Professional Documents
Culture Documents
ABSTRACT: The relationships between breeding and feeding and the global environment for an efficient
livestock production, are analyzed. The main questions concerning the use of biotechnology in the field of evolution
and development, in relation to the environment are discussed. The increasing intensification of production
systems and the implications for the environment, welfare of animals and humans is evaluated. Animal health
matters and resources depletion in respect to the world-wide problems resulting from the exponential growth of
both population and energy consumption are presented and the need of understanding the concept of sustainable
development and its implication within specific economic and regional environmental conditions is underlined.
The importance of the existing relationship between flock/herd and its direct milieu re. the Old World’s traditional
pastoral societies and the New World’s extensive animal agriculture is presented. Finally, the growing scarcity of
water availability, which will be - more and more - the factor limiting production and affecting livestock numbers
introduced.
© 2003 ALPA. Todos los derechos reservados Arch. Latinoam. Prod. Anim. 2003. 11(1): 57-64
57
58 Boyazoglu y Nardone
between breeding and feeding for efficient livestock development, but also the way we can adapt to the
production, we evidently refer to the possible stress brought about by resource depletion and
interactions between what are broadly called genotype environmental degradation and to the world-wide
and the level of availability of nutrition, within the problems resulting from the exponential growth of both
context of the broader environmental considerations population and energy consumption. This does not
and human inputs. imply the need for us to abandon technology, return to
Evidently today, biotechnology throws a new light nature or introduce some idealistic form of society, but
on many of the questions posed by evolution and probably the exact opposite; the problems of an
development in relation to the environment; both natu- overcrowded world and rampant over-
ral and human made (Cunningham, 1999). The industrialisation can only be solved by logical analysis,
question has always been to know how different the the application of the best available technology and
molecules of different organisms basically are and how the dedicated involvement of professionals in the
they adapt and develop in particular environments. agricultural, agro-industrial and human sciences
We always supposed that these were totally different (Boyazoglu, 1992). The recent BSE and Foot and Mouth
e.g. goat molecules give to the goat its basic crisis in Europe show that the society and the
characteristics and pig molecules relate to swine environment as a whole, are directly implicated in such
characterisations, we now have evidence that this might cases and that the term rural/agricultural
not be so simple. Furthermore, within many species, sustainability can change its meaning overnight.
we now find very similar and closely related structures Paraphrasing the now famous Brundtland Report,
that are responsible for very different functions (Jacob, sustainable agricultural development is a development
2000). Surely the very recent scientific advances in the that meets the needs of the present without
study of the genome will also have a direct influence compromising the ability of future generations to meet
on livestock production and feed efficiency in different their own needs. This is evidently too concise a
environmental conditions and should thus be studied definition of sustainability, as a result of which a set of
priority-wise by animal scientists. analyses and a mass of articles were suddenly
On the other hand, consumption of foods of animal published in the 1980s and 1990s about what we are
origin will increase considerably worldwide and thus doing and where we are going; in both developed and
the tendency will be for this production to be more and developing countries. Indeed, sustainable agricultural
more crop-based and concentrated around major urban development has become an official policy for dozens
centres (Van der Zijpp, 1999). This change and of organisations around the world, starting with FAO.
intensification to crop-livestock industrialised systems, Such a definition is neither new nor clear or
will have implications for the environment, welfare of exhaustive. In many cases it turned out to be our own
animals and human health. worst enemy; it failed to point out the side-effects that
both the true socio-economic aspects of development
Sustainability, livestock and the actual implications of aggressive development
production and the environment policies may have on the environment. In some cases,
this became a mere theoretical race towards growth!
