🚜 Livestock Production Systems

This lesson covers core livestock production and management concepts for practical farm application and exam-oriented preparation.

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Various systems of livestock

mixed.

Systems of Livestock Production

Extensive : Semi intensive- specialized - Intensive – Tethering .

Extensive:

i. Oldest method

ii. Requires extensive land

iii. Grazing – dry – housed – night

iv. Availability of fodder varies with season so variation in intake.

v. Cost of feeding – Nil, Negligible

vi. Currently – Not followed – except in

Reason : a) Reduction in grazing land

b) Tremendous pressure on cultivable land

High yielding animal – not suitable

i) Temperature ii. Loss of energy iii. Average fodder

Semi intensive 1. few months grazing

2. Daily / everyday – grazing

During cropping season – confined/other times let loose.

Exercise for the animal : Milch animal : Fat % : Absences of leg problem – over grown Hoof.

Feed cost comparison – less Vs. intensive system, Identification – heat, ailing animals

Dis Adv. : High yielding animal not suitable :

Intensive : Total confinement to shed throughout the year and fed. Restricted movement –

energy conservation, management easy. Number of animals can be maintained under direct

supervision, space requirement less when compared with. Ext or SI system.

Demerits : over grown hoof ; lack of exercise. Leg problem : improperly maintained disease

outbreak – severe – Economical loss – high.

Mixed Farming : Along with crop Husbandry one or more component of livestock or poultry

maintained. mixed farming is the economical rearing of different types of Livestock&Poultry in

the farm along with

(a) making use of farm Produce.

b)Utilization of unconventional feed and fodder

c)better utilization of farm by products.

Recycling : Farm Yard Manure – Dung – Gas – Slurry – Soil fertility

Bring constant income to the family throughout the year

Indirectly enhances standard of living.

Drawbacks :

i. No planning

ii. No Scientific approach.

iii. No correlation between land availability and number of head of animal maintained.

iv. Improper planning –over utilization/ under utilized.

Integrated farming system – (IFS)

In the integrated farming system the defects of mixed farming is overcome by proper planning,

monitoring and execution of work according to size of the farm, farm resources, Agro climatic

etc.

In this type, the type of livestock species or poultry enterprises are selected based on the

availability of feed, fodder, water resources of the farm.

Quantity – Availability : No. of animals maintained

Specialized farm

i.Sole income is derived from one species – Cattle, Buffalo, goat, pig or poultry

ii. Feed mixture procured

iii. Specialized farm – Fodder procured, Accomplish partly.

iv. Location- various with production of fodder, availability of land ; cost, etc.

If located close to town – Advantageous i. Reduce transport cost ii. Marketing easy since

avenues more.

Village : Cost of land cheap : investment on feed and fodder less.

Specialized Farm

1.White cattle

2. Black cattle

3. Sheep

4.Goat

5.Poultry

Pure Breed

i. Breeding policy

ii.Income from sale of breeding bulls.

(eg.) Work Bullock (Kangayam)

Grading – upgrading local stock

i. Production of market milk

ii.Poor producers - disposed

iii. New stock purchased

(Eg.) Murrah and local buffalo

Non descript

i. No specified breeding policy

ii.No specific breed maintained

i. Sole Income from Livestock or poultry

ii. Farm which neither produces feed or fodder

iii. Fodder alone raised – depending on – availability of land

iv. Location of farm varies :

Close to urban - Feed & fodder purchase-Transport cost increased

Rural areas

1. Production of feed and fodder 1. Transport cost

2. Production cost feed and fodder 2. Cost of Feed and Fodder

3. Quality feed and fodder assured 3. Quality not assured

4. Green fodder available 4. Cost fluctuating

through out the season 5. Availability of green fodder during

summer.

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Summary Cheat Sheet

Topic	Key Point
Main systems	Extensive, semi-intensive, intensive, tethering, mixed, integrated, and specialized systems
Extensive system	Oldest system; needs large grazing land; feeding cost is negligible
Semi-intensive system	Combines grazing with stall feeding; useful for exercise and moderate feeding cost
Intensive system	Total confinement with stall feeding; easy supervision but high input cost
High-yielding animals	Generally suit intensive management better than rough extensive systems
Mixed farming	Livestock + crops on same farm for residue use, manure recycling, and regular income
IFS idea	Integrated farming corrects defects of mixed farming through proper planning and resource matching
Specialized farm	Sole income mainly from one species such as cattle, buffalo, goat, pig, or poultry
Main constraint to grazing systems	Reduction of grazing land and pressure on cultivable land
Exam trap	Mixed farming and integrated farming are related but not identical; IFS is more planned and resource-based