Livestock

Climate zone: Tropical – Dry – Temperate – Continental – Polar 

Livestock encompasses various sorts of commodities, such as meat, dairy, fur, leather or wool obtained from domesticated animals. Those range from ruminants such as cattle and goats to poultry, as well as more country-specific specimens like alpacas in the Andes or the yak in Tibet. Animal-husbandry which refers to the breeding, maintenance, and slaughtering of the animals can be done in agroforestry systems while providing a multitude of benefits. Silvopasture, for example, is a common approach used for hundreds of years.

Crop Combinations

Crops and livestock have long been intertwined in agricultural systems. However, there has been a movement toward specialization of single crops, diversified vegetables, or livestock in the last 50 years. In certain cases, this specialization has resulted in commodity production consolidation.

The goal in the pasture is to plant trees that don’t block too much light from reaching the field, which could stunt forage growth. Trees may be planted in rows, clusters, or in an orchard-style arrangement. Fast-growing species including locust, alder, willow, and poplar have a benefit since they can easily expand above browse height, allowing for easier grazing integration.

Trends

Historically, livestock and food crops have been kept separate from each other. A growing trend in agriculture is now the inclusion of crops in a livestock pasture system. Integrated crop-livestock management brings those two farms together so that all the products are produced at one location. This type of management system requires modifying current land use practices to incorporate animal and crop rotations.