There seems to be the need for us to realise that
The expression sustainability of agricultural
sustainable development should be a fundamentally
production or sustainable agriculture became a key
progressive notion which we must learn to use properly
word in the field of international aid during the 1970s.
in our work. At the same time, it is a conservative notion
Later on, in the 1980s, a widespread interest was
in that, within the traditional framework of economic
expressed in development projects and programmes
theory, it refers to alternative economics, not an
which resulted in long-term growth of the agricultural
alternative to economics. Sustainable agricultural
economy. More recently, this term played, in contrario,
development does not mean that economics should be
an important role in guiding the swing away from large
ignored, but simply looked at from a significantly
capital-intensive operations, such as irrigation dams,
different point of view. As a result, many common ideas
large-scale intensive animal production projects and
about economic growth might seem to be denied, but
high-profile infrastructures, to greater emphasis on
economic growth is never said to be completely wrong
projects aimed at improving local rural resource
(Boyazoglu, 1998; Nardone, 2000).
exploitation and living conditions as well as increasing
In fact, we are still learning how to introduce the
food supplies in Third World countries.
notion of sustainable development into specific
In agricultural development difficult decisions are
economic and regional environmental concepts. Thus,
to be taken, even more so in the livestock sector, not
it is still too early to state categorically how to apply it
merely regarding what is possible in Third World
to developing countries in general and to the animal
The relationship between environment and animal production 59
agriculture sector in particular (Morand-Fehr and the flock/herd and its milieu. Traditionally extensive
Boyazoglu, 1998). systems of animal production share in common
We must recall here that until very recently in the characteristics: limited number of animals per unit area;
developed world, animal production and its related relatively limited use of advanced technology; low
industries have been quite traditional activities. In this productivity per animal and hectare of land; feeding
framework, time and money were not so important as mainly based on natural grazing and the use of
to directly affect this sector. In the late 1990s we had to agricultural/farm by-products; reduced use of fossil
face a situation of fast growth. Our countries are mo- energy and at least some use of rurally produced non-
ved towards heavy investments and rising labour costs fossil energy. Nevertheless, world-wide, extensive
just when privatisation became the a la mode economic production systems range from those making optimal
word. As for the developing world and the use of specific advanced technology and scientific
environmentally marginal areas, scientific advances knowledge, at least for some phases of the production
and the present methodology for food preservation, chain (e.g. wool production in Australia and South
processing, transport and marketing, forced us to a fast Africa), to systems where the livestock farmer still
change over from traditional to modernity, sometimes follows what can be called healthy protectionism: use
without the necessary willingness and readiness of the of traditional production practices based on indigenous
people involved. Only time will show whether this knowledge and handed down through the ages. Many
change has been so fast as to have devastating effects of these traditional forms of livestock farming (e.g. sheep
not only on traditional animal production, but also on and goat raising in the Mediterranean basin) were and
the environment as a whole or whether it can be in many cases still are either based upon extensive
planned as an evolutionary process allowing for the grazing if not transhumance and even nomadic
adaptation of human beings and animals to the new operations or mixed farming on small holdings (eg Afri-
socio-economic conditions and environmental changes ca and Far East Asia). They all tend to demonstrate the
they both must face (Boyazoglu, 1998; Nardone and benefit of optimal and efficient use of local resources in
Ronchi, 2001). a marginal agro-ecological environment (Galaty and
Johnson, 1990); all need to be continuously monitored
Production systems and and verified. In what concerns extensive animal
environmental considerations husbandry in less developed regions, the current glo-
bal body of scientific knowledge on rangeland
resources is adequate to deal with the technical aspects
In the early 1990s the interaction was intensified
of rangeland management in developing areas. There
between consumers’ demands for animal origin
remains a need to supplement the existing
products, output from the livestock production sector
understanding of the available natural resources and
and advances resulting from research. From a technical
their use with indigenous knowledge and remember
point of view we can say that the processes for the
that the relevance of existing wisdom would be
conservation of food for animals, better housing,
increased by relating it to socio-economic
milking, etc. were developed. Development of product
considerations on a case by case basis. Local
preservation, low temperature control, advanced
inhabitants, well versed with local conditions, should
machinery and the broad use of electric power
be used more to interact with users to better capture
stimulated the expansion of intensified livestock
indigenous knowledge and reduce communication
farming and of the modern dairy and meat industries.
gaps between scientists, bureaucrats and users
This was a clear stimulus for animal agriculture. The
(Quinlan, 1995).
green revolution of the 1950s boosted animal
We should stress here the differences between the
productivity through the intensification of product on
Old World’s pastoral societies based on thousands of
systems. Even more impressive results were obtained
years of activities, vis-à-vis the New World’s extensive
through genetic improvement as well as better rearing
animal agriculture structures. Range farming in the
and feeding techniques (Nardone and Valfré, 1998).
