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Land intensive grass-based dairy systems have the highest contribution to food security but may have a higher impact on the environment. The aim of this study was to classify dairy farms in terms of sustainable contribution to food security and analyze the farm characteristics related to these performances. To this end, we performed a sustainability assessment by calculating 17 indicators using FADN data of 209 Walloon (Belgium) dairy farms. Using the Analytical Hierarchy Process, 25 stakeholders of the Walloon milk upstream sector defined preference weights for the indicators. Farms were ranked using ELECTRE III using the mean weights for the dairy sector and grouped in four sustainability groups. A canonical discriminant analysis was performed on farm characteristics. Farm characteristics that negatively impact sustainability are the use of maize silage, the use of concentrates and the CP-content of these concentrates, the farm size, and the number of female followers per cow. The farm characteristic that positively impacts sustainability is the grassland yield. Milk production per cow, age at first calving, and calving interval have a negligible effect on sustainability. These results suggest that feed conversion efficiency is not a main driver of sustainability but rather that specific production means and practices play a more significant role in determining sustainability. Consequently, we argue that the search for efficiency that has been promoted to increase the sustainability of food systems should be placed in a systemic perspective in order to avoid trade-offs with other aspects and that, in general, an increase in efficiency is positively linked with sustainability when achieved through knowledge and technicity rather than by the addition of external inputs. [Display omitted] • Maize silage has the greatest negative impact on dairy farms' sustainability. • Grassland yield has the greatest positive impact on dairy farms' sustainability. • Milk production per cow has no impact on dairy farms' sustainability. • Feed conversion efficiency is not a main driver of sustainability. • But the specific production means and practices at play are [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global warming has created tipping points across various ecosystems, but few studies have focused on the livestock systems. The Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP) has been warming at a rate two to three times greater than the global average, potentially leading to a transition from historically prevalent livestock cold stress to heat stress. This study aims to estimate the cold and heat stress exposure of livestock systems on the QTP under climate change, and identify the adaptation tipping points and disproportionate changes of livestock predominant cold-to-heat stress exposure. Livestock cold and heat stress were evaluated based on seasonal distribution and specific thresholds. The Moving- t- test and non-linear analyses were used to identify adaptation tipping points and examine disproportionate changes between the increase in heat stress and the decrease in cold stress. The adaptation tipping points of cold-to-heat stress transition for cattle have already arrived, while that for sheep would also come within this century if warming is not limited to 2 °C. As climate warming becomes more severe, the increased heat stress exposure is greater than decreased cold stress exposure, and the positive disproportionality is increasing with the rise of temperature. This study not only sheds light on the underexplored realm of tipping points within the livestock systems but also offers crucial insights into livestock adapting to the changing dynamics of cold and heat stress on the QTP in the context of global warming. [Display omitted] • Using local thresholds, our study predicts earlier, greater heat stress for Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau than global estimates. • Adaptation tipping points for cattle cold-to-heat stress have arrived; for sheep, they could be avoided if 2 °C warming is achieved. • With global warming, increased heat stress surpasses decreased cold stress, and this disproportionality grows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Worldwide greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) reached 59 Gt of CO 2 eq in 2019 and agricultural soils are the primary source of N 2 O emissions. Life cycle assessments (LCA) have been successful in assessing GHG from agricultural systems. However, no review and harmonization attempt has been focused on soil N 2 O emissions, despite the need to improve LCA methodologies for assessing GHG in agricultural LCA. We therefore undertook a review and harmonization of existing methods to account for soil N 2 O emissions in LCA of agricultural systems and products: i) to compare current methods used in LCA; ii) to identify advantages and iii) disadvantages of each method in LCA; iv) to suggest recommendations for LCA of agricultural systems; v) to identify research needs and potential methodological developments to account for soil N 2 O emissions in the LCA of agricultural systems. In this paper, we consider as soil N 2 O emissions, those originated from soils in relation to fertilisers (organic and manufactured), crop residues, land use/land management change, grassland management, manure and slurry applications and from grazing animals. The approach adopted was based on two anonymous expert surveys and a series of expert workshops (n = 21) to define general and specific criteria to review LCA methods for GHG emissions used in LCA of agricultural systems. A broad list of keywords and search criteria was used as the research involved GHG assessment in agricultural LCA. Reviewed papers and methodology were then assessed by LCA and soil N 2 O emission experts (n = 14). >25,000 scientific papers and reports were identified, 1175 were screened, 263 included in the final review and 31 scientific papers were related to soil N 2 O emissions. The results showed that a high level of accuracy corresponded to a low level of applicability and vice versa, following the assessment framework developed in this work through participatory approaches. The choice of LCA methods, critical for high quality LCA of agricultural systems, should be based on the assessment objectives, data availability and expertise of the LCA practitioner. However, it is preferable to use DNDC model after calibration and validation or direct field measurements, considering system effects. When necessary data are lacking, IPCC tier 2 methodology where available should be used, otherwise 2019 IPCC Tier 1 methodology. This LCA method development should be synchronous with improvements of quantification methods and the assessment of a wider range of agricultural management practices and systems. [Display omitted] • Methods used in life cycle assessment (LCA) of agricultural systems to account for soil N 2 O need to be improved. • A method harmonization was carried out and recommendations for soil N 2 O emissions were identified in agricultural LCA. • The results showed that a high level of accuracy corresponded to a low level of applicability and vice versa. • DNDC, DAYCENT and direct measurements scores high on accuracy to assess soil N 2 O emissions in LCA of agricultural systems. • Alternative to DNDC and measurements are IPCC Tier 1 or 2 methodologies to assess soil N 2 O emissions in agricultural LCA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon control involves more than just reducing carbon dioxide (CO 2). Since the industrial revolution, approximately 35% of greenhouse gas (GHG) radiation has been from non-CO 2 emissions. In this study, an Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change coefficient method was used to calculate the agricultural non-CO 2 GHG emissions in the farming-pastoral ecotone of Northern China. The study clarified the spatial and temporal evolution of non-CO 2 GHG emissions in crop systems and livestock systems. The results showed that the total agricultural non-CO 2 GHG emissions in the northern farming-pastoral ecotone from 2001 to 2021 were between 211.55× 104 t and 307.02 × 104 t, but the increase in the last decade was lower than that in the previous decade. Livestock and crop systems showed a trend of low emissions in the central region and high emissions in the northeast and southwest. The contribution of methane (CH 4) to agricultural GHG emissions was greater than that of nitrous oxide (N 2 O), and the ratio of non-CO 2 GHGs produced by livestock and crop systems was approximately 3:1. In livestock systems, the highest proportion of CH 4 was produced by intestinal fermentation, accounting for 80%. In crop systems, N 2 O emissions from planting corn and the leaching of fertilizer and nitrogen contributed the most, accounting for 30%, 23% and 24%, respectively. The provinces of Shaanxi and Ningxia urgently need to find the cause of emissions and act to curb their further growth. • Spatiotemporal patterns are examined for crop and livestock non-CO 2 GHG emissions. • The ratio of emissions between livestock and crop systems is 3:1. • 80% of the total emissions in the livestock system come from intestinal fermentation. • Mitigation policies should focus on high emission region and emerging sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The SMAF efficiently quantified changes in soil quality due to land use. • The no-till system and integrated crop-livestock system increased organic carbon content. • It is necessary to adopt management strategies that prevent soil compaction in no-till. • The expansion of sugarcane in marginal areas of sandy soils should be avoided. Assessment and monitoring impacts of agricultural systems on soil quality are imperative to establish best management practices and sustainable land use for mitigating climate change, conserving biodiversity and achieving food and energy security. The SMAF has successfully been tested as an objective tool to quantify land use and management effects on soil quality, including under some Brazilian soil conditions. Nevertheless, the SMAF potential to properly address soil quality changes under contrasting soil and climate conditions, and integrated farming systems must still must be investigated. Thus, a field study was conducted to apply the SMAF guidelines as a strategy for assessing land use (native vegetation, pasture, sugarcane, no-tillage, and integrated crop-livestock systems) effects on soil quality in southern Brazil. Soil samples were taken in three layers (0.0–0.10, 0.10–0.20, 0.20–0.30 m) of clay Ferralsol (traditional agricultural region), Sandy loam Ferralsol and Arenosol (new agricultural frontiers), in the state of Paraná, Brazil. The soil quality indicators investigated were: chemical attributes (pH, phosphorus and potassium), physical (bulk density) and biological (soil organic carbon). Using the SMAF scoring curves, the measured values were transformed (0 to 1 range) and an overall soil quality index (SQI) was calculated. Our findings revealed that long-term conversion from native vegetation to agricultural land uses (i.e., pasture, no-tillage/integrated crop-livestock system, or sugarcane) reduced soil quality assessed by SMAF scores, compromising the soil's capacity to perform its functions. Nevertheless, conservationist systems, e.g. the no-tillage, associated or not with the integrated crop-livestock system are promising alternative to enhances soil quality by increasing C content and soil chemical fertility compared to degraded pasture or conventional sugarcane cultivation. However, soil physical changes should be monitored to alleviate soil compaction in no-tillage cropping systems. In conclusion, this study provided important insights about soil quality changes induced by land use and diversified cropping systems. In that direction, new studies including a large number of sites, soil types and cropping systems are needed for validating our conclusions in a regional scale, enabling to support decision-making towards more sustainable expansion and intensification of agriculture in Brazil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Mixed farm system shows divergence between social and ecological vulnerability;. • In irrigated areas, dairy or crop specialization impeded environmental efficiency. • Spatial mobility of livestock reinforce crop-livestock integration at regional level. • Collective regulations appears as a key-driven solution to favor spatial integration. Mediterranean livestock farming systems have evolved to adapt to current and future pressures, including strong demographic growth and urbanization in the coastal zone, greater competition for land and water, and a big shift in the hinterland where farming activities are hardly maintained. We aim to explore future pathways for integrated crop-livestock systems in South and North Mediterranean countries to identify potential sustainable increases in efficiency and adaptability of resource utilization. The research was conducted in three countries, Egypt, France and Morocco, through case studies in a gradient of socio-ecological contexts, from favorable (plains and irrigated lands) to harsher ones (mountains, rain-fed areas). We mobilized farm surveys and monitoring, open-ended interviews, databases and previous studies. Based on a transversal analysis at the local level, we identified two main trends and five archetypical systems: (1) a centrifugal trend of specialization, towards cash crops or dairy herds in favorable areas, and pastoral system for meat production in harsher environments, and (2) a centripetal trend of diversification based on mixed crop-livestock systems in irrigation areas and agro-pastoral livestock-crop systems in intermediate rain-fed areas. The analysis showed an overwhelming antagonism between social vulnerability and ecological efficiency. Crop and livestock integration reduced the risk of biodiversity loss and low environmental efficiency observed in specialized systems, but mixed systems were more socially vulnerable. Those results call for dedicated rural development policies that favor the diversification as a lever of sustainable development but taking into account the land fragmentation and developing higher value added products chains. Taking advantage of spatial mobility abilities of livestock farming at the regional level, promoting collective actions must be encouraged to allow a wider range of livestock farmers in the hinterlands to live from their activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Agricultural N and P emissions to the water system of Haihe Basin were quantified. • N and P emissions to water in high-resolution show large spatial variations. • N and P emissions were related to anthropogenic and natural factors. • Prohibition of animal manure discharge can significantly reduce N and P emissions. Abstract Agricultural nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) emissions to water bodies remain largely unknown in China, mainly due to the lack of reliable data sources and quantification tools. In this study, we constructed a grid-based NUFER (NUtrient Flow in food chains, Environment and Resources use) model in order to quantify a high-resolution agricultural N and P emissions to water bodies in Haihe Basin in 2012, based on data collected from county-level statistics, farm interview, and spatial data of topography, climate, soil texture, and land use. We also explored the mitigation strategies in 2030 via scenario analysis. The results showed that total agricultural N emission to water bodies in Haihe Basin was 1079 Gg N in 2012, of which cropland contributed 54%; total agricultural P emission to water bodies was 208 Gg P, livestock contributed 78%. There were large spatial variations in agricultural N and P emissions. Overall, the plain areas accounted for around 80% of the total agricultural N and P emissions to water in 2012. The highest N and P emission intensities were 10 t N km−2 and 2 t P km−2, respectively. N and P emissions were significantly related to anthropogenic factors (such as the livestock density and cropland) in the plain areas; whereas in mountainous areas, both anthropogenic and natural factors (e.g., slope deviation and soil texture) significantly affected N and P emissions. Our scenario analysis suggests that agricultural N and P emissions can be reduced by up to 45% and 77%, respectively for N and P in 2030, via improved agricultural and environmental policies, technologies and managements. The prohibition of direct animal manure discharge to the water system seems to be the most effective measure to mitigate the emissions. Our study provided a high-resolution agricultural N and P emissions to the water bodies of Haihe Basin and identified the most effective options to reduce these emissions in highly intensified agricultural areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Livestock production contributes to food security and livelihood improvement globally but places a significant burden on the environment. In Ireland, an ongoing transition towards highly profitable dairy production after the phasing out of EU milk quotas has changed the composition of the national cattle herd with more dairy and fewer beef cows. This shift impacts greenhouse gas (GHG) accounting across different cattle cohorts, e.g. increasing the proportion of calves from the dairy herd. Dairy x beef crossbreeds (DxB) increasingly contribute to national beef output, leveraging larger average daily liveweight gain (ADG) traits from beef breeding bulls. Prospective modelling of climate and land consequences arising from alternative cattle production strategies requires more accurate simulation of cohort-specific ADG and associated feed requirements and GHG emissions. A new COHORTS model was developed to improve national climate scenario mitigation modelling. COHORTS is capable of simulating 21 genetics-gender-age cohorts calibrated to Irish performance, using just a few basic input parameters (at minimum dairy- and beef-cow numbers). A cohort specific ADG and average standing liveweight is estimated for each genetic (pure dairy calves, DxB and pure beef calves), gender and age combination, enabling more accurate calculation of energy requirements and enteric fermentation emissions based on IPCC Tier 2 calculations. National simulation of cattle numbers, enteric fermentation emissions and beef outputs were validated against relevant Irish inventories. For the period between 2006 and 2020, simulations resulted in total cattle numbers, emissions and beef production within 4%, 1.8% and 0.5%, respectively, of officially reported data. Our results indicate that climate projections based on average emission factors for pre-adult cattle cohorts may overestimate emissions in scenarios with projected growing dairy calf numbers and declining beef calf numbers. Validation using a 15-year data time series provides a high degree of confidence that COHORTS can be used to represent future herd dynamics in a wide range of scenarios, supporting robust policy regarding GHG mitigation, livestock production and land use – distinguishing between different levels of dairy or beef specialisation and across different levels of performance to predict forage (land) requirements and GHG emissions more accurately. COHORTS can be easily adapted for other countries, even when limited data are available. [Display omitted] • New COHORTS model can accurately predict shifts in cattle herd composition for biophysical land-climate modelling. • Cattle numbers, enteric fermentation emissions and beef outputs validated against official statistics. • For Ireland, current static cohort models are likely to overestimate future livestock GHG emissions. • COHORTS can improve herd emissions and grassland requirement simulations critical for climate neutrality modelling. • National scenario development can contribute to future policy development regarding livestock production and GHG mitigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Review shows extent of precision farming tools for livestock productivity and welfare. • Precision livestock farming does not yet embrace data interoperability standards. • Public datasets are underutilised in livestock decision support systems. • Decision support systems benefit from accessible public and private data. Abstract Livestock industries are increasingly embracing precision farming and decision support tools. As a result, sensors, weather stations, individual animal tracking, feed monitoring and other sources create large data volumes, much of which is used only for a single purpose. There are unrealised potential benefits of making on farm data interoperable and accessible and federating it with public data sources. We reviewed recent literature on precision livestock farming (PLF) technologies in relation to the use of public data, open standards and interoperability. Livestock farms produce rising volumes of disparate private datasets, reflecting a variety of information needs and technological opportunities, but typically lacking interoperable formats and metadata. These as well as large amounts of accessible public datasets are currently underutilised in decision support tools. Tools that demonstrate the use of interoperable standards and bring together public and private data for decision support can enhance the value proposition and help lower barriers to the sharing and re-use of data. This review of interoperable standards in extensive livestock farming systems concludes that there is a need for not only a new type of decision support tool, but also a consensus on data exchange standards to prove the value of shared data at farm scale (commercial benefit) and a regional scale (public good). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is a highly infectious viral disease of cloven-hoofed animals. FMD outbreaks have the potential to cause significant economic consequences, and effective control strategies are needed to minimize the damage to livestock systems and the economy. Although not the predominant route of infection, airborne transmission has been implicated in previous outbreaks. Under favorable weather conditions, airborne spread of FMD can make the rapid containment of an outbreak more difficult. Our objective was to identify seasonal and geographic differences in patterns of conditions favorable to airborne FMD spread in the United States. Data from a national network of surface weather stations were examined for three study years (December 2011–November 2012, December 2012–November 2013, December 2014–November 2015). Weather conditions were found to be most frequently favorable to airborne spread during the winter (December, January, February). Geographically, conditions were most frequently favorable to airborne FMD spread in the upper Midwestern United States, a region where swine and cattle populations are common. Across study years, conditions for airborne FMD spread were more frequently favorable when weather conditions were generally mild with few extremes with respect to temperature and precipitation (e.g., 2014–2015). However, national patterns in risk areas for airborne FMD spread were similar across study years even though the degree of risk differed based on variations in weather patterns among study years. Our findings suggest that airborne transmission could contribute to FMD spread between livestock premises in the event of an outbreak in the coterminous United States, and that some geographic areas are at an increased risk particularly in seasons with conducive weather conditions. To our knowledge, this is the first study to characterize the risk of airborne FMD spread on a national scale in the United States. The findings presented here can be used to enhance preparedness and surveillance activities by identifying specific geographic areas in the United States where airborne spread is most likely to be a risk factor for transmission during an outbreak. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Much of the protein in the diets of European livestock is sourced from imported soybeans produced in the Americas. This protein deficit in livestock production presents a risk to social, economic and environmental progress in Europe. In this study the impact of incorporating novel ingredients into future chicken diet formulations to serve as European sourced alternatives to imported soybeans was investigated. The novel ingredients considered were: microalgae, macroalgae, duckweed, yeast protein concentrate, bacterial protein meal, leaf protein concentrate and insects. Using horizon scanning and a modelling approach, the nutritional requirements of two potential meat-producing chicken lines were simulated. The two chicken lines were a fast-growing line based on the apparent maximum feed efficiency that could be achieved through further artificial selection, and a reduced growth rate for high welfare line. Diets were formulated to include the novel ingredients, whilst meeting the nutritional requirements of the birds. The effects of diet composition on indicators of environmental burdens, associated with feed production for the poultry industry, were then assessed. We found that soybean products can be completely replaced by novel feed ingredients, whilst reducing the greenhouse gas emissions and arable land requirements for feed provision relative to conventional diets formulated for both chicken lines. Switching from conventional diets to diets which incorporate novel ingredients was also shown to mitigate the increased environmental burdens associated with moving towards higher welfare livestock systems. Incorporation of novel ingredients in diet formulations offers a viable option for providing sustainable and nutritionally balanced livestock feed in the future and thus provides huge potential for facilitating bespoke feeding strategies and specific management choices for mitigating environmental impacts of chicken systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The livestock sector in Low and Middle Income Countries (LMICs) is evolving. In response to growing demand for livestock products, it is likely that smallholder production systems will experience varying forms of intensification. Associated decision making is made complex, not only with the intrinsic characteristics of livestock in LMICs (for instance as sources of income, assets, or social symbols), but also by diverse objectives of stakeholders and agricultural development paradigms. This paper discusses trade-offs that are likely to arise in the choice of livestock production systems; with a focus at household and farm level, economic gains, gender equity, environmental concerns, human nutrition and food safety are all considered. We begin by describing trajectories of livestock intensification in LMICs. Then potential trade-offs during such intensification are depicted; with examples concerning environmental, economic and social aspects. Recognising and understanding trade-offs is imperative; therefore we discuss decision making methods, the management of trade-offs and the balance between providing an average benefit for a population and the variation in benefit for individuals. Finally, a (partial) trade-off analysis is illustrated by use of a case study on household dairy cattle enterprises in Senegal. The discussion advocates for holistic approaches to agricultural development efforts, which include recognition of the multiple objectives and the associated trade-offs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Livestock production systems of Argentina show an ongoing process of change in the composition of their forage base, with a gradual increase in the proportion of their area assigned to forage crop sequences (FCS) −in particular that involving successive winter and summer annual forage crops–, at the expense of the area assigned to perennial pastures (PP). However, there are several concerns regarding the efficient use of available environmental resources due to differences in the extent of the establishment periods and due to the occurrence of fallow periods in FCS, as well as regarding the species involved in these systems. Therefore, the main objective of this study was to evaluate the water (WP) and solar radiation productivity (RP) of PP [pure stands of alfalfa ( Medicago sativa L.), fertilized and unfertilized stands of tall fescue ( Festuca arundinacea Schreb.), and fertilized and unfertilized mixed stands of alfalfa/tall fescue] and FCS [including a summer alternative and oats ( Avena sativa L.); the summer alternative was either maize ( Zea mays L.) or intercropped maize/soybean ( Glycine max L.)] through the analysis of their components, i.e. water (WC) and radiation capture (RC), and their water (WUE) and radiation use efficiency (RUE). Resource capture (WC and RC) was defined as the ratio between captured (evapotranspiration and intercepted solar radiation) and annual available resource (rainfall and incident solar radiation). Resource use efficiency (WUE and RUE) was computed as the dry matter (DM) yield per unit of captured resource. A field experiment was conducted during two consecutive years under rainfed conditions and under non-limiting nitrogen availability in the south-eastern Pampas of Argentina. Perennial pastures were evaluated during both their initial establishment year (Y1) and when already fully established (Y2). Annual-based forage DM yield ranged between 13.0 and 32.4 Mg ha −1 in Y1 and between 5.1 and 23.5 Mg ha −1 in Y2. Differences in resource capture between PP and FCS were directly associated with the crop establishment and fallow periods depending on the nature of the considered resource. The highest WP (2.75–3.64 g DM m −2  mm −1 ) and RP (0.93–1.42 g DM MJ −1 ) were reached by FCS, which did not differ (P > 0.05) from that of fully established fertilized PP. Our results demonstrate that resource productivity in FCS is not necessarily higher than for PP, once PP are fully established. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluates environmental impacts of an integrated mixed crop-livestock system with a green biorefinery (GBR). System integration included production of feed crops and green biomasses (Sys-I) to meet the demand of a livestock system (Sys-III) and to process green biomasses in a GBR system (Sys-II). Processing of grass-clover to produce feed protein was considered in Sys-II, particularly to substitute the imported soybean meal. Waste generated from the livestock and GBR systems were considered for the conversion to biomethane (Sys-IV). Digestate produced therefrom was assumed to be recirculated back to the farmers' field (Sys-I). A consequential approach of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) method was used to evaluate the environmental impacts of a combined production of suckler cow calves (SCC) and Pigs, calculated in terms of their live weight (LW). The functional unit (FU) was a basket of two products “1 kg LW -SCC + 1 kg LW -Pigs”, produced at the farm gate. Results obtained per FU were: 19.6 kg CO 2 eq for carbon footprint; 0.11 kg PO 4 eq for eutrophication potential, − 129 MJ eq for non-renewable energy use and − 3.9 comparative toxicity units (CTU e ) for potential freshwater ecotoxicity. Environmental impact, e.g. greenhouse gas (GHG) emission was primarily due to (i) N 2 O emission and diesel consumption within Sys-I, (ii) energy input to Sys-II, III and IV, and (iii) methane emission from Sys-III and Sys-IV. Specifically, integrating GBR with the mixed crop-livestock system contributed 4% of the GHG emissions, whilst its products credited 7% of the total impact. Synergies among the different sub-systems showed positive environmental gains for the selected main products. The main effects of the system integration were in the reductions of GHG emissions, fossil fuel consumption, eutrophication potential and freshwater ecotoxicity, compared to a conventional mixed crop-livestock system, without the biogas conversion facility and the GBR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large scale of steam flaked corn has been used in dairy ration to maintain high milk production level. This study aimed to determine effects of steam flaking on processing-induced intrinsic molecular structure changes that were associated with rumen degradation kinetics and nutrients supply. The advanced vibrational molecular spectroscopy was applied to reveal the processing-induced intrinsic structure changes on a molecular basis. The rumen degradation kinetics and nutrient supply were determined using in situ approach in ruminant livestock system. Raw corn grain (RC) and steam flaked corn grain (SFC) were obtained from two different processing plants. The results showed that (1) Compared to RC, SFC had greater truly digestible non-fiber carbohydrate [tdNFC: 86.8 versus 78.0% dry matter (DM)], but lower truly digestible crude protein [tdCP: 7.7 versus 9.0% DM]. (2) The steam flaking increased ( P < 0.01) rumen degradable DM (RDDM) and starch (RDSt), but decreased ( P < 0.01) rumen degradable protein (RDP). (3) Molecular absorbance intensities of most carbohydrate biopolymers were greater in SFC ( P < 0.01), but protein amides associated molecular spectral intensities were lower ( P < 0.01) in SFC. (4). The molecular structure and nutrient interactive study showed that carbohydrate spectral intensities were positively ( P < 0.10) associated with RDDM and RDSt and protein amide spectral intensities were positively ( P < 