Abstract
<List> <ListItem><ItemContent> • Grassland-based livestock production systems cover large areas in China. </ItemContent></ListItem> <ListItem><ItemContent> • China is facing degradation of rangeland and has great shortage of forage. </ItemContent></ListItem> <ListItem><ItemContent> • Five types of mixed crop-livestock systems in China described. </ItemContent></ListItem> <ListItem><ItemContent> • Improving crop–livestock integration requires S&T and policy supports. </ItemContent></ListItem></List> <fig><graphic xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xlink:href="2095-7505-8-1-35/fase-20378-hfj-tu1.jpg"/><graphic xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xlink:href="2095-7505-8-1-35/FASE-20378-HFJ-tu1.tif"/></fig> Interactions between crops and livestock have been at the core of the evolution of many agricultural systems. In this paper, we review the development and characteristics of mixed crop-livestock systems, with a focus on grassland-based systems, as these cover large areas in China, and face several challenges. Following the transition from the original hunting and foraging systems to a sedentary lifestyle with integrated crop-livestock production systems some 8000 years ago, a range of different mixed systems have developed, depending on rainfall, solar radiation and temperature, culture and markets. We describe 5 main types of integrated systems, (1) livestock and rangeland, (2) livestock and grain production, (3) livestock and crop – grassland rotations, (4) livestock, crops and forest (silvo-pasture), and (5) livestock, crops and fish ponds. Next, two of these mixed systems are described in greater detail, i.e., the mountain-oasis-desert system and its modifications in arid and semi-arid regions, and the integrated crop-livestock production systems on the Loess Plateau. In general, crop-livestock interactions in integrated systems have significant positive effects on crop production, livestock production, energy use efficiency and economic profitability. We conclude that improved integration of crop-livestock production systems is one of the most important ways for achieving a more sustainable development of animal agriculture in China.
Highlights
Changes in the interactions between crop production and livestock production have been a key driver in the evolution of agricultural systems
Crop and livestock production are integrated into these systems in four ways[11]: (1) forage crops and residues of other crops are fed to livestock in pens; (2) livestock supplies manure and draft power for crop production; (3) livestock grazes the stubble cropland, fallow cropland, and sparse rangeland; and (4) livestock grazes the crops after failed harvests
Interactions between livestock production and crop production in this system include[8]: (1) crop residues are fed to livestock; (2) crop residues, as well as livestock excrement along with some forage crops are used as resources for feeding fish and other animals in ponds; (3) livestock excrement along with pond sludge is applied to cropland as fertilizers; (4) buffalo and cattle supply draft power for crop production; and (5) livestock graze the sparse rangeland, forest and cropland after harvesting
Summary
Changes in the interactions between crop production and livestock production have been a key driver in the evolution of agricultural systems. The diversity of agricultural production systems mainly depends on interaction patterns between crop and livestock sectors. Integrated crop-livestock production system is a vital component in global agriculture. These integrated or mixed crop-livestock systems include sown grassland-based and rangeland-based systems, which play an importance role in the supply of animal-source food in the world[1]. The grassland-based livestock systems in semiarid areas face many challenges now. The development of grassland-based livestock production has been limited, especially in semi-arid areas in China. This paper firstly summarizes the main challenges of grasslandbased livestock production in China. The diversity of integrated, mixed crop and livestock systems is reviewed and described, and the possible options for improving grasslandbased livestock production systems are discussed
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