New World is considered as an economically viable
Over and above the all important development of
operation linked to the opening of relatively new
disease control, the husbandry practices that
grazing lands for livestock farming while, on the other
dominated animal agriculture in more recent years
hand, pastoralism in the Old World is a long established
were characterised by the improvement of the farm
way of life structured by human needs and tradition
animals’ individual yield (Nardone and Gibon, 2000).
and the existing potential resources, both of vegetation
In the marginal regions (e.g. Mediterranean basin)
and animals. The future utilisation of these marginal
the production system concept stresses, even more than
rural spaces must take into consideration the increasing
elsewhere, the importance of the relationship between
and diversified needs of all the populations evolving
60 Boyazoglu y Nardone
around these pastoral areas; this includes sport, different human factors: culture, tradition, organisation
tourism, recreation, hunting, fishing, summer and social structure, economic availability, market
residences and the need to improve the consumption organisation, technological development, religion and
of natural but also traditional local products. This last food habits. Today, in fact, even the state of the soil,
point is of major importance particularly for Europe results partly from human influences; this is true as
and the Mediterranean animal sector and refers also to well, even if in a more limited measure, for the climate.
the specificity and particularity of its products, as well In the literature many different schematic
as the recognition of their origin and quality (Boyazoglu representations exist illustrating the relationship
and Flamant, 1990; Boyazoglu and Morand-Fehr, 2001). between the numerous factors which constitute an ani-
mal production system (Bettini, 1987). Figure 1 shows
Factors influencing an attempt to summarise this, the thinking being mainly
production systems oriented towards the analysis of the effects of the
climatic components and of the animal genetic types in
today’s Mediterranean production systems.
A production system is an ensemble of interactive
Climatic conditions have overall a strong influence
factors. The number of these factors is generally high.
on livestock production systems. According to the value
This is true for animal production systems. They result
of the parameters which define them, they discriminate
from complex actions which implicate the
by species, breed and animal type by acting directly
transformation of inorganic substances into organic
depending on the animals’ temperature comfort zone
plant material and of the latter’s transformation, with
or indirectly through its effects on fodder production
a small amount of inorganic substances, in organic
and on the breeding and management systems. In
animal material. Each of the numerous processes which
extensive systems, weather conditions can even deter-
make up these steps is influenced by a number of natu-
mine the need to follow or not, transhumance or
ral and human factors (Nardone, 2000).
nomadic animal movements. The climate also
Among the natural factors we have the soil with its
influences the spreading of pathogens; for instance, it
organic, inorganic and structural features; the climate
quickly destroys in dry and strongly lighted conditions
with its various characteristic variables; the cultivated
the Foot and Mouth and Newcastle viruses but favours
and spontaneous plant species; the animal species and
instead their spreading in colder and rainy
within these, the breeds better adapted to exploit the
environments (Nardone, 2000).
specific plant resources and environments. These are
In an early study, Malachek (1982), demonstrated
natural components but result from the influence of
Climate
General antropic traits
Sall
Social de velop
Animal production
systems
Figure 1. Relationships among the principal components of animal production systems (Nardone, 2000).
The relationship between environment and animal production 61
that on a world-wide basis, land supporting extensive evidently recall the growing use of a less and less
sheep and goat operations and some mixed available water for intensive irrigated crops, mainly
autochthonous grazing enterprises are among the most horticulture, and the optimisation of irrigating
degraded in terms of plant community compositions techniques.
and the site stability. These lands are unlikely to receive
much concerted attention for improved management, Climate vegetation, land use and the
especially if such management costs are high. From the
animal factor
standpoint of economic and growth, investments in
land improvements are more easily justified in areas
The combination of rainfall and seasonal
where the potential for fast response is bigger. These
temperature averages in the various sub-climates of the
are mostly lands that support cattle production. Thus,
world, controls the length of the plant growth period,
a feasible alternative for forestalling further degradation
which can be as short as 50-60 days in the coldest and
is through land, water and grazing management.