0.10) associated with RDP. This results indicated that the steam flaking induced molecular structure changes had an interactive relationship with rumen degradation kinetics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Methane (CH 4 ) emissions from enteric fermentation by cattle are the main source of greenhouse gases in livestock systems, but scarce information is available on the effect of production scenarios on CH 4 emissions. The objective of this study was to assess animal performance and CH 4 emissions by beef heifers grazing in a mixed Lolium multiflorum × Avena strigosa pasture in two different types of integrated systems, crop-livestock only (CL) or crop-livestock-tree (CLT), and with two nitrogen (N) supply levels (90 and 180 kg N ha −1 , N90 and N180, respectively). The study was performed during the winter season ( i.e., stocking season) over three years (2012–2014). Pasture shading by 6- to 8-year-old trees in the CLT system led to a reduction in the total annual herbage accumulation of approximately 2.6 Mg dry matter ha −1 (−51%) and a reduction in winter carrying capacity of 0.5 stock units ha −1 in comparison to the CL system. Average daily gain (ADG) was reduced by 32% in CLT compared to CL. Average CH 4 emissions were 163 ± 9.12 g CH 4 day −1 in heifers with an initial average live weight (LW) of approximately 250 kg. Emissions of CH 4 per kg of LW did not differ between treatments ( P > 0.05) with a mean of 0.58 ± 0.030 g kg −1 . However, there were significant differences between treatments and among years when CH 4 was expressed in g kg ADG −1 and kg ha −1 day −1 . Per unit area, CH 4 production ranged between 0.51 ± 0.05 (CLT N180) and 0.86 ± 0.12 kg ha −1 day −1 (CL N180). Possible strategies to reduce losses in animal production in the CLT systems are discussed, as well as the potential of C sequestration by woody biomass of eucalyptus trees to mitigate CH 4 emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agricultural activities in the state of Rio Grande do Sul (RS), southern Brazil, have traditionally been quite intensive and led to decreased overall soil quality, and to depletion of soil organic matter and nutrients. There have been attempts at restoring soil quality by using integrated crop–livestock systems (ICLS). ICLS in association with no-tillage (NT) potentially increase soil organic matter content and nutrient supplies. The aim of this work was to assess the influence of grazing intensity in three different treatments [viz., intensive grazing (IG), moderate grazing (MG) and no grazing (NG)] on the mineralogy of an Oxisol in an integrated soybean–cattle beef production system in southern Brazil by using various types of methods and tests. Mineralogical XRD analyses of the clay fraction (< 2 μm) showed it to consist mainly of kaolinite and 2:1 clay minerals of the hydroxy-interlayered mineral (HIM) type. The reflections for 2:1 clay minerals under the IG treatment were better defined than those for the minerals under NG, which suggests the prevalence of HIMs. The 2:1 clay minerals in the IG group exhibited expandable layers. Splitting the clay fraction into three subfractions according to size (< 0.05 μm, 0.05–0.1 μm and 0.1–2 μm) exposed considerable alterations. Thus, hydroxy-aluminum interlayered vermiculite (HIV-Al) was present irrespective of treatment. Also, the HIV-Al reflection was better defined under IG and MG than under NG, which suggests strong aluminization of 2:1 clay minerals. Chemical analyses revealed a decrease in total organic carbon (TOC) with increasing depth in all treatments. The decrease was especially marked under NG by effect of the absence of animals favoring accumulation of plant shoots. pH water was higher under IG as a result of the removal of aluminum from the soil solution increased aluminization of 2:1 clay minerals. K concentrations in solution were low under IG as a result of the formation of HIMs and/or swelling layers with exchangeable K; by contrast, solution K levels under NG where high owing to the absence of HIMs. The presence of animals, which increases K availability through animal wastes, may have resulted in competition between exchangeable K + and Al 3 + to form HIMs. Without splitting the clay fraction it would have been impossible to confirm the mineralogical alteration in 2:1 phyllosilicates due to the impact of ICLS systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Temporal variability in the availability of forage reduces the production and economic performance of livestock systems. The marginal value of feed (MVF, the possible gross economic benefit of additional feed on offer during an annual cycle), was assessed under the expected variability of climate and prices in a cow-calf operation from the Flooding Pampas, Argentina. Herbage mass accumulation (HMA) was simulated on a daily basis over 20 different years with DairyMod, grouped by month and season and where the HMA was equal or below 50% of its long-term average, it was tagged as “Dry”. Typical monthly pasture growth rates were synthetically depicted for average years (Average), or with dry autumn (D-Au), winter (D-Wi), spring (D-Sp) or summer (D-Su) conditions. These pasture growth curves were incorporated into whole-farm scenarios which were modelled with SIMUGAN, a bio-economic whole-farm model. Farm scenarios were baseline (unchanged HMA) or with additional 10% of the annual HMA. This additional feed was either evenly distributed across each month of the year (all year), or the full amount provided in one of the four seasons. These scenarios were repeated in a factorial design across a range of stocking rates (SR; 0.9–1.3 cows/ha) on an average year or years including one dry season (D-Au, D-Wi, D-Sp orD-Su). SIMUGAN results were fed to an ad-hoc built model to calculate production and market risk profiles. In years with average HMA, MVF were always below 0.05 US$/kg DM but the presence of a dry season caused significantly higher MVF. Years with dry autumn presented the highest economic responses when the extra feed was fed during autumn or winter. MVF analyses showed a positive impact of additional forage only above 1.1 head/ha and this increased with SR, whereas MVF at the low SR were mostly negative due to extra hay making costs. At 1.1 and 1.2 head/ha, allocating additional feed in autumn produced a higher return (0.04 and 0.08 US$/kg DM) than feed provided at other times of the year (averaging 0.02 and 0.05 US$/kg DM). Otherwise, at 1.3 SR extra feed in winter always had the highest MVF (up to 0.19 US$/kg DM). Bio-physical variables of livestock demand and seasonality of pasture growth were the main drivers of MVF variability. Overall, the framework developed by integrating forage, livestock and economic models “in a series” effectively identified the economic feasibility of changes to the farm feed-base under different climatic and livestock management conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate-smart approaches have gained momentum in tropical, agricultural development. However, to date, few studies have examined whole-farm greenhouse gas (GHG) balances in smallholder crop-livestock systems. This study aimed to quantify GHG balances at farm-scale, identify GHG hotspots and assess mitigation options in coffee-dairy farms undergoing agricultural intensification in Central Kenya. In recent decades, decreasing farm size has forced the shift from extensive practices to zero-grazing systems and higher nitrogen (N) inputs. We hypothesised that different farm strategies and intensification levels determine the farm’s GHG balance. A farm typology was constructed through principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical clustering from 125 farms surveyed. Four farm types were identified ranging relatively from small to large farms, low to high livestock intensities, and low to high N input rates. Whole-farm GHG balances were estimated using an adapted version of the Cool Farm Tool (CFT). Farms were found to be net sources of GHG, averaging from 4.5 t CO 2 eq ha −1 yr −1 in less intensive farms to 12.5 t CO 2 eq ha −1 yr −1 in high intensive farms. Within the farm GHG hotspots identified, methane (CH 4 ) from enteric fermentation processes accounted for 26–39% of total farm GHG emissions; nitrous oxide (N 2 O) and CH 4 from manure management systems (MMS) for 26–38%; soil background and fertilizer induced N 2 O emissions for 24–29%; off-farm production of feeds and agrochemicals for 10–22%; and crop residue management (CRM) for the remaining 1–3%. Within the mitigation practices assessed, zero-grazing stalls already lowered the livestock maintenance energy requirements, reducing enteric fermentation emissions. Stall-feeding, however, brings the necessity-opportunity to manage the manure and our results showed that MMS can be a determining factor in the GHG balance. Increasing the frequency of manure collection from stalls in favour of solid storage systems can reduce N 2 O emissions by up to 75%. Furthermore, dry manure storage reduced the CH 4 emissions of liquid slurry systems by more than 70%. Further benefits in terms of carbon (C) sequestration were identified along farm types from manure and crop residues applications in soils (with averages of −1.3 to −2.3 t CO 2 eq ha −1 yr −1 ) and biomass growth in agroforestry systems (−1.2 to −2 t CO 2 eq ha −1 yr −1 ). Together, soils and woody biomass offset 25–36% of farm emissions. We conclude that reduced farm size and increased livestock density lead to higher emissions per unit area, though this increase is smoothed by larger negative fluxes in soils (by higher C inputs) and woody biomass (by higher tree densities) until a steady state is reached. Average yield-scaled emissions, or product carbon footprints (CFs), resulted in 1.08 kg CO 2 eq kg coffee berry −1 , 0.64 kg CO 2 eq kg maize −1 and 1.05 kg CO 2 eq kg milk −1 on average. CFs did not always differ between farm types and intensification levels, meaning that increases in productivity were not higher than increases in GHG fluxes from intensification. This may be due to: 1) increases in productivity are the result of more processes other than N inputs; and/or 2) emissions from N inputs are overestimated by EFs and GHG calculators. Smallholders may benefit in the near future from climate initiatives and further field characterisation, models calibration and monitoring are required to overcome critical levels of uncertainty and provide more accurate estimations of GHG balances at farm-scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides an original accounting of changes in livestock production efficiency per livestock category in historical perspective and connects livestock consumption with land requirements and virtual land trade. We use France as a demonstration study and account for productivity changes in terms of energy. Feed rations composition are reconstructed per livestock production and feed crop group over time to account for changes in land use in relation to dietary changes. Land requirements for consumption in France dropped by 28% over the study period besides an increase by 35% of the human population and by 53% of the livestock consumption. The two-fold