethnic group in China living mainly in Xunhua Salar Autonomous County (Xunhua or Xunhua County), Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Salar people are skilled in horticulture and their homegarden (HG) management. They are regarded as the first people on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau to practice horticulture, especially manage their HGs, traditional farming systems, and supplementary food production systems. Traditional knowledge of Salar people associated with their HGs always contributes significantly to the local livelihood, food security, ornamental value, and biodiversity conservation. The cultivation of different plants in HGs for self-sufficiency has a long tradition in China’s rural areas, especially in some mountainous areas. However, Salar traditional HGs have not been described. The present paper aims to report the features of Salar HGs mostly based on agrobiodiversity and its ecosystem services. Methods The methods used in this work included semi-structured interviews and participatory observation. A total of 60 households in three townships, 9 villages were surveyed. There are 4–12 family members in each household, aged from 20 to 86 years old. The homestead size is between 200 and 1200 m2. Plant species cultivated in Salar HGs were identified according to Flora of China. Based on a comprehensive survey of Salar HGs and related to background data, we identified and characterized the most important services and functions provided by Salar HGs. Results According to primary production systems, there are 4 different types of Salar HGs, including ornamental focus, product focus, dual-purpose and multi-purpose. In total, 108 (excluding weeds and bonsai) plant species were recorded in Salar HGs, within 43 plant families. The most important and frequently used plants are Rosa chinensis, Armeniaca vulgar, Prunus salicina, and Ziziphus jujuba. About 4 to 32 plant species were recorded in each homegarden. We found that the Salar HGs, as a typical agroecosyste, prossess multiple servcices and functions that directly benefit households according to the field investigation. Conclusion This paper reveals the floristic diversity of Salar HGs. It presents useful information in the homegarden agroecosystem of Salar people, such as HG types and species diversity in Salar HGs. Ecosystem functions and services research suggested that the Salar HG agroecosystem provides agroecosystem services mainly related to supply and culture services. Salar HGs are important as food supplement resources, aesthetics symbol, and cultural spaces.

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