most arid parts but more than 300 days in some of the
Fortunately, grazing management plans often require
most humid and hot parts. Natural plant growth and
relatively little capital to implement, although
crop production coincides therefore, mostly with the
implementing grazing management among small
autumn and spring periods (good rainfall and not too
holders is not without limitations. Some form of strong
low temperatures). The resulting important seasonality
central organisation (e.g. Hema systems in the Arab
of production of the natural vegetation (quality and
world) is required where land is held in state or
quantity) is the main constraint on the evolution and
communal ownership and incentives to producers are
development of extensive pastures (Boyazoglu and
necessary. Evidently, it is difficult to overcome the
Flamant, 1990).
attitude in many less-developed regions, that large
Specific environmental conditions induce specific
numbers of animals represent a source of cash reserve,
plant associations. This creates particular ecosystems
a symbol of wealth and a hedge against impending
that provide the forage resources available for grazing.
droughts when major livestock losses occur. Range
The first system of natural resources to retain is the
managers need the support of sociologists and
forest, traditionally used for roaming grazing animals
economists because effective land management cannot
and as a source of combustion for the family. The
proceed in a vacuum devoid of social, economic and
second typical plant association is shrubs and
political considerations, particularly in the context of
bushlands, the nature of which depends both on climate
collective versus individual land ownership
and soil characteristics. At the two extremes of the scale
(Boyazoglu, 1982 and 1996).
of plant systems, one finds truly steppelike conditions
An interesting attempt to comparatively classify and
and the grassy pastures of the cold and rainy
quantify livestock production systems world-wide was
mountainous areas. Man evidently also plays a major
undertaken in 1996 by Seré and Steinfeld.
role, either by extensive cereal or rice growing, which
Unfortunately, it only took into consideration the
can provide fallow land for animal feeding, or by
relevant agro-ecological factors but none of the social
irrigation development, which introduces the factor of
and cultural ones influencing production systems. As
permanent pastures and the production of hay. These
an example of a simple and comprehensive presentation
natural or created animal feed resources are, in gene-
of the typology of livestock production systems, we can
ral, unequally distributed and contrasting situations
refer to the regional classification made for the Old
can be observed. These impose varying conditions on
World with specific reference to Europe and the
animal production. It is characterised by a relatively
Mediterranean basin (Boyazoglu, 1998). This shows
low quantity of arable land. As an example we can
the major role played by temperature and rainfall in
mention the Mediterranean region with which the
relation to the animal species, type used and the
authors are most acquainted.
prevailing husbandry system (Table 1).
There are great differences from one part of the basin
Today the main factor limiting production is the
to the other and a distinct seasonality of pastures and
growing scarcity of water availability. Irrigation is still
grazing growth is observed (Figure 2). Globally, while
of major importance, particularly in Asia (China and
36 percent of the region is occupied by crops, rangelands
India) and the United States of America, but while in
and forests, the remaining 64 percent represents high
1900 the irrigated area world-wide was estimated at
mountain grazing and shrubland on the European side
some 45.000.000 hectares and increased to 94.000.000
of the basin and desert and wasteland in North Africa.
in 1950 and 260.000.000 in the 1980’s, it started to de-
On the northern (European) part of the basin,
cline rapidly in the 1990s. The FAO projections for 2020
permanent grazelands and pastures cover about a
show that it could, under pressure, diminish to
quarter of the total land, but grazing animals (small
100.000.000 hectares (FAO, 1999). Here, we should
62 Boyazoglu y Nardone
Table 1. The typology of animal production systems with special reference to the Mediterranean basin (Boyazoglu, 1998).