increase in agricultural productivity is due, for half, to energy conversion efficiency improvements and for half to agricultural yields. Overall, the livestock energy conversion efficiency increased by 45% from 1961 to 2010, poultry gained 84%, pork 17%, sheep&goat 67% and cattle 27%. The feed share of oilcrops and cereals in animal rations doubled against a drop by 35% of feed from pastures. Virtual land imports for oilcrops in relation to livestock consumption in France today amount to 0.9 million ha against a maximum of 1.9 million ha in 1979. Besides its dependence on oilcrops imports, the French livestock sector displays net virtual land exports ranging from about 2.5–5.3 million ha per year over the study period. Gross virtual land trade is today five times higher than the net virtual trade. The difference highlights the share of circular product loops in increasingly integrated agricultural markets at the international scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crops and livestock play a synergistic role in global food production and farmer livelihoods. Increasingly, however, crops and livestock are produced in isolation, particularly in farms operating at the commercial scale. It has been suggested that re-integrating crop and livestock systems at the field and farm level could help reduce the pollution associated with modern agricultural production and increase yields. Despite this potential, there has been no systematic review to assess remaining knowledge gaps in both the social and ecological dimensions of integrated crop and livestock systems (ICLS), particularly within commercial agricultural systems. Based on a multi-disciplinary workshop of international experts and additional literature review, we assess the current knowledge and remaining uncertainties about large-scale, commercial ICLS and identify the source of remaining knowledge gaps to establish priorities for future research. We find that much is understood about nutrient flows, soil quality, crop performance, and animal weight gain in commercial ICLS, but there is little knowledge about its spatial extent, animal behavior or welfare in ICLS, or the tradeoffs between biodiversity, pest and disease control, greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation, and drought and heat tolerance in ICLS. There is some evidence regarding the economic outcomes in commercial ICLS and supply chain and policy barriers to adoption, but little understanding of broader social outcomes or cultural factors influencing adoption. Many of these knowledge gaps arise from a basic lack of data at both the field and system scales, which undermines both statistical analysis and modeling efforts. Future priorities for the international community of researchers investigating the tradeoffs and scalability of ICLS include: methods standardization to better facilitate international collaborations and comparisons, continued social organization for better data utilization and collaboration, meta-analyses to answer key questions from existing data, the establishment of long term experiments and surveys in key regions, a portal for citizen science, and more engagement with ICLS farmers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crop-livestock production systems play an important role in the livelihoods of many rural communities in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) but are vulnerable to the adverse impacts of climate change. Understanding which farming options will give the highest return on investment in light of climate change is critical information for decision-making. While there is continued investment in testing adaptation options using on-farm experiments, simulation models remain important tools for ‘ex-ante’ assessments of the impacts of proposed climate-smart agricultural technologies (CSA). This study used the Ruminant model and the Trade-offs Analysis model for Multi-Dimensional Impact Assessment (TOA-MD) to assess how improved livestock management options affect the three pillars of CSA: increased productivity, improved food security, and reduced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Our sample was stratified into: 1) households with local cow breeds ( n = 28); 2) households with improved dairy cow breeds ( n = 70); and 3) households without dairy cows ( n = 66). Results showed that the predicted adoption rates for improved livestock feeding among households with improved dairy cows (stratum 2) were likely to be higher compared to households with only local cows (stratum 1). Both households with local cows and those with improved cows had increased income and food security. However, overall poverty reduction was only modest for households with local cows. Expected methane emissions intensity declined with adoption of improved livestock feeding strategies both in stratum 1 and stratum 2, and greater impacts were observed when households in stratum 2 received an additional improved cow breed. Providing a cow to households that were not keeping cows showed substantial economic gains. Additional research is, however, needed to understand why those farms currently do not have cows, which may determine if the predicted adoption rates are feasible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Smallholder crop–livestock farming systems have an important role to play for food security in Sub-Saharan Africa, but they have to cope with the effects of climate variability and change. In this study, we test the impacts of different interventions in two contrasting mixed farms in Northern Burkina Faso against the background of plausible current and future climate scenarios. For this purpose, we developed a dynamic farm-household modeling framework around existing tools: crop and animal production models APSIM and LivSim, the household model IAT and the climate generator Marksim. The two farms (a small and a larger) were selected and parameterized based on information collected in a household survey. Tested interventions included different crop fertilization and animal supplementation levels, mulching with crop residues and an alternative livestock feeding strategy. Baseline (2013) and a 2050 projection based on IPCC RCP 8.5 describe two climate scenarios (90 years) for comparison. The maximum level of inputs increases farm energy production by + 90% and + 76% compared to the baseline for the small and the larger farm, respectively. Input levels maximizing net incomes are moderate, though higher than those currently used in both farms. The inter-annual distributions of net income show that the use of external inputs increases both upside and downside risks, i.e. the probability of getting both very high and very low results. This is because the interventions are more effective at increasing the highest yields in good years than at preventing the low production levels of some years. The 2050 climate scenario has a negative impact on energy production and potential income, especially for the scenarios with high input levels. Downside risks could partly explain why farmers do not currently use optimal input levels, and the results suggest that these constraints could intensify with climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a result of population growth, urbanization and climate change, agricultural systems around the world face enormous pressure on the use of resources. There is a pressing need for wide-scale innovation leading to development that improves the livelihoods and food security of the world's population while at the same time addressing climate change adaptation and mitigation. A variety of promising climate-smart interventions have been identified. However, what remains is the prioritization of interventions for investment and broad dissemination. The suitability and adoption of interventions depends on a variety of bio-physical and socio-economic factors. Also their impacts, when adopted and out-scaled, are likely to be highly heterogeneous. This heterogeneity expresses itself not only spatially and temporally but also in terms of the stakeholders affected, some might win and some might lose. A mechanism that can facilitate a systematic, holistic assessment of the likely spread and consequential impact of potential interventions is one way of improving the selection and targeting of such options. In this paper we provide climate smart agriculture (CSA) planners and implementers at all levels with a generic framework for evaluating and prioritising potential interventions. This entails an iterative process of mapping out recommendation domains, assessing adoption potential and estimating impacts. Through examples, related to livestock production in sub-Saharan Africa, we demonstrate each of the steps and how they are interlinked. The framework is applicable in many different forms, scales and settings. It has a wide applicability beyond the examples presented and we hope to stimulate readers to integrate the concepts in the planning process for climate-smart agriculture, which invariably involves multi-stakeholder, multi-scale and multi-objective decision-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Integrated crop-livestock systems in regions with dry winters could be a viable option to increase food production during periods of irregular rain and reduced pasture availability. A corn ( Zea mays L.) silage production system with cover crops of (a) the weedy growth of signal grass [ Urochloa decumbens (Stapf) R. Webster “Basilisk”] and (b) palisade grass [ Urochloa brizantha (Hochst. ex A. Rich.) R. Webster ‘Marandu’ and ‘Piatã’], both with a 0.20- and 0.45-m silage cutting height, was employed in the summer and autumn. Yellow oat ( Avena byzantina cv. São Carlos) was oversown in these systems in the winter and spring. The pasture production, the daily ration intake, the performance and carcass characteristics of lambs ( Ovis aries ) grazing these pastures in a semi-feedlot system (supplemented with silage and concentrate), and the revenue were investigated. The experiment was repeated in the same location for two growing seasons (2010–2011 and 2011–2012) on a Typic Haplorthox in Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil. Analyzing the system as a whole, intercropping corn silage with palisade grass cv. Marandu (followed by palisade grass cv. Piatã) with a cutting height of 0.45 m combined with yellow oat oversowing was the most robust option for enhancing productivity. The pasture formation for lamb finishing in a semi-feedlot system, the reduction of silage and concentrate intake, and greater live weight and carcass gains per hectare were key attributes for improving the economic viability of this integrated crop-livestock system. Thus, these crop systems were a viable option for the diversification of agricultural activities in tropical regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate-smart agriculture aims to improve food security by increasing productivity and producer incomes, strengthening resilience to climate change, and reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. For the livestock sector, improved genetics is often identified as a climate-smart option. While there is evidence in commercial