Cattle production in agroforestry systems. An analysis on the role of intensification and dependence of subsidies

Summary

Extensive livestock production systems have faced socio-economic factors (such as the loss of profitability and competitiveness) that have led to modifications in their management and structure. The main changes have been the abandonment of grazing, the increase in the use of external feed, the abandonment of farms, and the intensification of the systems.
The dehesa is the consequence of human intervention in the natural Mediterranean forest. Due to this, the conservation of this ecosystem depends on the use of appropriate agricultural practices (Gaspar et al., 2007). Thus small changes in the production systems may have a great impact on its conservation and on the rural population. As consequence, the intensification of farms and the high prices of feed, make it difficult to increase farms’ profitability while preserving the dehesas. In this context, dehesa livestock farms have increased their dependence on subsidies.
In view of the above it is necessary to identify the different livestock systems located in agroforestry systems, in order to allow appropriate measures to be developed for each system.
Moreover, given the lack of knowledge about the organic beef cattle sector, and its potential impacts on both the dehesa ecosystem and the rural population, this study has the objective of identifying and describing the production systems, paying special attention to their level of intensification and their dependence on subsidies.