Arid 200-400 Sheep, goats, and equines managed generally in transhumance livestock
production systems; some cattle
Meat, wool, hair, hides, and milk; mainly for auto-consumption
Mostly oasis-based plant production: cereals, dates, vegetables, some
fruit, fodder
Subhumid 600-800 Transhumance and sedentary sheep and goat production (meat, milk,
wool); triple-purpose cattle (beef, work, milk); equines (mules, donkeys,
horses) mostly for work purposes; grazing of local pigs for speciality
products; in recent years some specialised dairy herds (mostly brown,
black and white, and red spotted cattle)
Grapes, olives, citrus, and other fruit, vegetables, some cereals
Humid >800 Sheep and goats as well as local type of cattle herds kept mostly in tran-
shumance management systems, some sedentary production
Forestry
Irrigated land Most of the large intensively managed dairy cattle herds (black and white)
(particularly were introduced in the proximity of these areas (highly populated); some
developed intensive feeding units for both slaughter cattle and sheep; intensively
after the managed dairy goat flocks; higly intensified non-ruminant productions
Second Milk, meat and eggs for city consumption; agro-forestry transformation
World War) Cereals with special reference to rice and wheat, vegetables, sugar (beet
and cane), intensive fodder production (alfalfa, clover, barseem, etc.)
ruminants in particular) also make good use of a major shrubs) is now taking over major parts of the abandoned
part of the available vegetation in what is classified as land. While natural grazing constitutes, all around, an
forest and wasteland. In the southern part, where important part of the animal feed resources, the avera-
permanent grazings can be considered to cover about ge yearly production of dry matter per hectare is, even
one-sixth of the territory, part of the desert is also grazed in the best of conditions, relatively low. It is estimated,
by the mainly nomadic mixed flocks/herds of sheep, quantity- and quality-wise, to be very variable from one
goats, camels and equines. Traditionally, part of the year to another, with about 2 kg dry matter/
lower mountains (on the European side) and large mm rainfall/ha being produced each year (Le Houérou
tracts of dry pastureland (on the African side) were and Hoste, 1977). Plant biomass matures very quickly
cultivated. With the major emigration in recent years and the digestible protein content decreases rapidly.
from the rural areas to the cities, a lower grade of natu- In the world’s main grazing areas, important limiting
ral vegetation (mostly a mixture of grazeland and factors for animal production are prolonged droughts,
The relationship between environment and animal production 63
353-393 pp.
173 countries where the climatic condition was easily definable are included in this statistical presentation. The countries with a complex climatic composition (eg. USA, China, Russia, etc.) are
pulation (000 N), livestock (000 N) and productions (000 t) for: cattle, sheep, goats, buffaloes, pigs and chicken in the different climatic zones of the
55.471 49.715
21.585 12.732
869
1.489
0
5.496
4.878
Eggs
Boyazoglu, J. and Morand-Fehr, P., 2001. Mediterranean dairy
sheep and goat products and their quality: a critical review.
Small Rum. Res., 40, 1-11 pp.
Chicken
0
1.553
1.510
7.077
3.504.922 11.446
Meat
Bettini, T.M., 1987. Elementi di scienza delle produzioni animali.
Edagricole, 41-62 pp.
Cunningham, E.P., 1999. The application of biotechnologies to
89.808 14.265.592
5.513.051
0
644.996
242.131
1.121.002
enhance animal production in different farming systems.
Livest. Prod. Sci., 58, 1-24 pp.
N
0
28.809
4.839
18.248
5.591
Meat
903.637
271.552
2.734
0
46.045
129.188
93.586
11
Milk
118
2.974
585
Meat
0
121
1
279
Meat
67-91 pp.
N
7.913
0
5.515
488
2.507
2.318
Meat
7.460
0
3.102
115
1.091
1.634
263
441.530
13.796
191.700
168.345
0
227.010
486.282
35.606
22.474
0
55.954
1.357
8.577
2.191
10.349
tems: current status, issues and trends. FAO An. Prod. and
Meat
1.138.361
2.091.234
5.978.396
56
138.886
385.711
428.220
Human
Agricultural
810.979
1.896.888
4.938.296
235
73.758
835.542
176.374
land
Countries
173
94
31
14
33
N
1
Temperate
Climatic
Tropical
World
zones
Polar
Cold
Total
Dry