systems that improved genetics is effective, extensive livestock systems in marginal environments have received less attention. This study in Mongolia compares flocks of two indigenous breeds: flocks of pure Mongol breed and flocks of Mongol-Barga breed crosses. It finds that cross-breeding can increase productivity (measured by live weight of animals) and improve adaptation to winter cold (measured by reductions in weight loss during winter-spring), while not increasing the intensity of GHG emissions (measured as kg CO 2 e emitted per kg live weight marketed) (p < 0.05). The effects of cross-breeding on GHG emissions are strongly dependent on the structure of flocks and off-take. Productivity and winter adaptation are significantly improved for the cross-bred flocks compared to pure Mongol flocks (p < 0.05), but management practices also have a significant impact. Programs to promote climate-smart practices in extensive livestock systems should adopt an integrated approach combining improved animal management and marketing with breeding activities, rather than promoting single practices, such as cross-breeding with indigenous breeds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crop-livestock integration promises more sustainable farming systems, but is constrained by organizational and technical issues at the farm level. Developing locally-adapted crop-livestock systems between specialized farms remains theoretical due to a lack of methods for their design and of analysis of benefits and limits for their monitoring. This article presents a method for participatory design and assessment of territorial crop-livestock systems and its application to a group of organic farmers specialized in crop or livestock production in southwestern France. We developed an adapted assessment framework for territorial crop-livestock systems. We used it firstly to produce a diagnosis of strengths and weaknesses of farming systems then to identify the potential for new crop-livestock interactions between farms and finally we designed and assessed crop-livestock integration scenarios with farmers. The technical and organizational options for change were selected to satisfy objectives of partners, illustrated by specific performance criteria (biological regulation, work management economic viability, social learning and capacity building, embeddedness of agriculture in the territory, integration in public policies). This study shows the crucial role of an adaptive methodology that includes ad hoc indicators to support the design of sustainable farming systems that considers specific agroecosystem, constraints and objectives of farmers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ruminant production systems are important producers of food, support rural communities and culture, and help to maintain a range of ecosystem services including the sequestering of carbon in grassland soils. However, these systems also contribute significantly to climate change through greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, while intensification of production has driven biodiversity and nutrient loss, and soil degradation. Modeling can offer insights into the complexity underlying the relationships between climate change, management and policy choices, food production, and the maintenance of ecosystem services. This paper 1) provides an overview of how ruminant systems modeling supports the efforts of stakeholders and policymakers to predict, mitigate and adapt to climate change and 2) provides ideas for enhancing modeling to fulfil this role. Many grassland models can predict plant growth, yield and GHG emissions from mono-specific swards, but modeling multi-species swards, grassland quality and the impact of management changes requires further development. Current livestock models provide a good basis for predicting animal production; linking these with models of animal health and disease is a priority. Farm-scale modeling provides tools for policymakers to predict the emissions of GHG and other pollutants from livestock farms, and to support the management decisions of farmers from environmental and economic standpoints. Other models focus on how policy and associated management changes affect a range of economic and environmental variables at regional, national and European scales. Models at larger scales generally utilise more empirical approaches than those applied at animal, field and farm-scales and include assumptions which may not be valid under climate change conditions. It is therefore important to continue to develop more realistic representations of processes in regional and global models, using the understanding gained from finer-scale modeling. An iterative process of model development, in which lessons learnt from mechanistic models are applied to develop ‘smart’ empirical modeling, may overcome the trade-off between complexity and usability. Developing the modeling capacity to tackle the complex challenges related to climate change, is reliant on closer links between modelers and experimental researchers, and also requires knowledge-sharing and increasing technical compatibility across modeling disciplines. Stakeholder engagement throughout the process of model development and application is vital for the creation of relevant models, and important in reducing problems related to the interpretation of modeling outcomes. Enabling modeling to meet the demands of policymakers and other stakeholders under climate change will require collaboration within adequately-resourced, long-term inter-disciplinary research networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rabies is a viral disease that can cause fatal encephalomyelitis both in animals and humans. Although incidences of the disease in cattle have been reported, insight in the economic impact of the disease in livestock remains limited. By affecting cattle in subsistence systems, rabies may have extensive economic impacts at household and country levels, in addition to the effects on human health. This study presents estimates of the direct economic impact of rabies at herd level in two representative subsistence cattle-farming systems in Ethiopia, the mixed crop-livestock and pastoral production systems. The economic impacts were assessed by a structured questionnaire administered to 532 cattle-owning households. These households were selected from four districts within two administrative zones; each zone representing a cattle production system. Rabies incidence rates of 21% and 11% at herd level were calculated for the mixed crop-livestock and pastoral production systems, respectively. The incidence rate at cattle level was the same in both systems., i.e. 2%. Herd-level incidence rates were higher in the mixed crop-livestock system than in the pastoral system (P < 0.05). Average economic losses per herd due to rabies were estimated at 49 USD per year for the mixed-crop livestock system, and at 52 USD per year for the pastoral system; whereas in affected herds the average losses per year were 228 USD (range 48–1016 USD) in the mixed crop-livestock system, and 477 USD (range 173–1140 USD) in the pastoral system. The average herd-level economic losses were not significantly different between the farming systems; however once the herd was affected, the losses were significantly higher for the pastoral system than for the mixed crop-livestock system (P < 0.01). The losses due to rabies in cattle are relatively high for pastoral households, due to their complete dependency on livestock for their livelihoods. Although the current estimates only account for the direct losses resulting from cattle mortality, the estimates already indicate the potential economic gains from a rabies intervention in the dog population, of which the benefits can be shared by the public health sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Retrospective studies were conducted in Kafta-Humera and Wukro areas of Tigray region of Ethiopia. A retrospective study was carried out on 12 herds consisting 2144 Begait cattle from pastoral and agro-pastoral areas to assess herd composition and calf-crop. To evaluate the reproductive performance, 210 cows were selected randomly from pastoral, agro-pastoral, confinement and crop-livestock production systems. All necessary data of reproductive parameters were collected through questionnaire surveys, group discussions and follow-up observations. SPSS software was applied to analyze the data. The result of the present study showed that the average calf-crop of 53% and 42.1% and annual calf mortality rate of 20.8% and 9.4%, were observed for pastoral and agro-pastoral production systems, respectively. The mean age at first service (AFS), age at first calving (AFC) and calving interval (CI) in months were 34.9, 43.9 and 12.9 in pastoral, 35.9, 45.0 and 14.0 in agro-pastoral, 34.4, 44.9 and 15.0 in confinement and 40.5, 49.5 and 19.6 in crop-livestock production systems, respectively. AFC and CI were significantly ( P < 0.05) affected by site and production system. Significantly longer AFS, AFC and CI were noticed in crop-livestock system than in the other 3 production systems. However, CI was not affected by age and parity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crop-livestock integrated systems possess some uniqueness in soil and plant hydro-physical properties and processes. To obtain a better understanding of these systems, it is necessary to evaluate them with indices that take into account several attributes. Our study aimed to evaluate the efficiency of the least limiting water range in determining the influence of grazing intensities on soybean yield in an Oxisol managed in a long no-till, integrated soybean-beef cattle system. We evaluated an 11 year trial located in southern Brazil, with soybean summer cropping and black oat + Italian ryegrass winter grazing and different winter grazing intensities, namely intensive, moderate and no grazing. Intensive grazing only results in the most superficial soil layer compaction. Long-term moderate grazing, on the other hand, leads to intermediate compaction, not negatively affecting surface or subsurface soil physical properties. The least limiting water range is an inadequate indicator of soil physical quality in integrated soybean-beef cattle system, provided no direct relations with soybean yields. Under normal rainfall conditions, soybean yield depend mainly on rainfall amount and distribution, rather than on soil quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The changing climatic scenario with apprehended rise in global temperature is likely to affect the livestock adversely vis-à-vis production and reproduction. This has prompted more focus in addressing the unfavorable effects of thermal stress in livestock system. Presuming that the trace element zinc is indispensible for cellular antioxidant system and immune function, the present study was designed to investigate the effect of zinc treatment on heat stress alleviation and immune modulation in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of indigenous and crossbred transition cows. Twelve cows, six each of Sahiwal and Karan Fries (KF) in their second parity with confirmed pregnancy were selected for the experiment. The blood samples were collected at −21, 0 and +21 days in relation to expected date of calving. The experiment was carried out in vitro after isolating PBMC from whole blood. The 48 h cultured PBMC were subjected to assorted levels of exposures viz. 37 °C, 42 °C to impose heat stress and 42 °C+zinc to alleviate heat stress and modulate immunity. The PBMC viability was 86%, 69% and 78%, respectively. The mRNA expression of heat shock proteins (HSP 40, 70 and 90α) and Interleukin-10 (IL-10) production varied between the two breeds vis-à-vis days and levels of exposure. The mRNA expression of HSP40 and HSP70 was significantly ( P <0.05) higher in Karan Fries than the Sahiwal cows. Both the breeds showed maximum expression of HSP on the day of parturition, more so in KF than Sahiwal. There was a significant ( P <0.05) difference in the HSP mRNA expression at different levels of exposure. Zinc treatment to heat stressed PBMC caused a significant ( P <0.05) down regulation of HSP. For immune status, anti-inflammatory cytokine, IL-10 in the culture supernatant was accessed. The IL-10 was significantly ( P <0.05) higher in Karan Fries (168.18±14.09 pg/ml) than the Sahiwal cows (147.24±11.82 pg/ml). The IL-10 concentration was highest on the day of calving. Zinc treatment reduced the IL-10 concentration. From the study, it could be concluded that the zinc supplementation in heat stressed PBMC can ameliorate thermal stress and modulate immune response which can act as a model for reducing heat stress during the periparturient period in tropical livestock. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Milk is an important source of cash and nutrients for many households in developing countries. Yet, our understanding of the role of dairy production in livelihoods and nutritional outcomes is hindered by the lack of decent quality household survey data. Data on milk off-take for human consumption are difficult to collect in household surveys for a number of reasons which make accurate recall challenging for the respondent (continuous production and seasonality among others), introducing possibly severe biases in the computation of full household incomes and farm sales, as well as in the estimation of the contribution of livestock (specifically dairy) production to agricultural value added and the livelihoods of rural households. This paper presents results from a validation exercise implemented in Niger, where alternative survey instruments based on recall methods were administered to randomly selected households, and compared to a 12-month system of physical monitoring and recording of milk production. The results of the exercise show that reasonably accurate estimates via recall methods are possible, and provide a clear ranking of questionnaire design options that can inform future survey operations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental indicators are increasingly defined and applied to estimate the human impact on nature and to evaluate human resource use. When considering the environmental impact of food production systems, there is a need to include the impact on different spatial scales. At present, emergy assessments do not, in general, consider global versus local origin of purchased goods. To provide a more detailed picture of how production systems perform with respect to different spatial scales, we expand the renewability concept with a set of indicators that categorise purchased goods according to their geographical origin being within system boundaries (on-site), from local sources, or from non-local sources. An emergy assessment of the resource use for production of pigs (measured as live weight of pigs sold) from three Danish pig production systems (organic small (OS), organic large (OL) and conventional (C)) exemplifies the use of this set of indicators. The results show that at the on-site scale the pig production systems had about the same fraction of renewable inputs of less than 0.5%. However, when the renewability fraction of inputs was accounted for at the global scale, the two organic systems were more renewable (about 20%) compared to the conventional system (13%). Further, local input represented the largest part of the input to OS (66%), while OL had the largest non-local input (74%). This demonstrates that the set of indicators is able to evaluate different strategies for purchasing goods and thus emphasises the importance of accounting for inputs from society differently depending on spatial scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In crop science, widely used theoretical concepts of production ecology comprise a hierarchy in growth defining, limiting, and reducing factors, which determine corresponding potential, limited, and actual production levels. These concepts give insight in theoretically achievable production, yield gaps, and yield gap mitigation. Concepts of production ecology have been demonstrated to be applicable to livestock science, but so far they have not been used quantitatively for livestock production. This paper aims to define theoretical concepts of production ecology for livestock systems in more detail, to express livestock production in suitable units, and to provide a framework to analyse production levels for livestock systems and combined crop–livestock systems. Growth defining (genotype and climate), growth limiting (feed quality and quantity), and growth reducing factors (diseases and stress) in livestock production are described analogous to the growth factors in crop production. Management practices, such as housing, feeding, culling, and slaughter are specified. From the perspective of a livestock system, production is expressed per animal, per unit of animal body mass, and per unit of feed intake, whereas from the perspective of a combined crop–livestock system, production is recommended to be expressed in kg livestock product ha − 1 year − 1 . The quantitative framework is illustrated for Charolais cattle ( Bos taurus subsp.) in two beef production systems in France, differing in feeding strategies. System A produces heavier calves than system B, whereas cattle in system B are fed a higher fraction of concentrates in the diet compared with system A. Potential beef production was similar for systems A and B, and estimated to be 152 kg beef animal − 1 year − 1 and 251 g beef kg − 1 live weight year − 1 , while there was a minor difference when expressed per unit of feed intake (54.5 vs 54.8 g beef kg − 1 DM). Actual production was lower for system A than for system B (24.9 vs 31.2 g beef kg − 1 DM). Potential production for combined crop–livestock systems was again similar for systems A and B (631 vs 634 kg beef ha − 1 year − 1 ), while actual production was much lower for system A than for system B (133 vs 180 kg beef ha − 1 year − 1 ). The yield gap for crop–livestock systems was 79% of potential production for system A and 72% for system B. We conclude that the framework is effective to reveal the scope to increase production and resource use efficiency in livestock production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In most parts of the world, ticks are rapidly developing resistance to commonly used acaricides thus rendering control difficult. This constraint is further compounded by the introduction of new species in areas where they did not exist before. Such is the case with the introduction into and rapid spread of Rhipicephalus ( Boophilus ) microplus in some countries of West Africa. With the looming threat of its further spread in the region, the objective of the present study was to update knowledge on cattle ticks in Cameroon. Among 19,189 ticks collected monthly from 60 animals in 5 herds from March 2012 to February 2013, Rh. ( B. ) decoloratus was the most abundant species with a relative prevalence of 62.2%, followed by Amblyomma variegatum (28.4%), Rh. ( B. ) annulatus (0.2%), Rh. ( B. ) geigyi (0.03%), other Rhipicephalus spp. (8.4%) and Hyalomma spp. (0.3%). Rh. ( B. ) decoloratus and A. variegatum were also the most widely distributed in space. Infestation rate was generally high, with average tick count/animal of about 80 during peak periods. Tick distribution and abundance in the different sites was as varied as the underlying factors, among which the most important were management systems and climatic factors. The effects of rainfall and temperature were confounded by other factors and difficult to evaluate. However, it appears tick development depends among other factors, on a humidity threshold, above which there is not much more effect. Rh. microplus was not found during this study, but more extensive tick collections have to be done to confirm this. In conclusion, cattle tick infestation in Cameroon remains an important cause for concern. Farmers need assistance in the use and management of acaricides in order to increase their efficiency and reduce the development of resistance. Although Rh. microplus was not found, its introduction from other West African countries is imminent if adequate measures, especially in the control and limitation of animal movements, are not taken. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Plant-based meat substitutes are an alternative to unsustainably produced meat. • Promoting meat substitutes could reduce the negative impact on ecosystem services. • Retailers can use nudging interventions as part of their strategic vision and CSR. • Increasing visibility of plant-based meat substitutes generates trial purchases. • A shift from short-term nudging effects to long-term behaviour needs more research. European livestock systems are characterised by high meat production to accommodate high consumer demands and global prices. The production of meat, especially meat from highly intensive livestock farming, requires many resources and is inconsistent with sustainability and climate objectives. Unsustainable livestock production heavily impacts regulatory and supporting ecosystem services, which makes the meat production system a key driver of global environmental change. Lowering consumers' demand for meat could improve the sustainability of agricultural ecosystems. To realize this transition, meat can be substituted with meat imitating plant-based alternatives; production of these substitutes has a lower carbon footprint, needs less land and uses less water compared to regular meat production. Retailers can facilitate this shift by redesigning their stores to nudge consumers towards these substitutes. The goal of this study was to analyse whether nudging techniques can increase sales of plant-based meat substitutes in a supermarket environment. We combined two nudging techniques into one intervention: (1) adding meat substitutes in the butchery section, (2) and placing them next to their equivalent meat products. Results show a significant increase of 67% in meat substitute sales when the nudging intervention was present whereas sales in the control supermarkets (without nudging intervention) did not change during the intervention period. Once the intervention was removed, sales dropped again. Future research should investigate which factors influence the transition from short-term nudging effects towards long-term behaviour change. We discuss the role of nudging as a strategy to reduce negative impacts of the livestock production systems on ecosystem services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is well established in the literature that reducing the amount of meat in global diets would reduce the environmental impacts of food production. However, changes to livestock production systems also have significant potential to reduce environmental impacts from meat production, and yet are not as widely discussed in the literature. Modern, intensive livestock systems, especially for beef, offer substantially lower land requirements and greenhouse gas emissions per kilogram of meat than traditional, extensive ones. The land sparing potential of beef sector intensification is especially relevant for high priority conservation regions like the Brazilian Amazon. Leveraging livestock production systems in addition to dietary change greatly expands the opportunity to achieve conservation and climate goals in the coming decades. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Greater diversity (i.e., variety, balance and disparity) within agricultural systems is often suggested as a solution to promote redundancy within such systems and therefore increase their adaptive capacity and reduce their vulnerability against climate change and variability. Yet this assumption relies upon the gathering and integration of field- and herd-scale results at the farm scale. We have conducted a farm-scale simulation-based study to evaluate the potential for increasing adaptive capacity and reducing vulnerability of livestock systems to weather variability through increase of their agricultural diversity. We manipulate in the simulation, factors of change in the livestock systems resulting in less diverse and more diverse livestock systems to be simulated. We assume, a priori, that certain combinations of the factored system components bring redundancy in the system and in turn increase its adaptive capacity and reduce its vulnerability against weather variability. Simulated factors of change are: F1: a change in the ratio of the area mechanically harvested (vs. grazed) to the whole farm area; F2: a change in the crops and grassland types grown or in the distribution of the area between crops and/or grassland types; F3: a change in calving periods from one season to another. The simulation plan includes a baseline scenario without changes and scenarios corresponding to all possible combinations of F1–F3. These scenarios are applied to four livestock systems located on a diagonal across France over a succession of four years with varying weather conditions. In these systems, self-sufficiency for forage is jeopardized by unfavorable years, and this may increase animal feeding costs. Thus we consider that adaptive capacity increases and vulnerability decreases as long as self-sufficiency for forage is achieved without increasing animal feeding costs. Results confirm the potential for increasing adaptive capacity and reducing vulnerability of livestock systems to weather variability through increase of their agricultural diversity. For instance, F2 has three main kinds of impacts on self-sufficiency for forage: (i) it yields significant average improvements by 34%, 43%, 36% and 36% across livestock systems for the four successive years, (ii) it buffers year-to-year variations and (iii) the final level of self-sufficiency is higher than the initial one even after two years with unfavorable weather conditions. Moreover, simulated changes do not increase animal feeding costs. Thus our results provide empirical evidence at the farm scale to supplement literature reviews based on field- and herd-scale results. They also confirm that through easily implementable on-farm changes, adaptive capacity can be increased and vulnerability of agricultural systems to weather variability decreased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The various ways in which livestock production systems can be incorporated into economic, partial-equilibrium, multi-market models are presented, and the challenges outlined. A particular focus and illustrative case is livestock feed. Foremost among the challenges is the reconciliation of scientific understanding of livestock feed requirements and production characteristics with the available national data. Another challenge is in estimating herd structures. An economic, multi-market modeling approach is presented which has been widely used in policy analysis and advocacy, and an account is given of the necessary recent enhancements for addressing livestock. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dichotomy in approaches to policy analysis for developing countries’ livestock sectors is presented. Substantial experience and information generated from a large number of household-level studies is not being utilised by macro- and aggregate models which fail to recognise heterogeneity, dynamics and fundamental drivers of change in livestock systems. Household-level studies are not standardised and rarely identify and characterise key drivers and mechanisms for exploiting heterogeneity in policy analysis. The paper provides an overview of a set of six papers contained in a special edition which define and address this gap in analytical approaches and identify aspects of the way forward. Evidence is presented of inconsistencies and practicalities which emphasise the gap, but all papers present evidence of integrative progress and list opportunities for accelerating it. Constraints on the subject matter are outlined and a challenge to livestock policy analysts is made. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An integrated crop-livestock system (ICLS), with summer grain cropping and winter grazing of cover crops, is an option for agricultural management in subtropical areas. Despite numerous studies evaluating ICLS, there have been limited investigations of soil acidity and lime application dynamics in such systems. Because grain producers resist introducing livestock into cultivation areas due to fear of negative impacts of grazing on soybean yields and lime movement thorough the soil profile, the objective of this research is to evaluate the impacts of surface lime reapplication on the amelioration of soil acidity attributes and the yield of soybean in a long-term integrated soybean-beef cattle system under no-till under varying grazing intensities. An experiment was established in 2001 for an ICLS on a Rhodic Hapludox soil. Crop succession consisted of soybean ( Glycine max ) cultivation during summer and a mix of black-oat ( Avena strigosa ) + Italian ryegrass ( Lolium multiflorum ) during winter. Treatments consisted of varying grazing intensities during winter: intensive grazing, moderate grazing, and no-grazing. Lime was applied to the surface of the entire area at the beginning of the experiment, and a reapplication was performed nine years later (May of 2010) in a sub-parcel scheme (with and without lime reapplication). Soil acidity attributes (pH, base saturation and aluminum saturation) were evaluated at 12, 18, 24, and 30 months after lime reapplication, and the soybean yields of the 2010/11, 2011/12, and 2012/13 seasons were measured. As previously observed for the first surface lime application performed in the same trial area, the present study demonstrated that ICLS, regardless of grazing intensity, did not inhibit soil improvement in deeper layers after surface lime reapplication. In fact, the presence of animals helps to ameliorate soil acidity in deeper layers, compared to non-grazed areas. The soybean yield was not correlated with the soil acidity attributes and was affected by lime reapplication only under intensive grazing and drought conditions. However, when summer rainfall was lower than the expected climatological normal, soybean yields were higher in non-grazed areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Agroecology reveals combinations of practices that reinforce the sustainability of ICLS. [•] Following agroecological principles could improve the different performances of ICLS. [•] Two different case studies (Brasil/France) illustrate different strategies to integrate crop and livesock. [•] Agroecological ICLS are likely to offset the trade-off between production and environmental impacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Winter cover cropping with legume-derived N and inorganic fertilizer N were evaluated under conventional and no tillage. [•] Type of cover crop had little influence and grazing of cover crops had minor influence on crop production characteristics. [•] Grazing of winter cover crops by cattle added a stable component to production. [•] No tillage had large positive effects on corn and soybean production, but little effect on winter wheat production. [•] Robust, diversified crop–livestock systems with no tillage can be developed for impoverished soils of the southeastern USA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] We evaluated the effect of management practices on establishment of Italian ryegrass. [•] We tested pasture's ability to re-establish following a year without seed production. [•] Grazing intensity is the first factor affecting subsequent pasture establishment. [•] Pasture establishment by self-seeding relies on the annual seed replacement. [•] Grazing must be managed to allow sufficient reproductive tiller production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Model typical of crop livestock systems from subtropics. [•] Managing mixed oats and annual ryegrass pastures at 20cm lead to overall soil–plant–animal. [•] Equilibrium between animal performance and no-till crop demand for soil cover. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Mixing crops and livestock helps Australian farmers manage climate, price and soil variability. [•] Recent crop–livestock innovations can improve farm productivity, sustainability and reduce risk. [•] Potential for grazing dual-purpose cereal and canola crops or sacrificially grazing crops is unrealised. [•] Perennial pasture phases in grain crop rotations can provide multiple farm benefits. [•] Systems growing mixtures of crops and pastures and to utilise novel pasture species are evolving. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Integrated crop–livestock systems in the Brazilian subtropics are highly diverse. [•] Livestock reduce the vulnerability of crops in rain-fed systems. [•] Crops in rotation with livestock may produce more. [•] Livestock improve many physical, chemical and biological attributes of soil. [•] Integrating crops and livestock is a unique approach to ecological intensification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Integrated crop-livestock systems are effectively implemented in every region of the U.S. [•] New technologies facilitate successful adoption of crop-livestock systems. [•] Adoption of crop-livestock systems in the U.S. occurs primarily among livestock managers. [•] Cash crop managers have few current incentives to incorporate livestock into their crop systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]