Exploring changes in world ruminant production systems |
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| Institution: | 1. Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, P.O. Box 1, 3720 BA Bilthoven, The Netherlands;2. Laboratory for Environmental Monitoring, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, P.O. Box 1, 3720 BA Bilthoven, The Netherlands;1. University of Queensland, Australia;2. University of Oxford, United Kingdom;3. CCAFS - ILRI, Kenya;4. CSIRO, Australia;1. Regional Universitary Unit on Arid Lands-URUZA, Chapingo Autonomous University, Bermejillo, Durango 35230, Mexico;2. Department of Chemical Area Environmental Technology, Technological University of Rodeo, Rodeo, Durango 35760, Mexico;3. Institute for Graduate Studies-IDEP, University of Cordoba, Córdoba 14014, Spain;4. Center for Economic, Social & Technological Research in Agroindustry & World Agriculture - CIESTAAM, Chapingo Autonomous University, Texcoco, Mexico 56235, Mexico;5. Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Baja California Autonomous University, Mexicali, Baja California 21705, Mexico;6. Faculty of Biological Sciences, Juarez University of the State of Durango, Gomez Palacio, Durango 35010, Mexico;7. Scientific Research Center - Biotechnology Institute, University of Papaloapan, Tuxtepec, Oaxaca 68301, Mexico;1. Department Di3A, Animal Production Science, University of Catania, Via Valdisavoia 5, 95123 Catania, Italy;2. Food Packaging Group, School of Food and Nutritional Sciences, College of Science, Engineering and Food Science, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland;3. Department DSA3, Animal Production Science, University of Perugia, Borgo XX Giugno 74, 06121 Perugia, Italy;4. SRUC, Peter Wilson Building, King''s Buildings, EH9 3JG Edinburgh, United Kingdom |
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| Abstract: | In the past 30 years world production of ruminant meat and milk has increased by about 40%, while the global area of grassland has increased by only 4%. This is because most of the increase in ruminant meat and milk production has been achieved by increasing the production in mixed and landless production systems and much less so in pastoral systems. Pastoral systems depend almost exclusively on grazing, while mixed and landless systems rely on a mix of concentrates (food crops) and roughage, consisting of grass, fodder crops, crop residues, and other sources of feedstuffs. A model was developed to describe these two aggregated production systems for different world regions, each having typical production characteristics, such as milk production per animal for dairy cattle, and off-take rates and carcass weights for non-dairy cattle, sheep and goats. The energy needed by the animals for the production of meat and milk is calculated on the basis of requirements for maintenance, grazing and labour, pregnancy, and lactation. We implemented the FAO Agriculture Towards 2030 projection for crop and livestock production and assumed that the past trend in the area of grassland will continue in the coming three decades. This assumption implies a rapid intensification of grassland management with a 33% increase in global grass consumption, which will only be possible with increasing fertilizer inputs, use of grass-clover mixtures and improved grassland management. |
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