VKU 250: ST1 Notes - Low stocking densities; may rely on natural
environment for feed
- Sheep farming in Australian Outback, where sheep
Overview of SA Livestock Production graze over vast areas of arid land with minimal
supplementary feeding/intervention.
Livestock Production
Semi- - Combines elements of both extensive and intensive
Producing a product for human use in a sustainable way in specific regions. extensive systems
- Moderate levels of input and management, such as
History of Animal Agriculture (Details in Domestication – ST2 Notes) improved pastures and some supplementary feeding
- Maintains relatively low stocking densities compared
Shift 1 • Hunter-gatherers to intensive systems
• Neolithic period: domestication of livestock (5 major - Beef cattle farming, cattle graze on improved pastures
shifts) and receive supplementary feeding during certain
• Emancipation of humankind times of the year.
Shift 2-3 • Increasing livestock numbers Intensive - High inputs and high outputs per unit area
• Improved productivity to supply demand and ensure - Animals raised on well-managed pastures with high
economic gain (improved breeding, feeding caring, stocking densities & substantial human intervention
management and health of domestic animals) - Regular feeding, health care
- Quantitative production goals - Expensive; high risk high reward principle
Shift 4-5 • Efficiency era (growth, gain, feed efficiency) - Significant human intervention
• Product quality and safety era - Dairy farming in the Netherlands, cows kept on lush,
- Qualitative production goals managed pastures with rotational grazing and receive
• Livestock revolution high levels of care and supplementary feeding.
Organic - System adheres to specific organic farming standards
- Prohibition of synthetic fertilizers, pesticides and
Animal Production Systems GMOs.
- Raised on organic feed; access to outdoors and
• Species: Beed cattle, dairy cattle, sheep/goats, meat/wool sheep,
treated humanely
meat goats, pigs, poultry
- Organic egg production in Europe, where hens are
• Systems can be: raised on organic feed, have access to outdoor ranges
- Extensive and are not treated with synthetic medications or feed
- Semi-extensive additives.
- Intensive/pasture
- Grass fed vs intensively raised
- Organic Uniqueness of animal products and importance in human nutrition:
Extensive - Low input and outputs per unit area Proteins in the right proportions needed in human body
- Raised on large areas of natural or semi-natural High bioavailability (iron, zinc, vitamin B12 readily absorbed from
pastures with minimal human intervention animal products compared to plant sources)
, Essential fats: omega 3’s crucial for brain function and heart health. - Animal production: 44%
Calcium and vitamin D: essential for bone health. - Horticulture: 28.6%
- Field Crops: 27.4%
Utilization of Land Area
- Approximately 83.4% of Farmland in RSA = Grazing Land.
- Cattle, Sheep and Goat farming uses 53% of agricultural land.
- Look at slide 8/34 for natural livestock production regions of SA. Major role players in the sector:
1. Poultry (R50 244.28 million)
2. Beef (R39 586.3 million)
• Total Gross Value of Agricultural Production (2020/2021) = R346 035 3. Dairy (R18 270.6 million)
million.
• Animal production contributes 44% of total gross value of agricultural
production.
• 7.2% of growth of agricultural sector as a result of animal products.
- Only sector to grow in covid.
environment for feed
- Sheep farming in Australian Outback, where sheep
Overview of SA Livestock Production graze over vast areas of arid land with minimal
supplementary feeding/intervention.
Livestock Production
Semi- - Combines elements of both extensive and intensive
Producing a product for human use in a sustainable way in specific regions. extensive systems
- Moderate levels of input and management, such as
History of Animal Agriculture (Details in Domestication – ST2 Notes) improved pastures and some supplementary feeding
- Maintains relatively low stocking densities compared
Shift 1 • Hunter-gatherers to intensive systems
• Neolithic period: domestication of livestock (5 major - Beef cattle farming, cattle graze on improved pastures
shifts) and receive supplementary feeding during certain
• Emancipation of humankind times of the year.
Shift 2-3 • Increasing livestock numbers Intensive - High inputs and high outputs per unit area
• Improved productivity to supply demand and ensure - Animals raised on well-managed pastures with high
economic gain (improved breeding, feeding caring, stocking densities & substantial human intervention
management and health of domestic animals) - Regular feeding, health care
- Quantitative production goals - Expensive; high risk high reward principle
Shift 4-5 • Efficiency era (growth, gain, feed efficiency) - Significant human intervention
• Product quality and safety era - Dairy farming in the Netherlands, cows kept on lush,
- Qualitative production goals managed pastures with rotational grazing and receive
• Livestock revolution high levels of care and supplementary feeding.
Organic - System adheres to specific organic farming standards
- Prohibition of synthetic fertilizers, pesticides and
Animal Production Systems GMOs.
- Raised on organic feed; access to outdoors and
• Species: Beed cattle, dairy cattle, sheep/goats, meat/wool sheep,
treated humanely
meat goats, pigs, poultry
- Organic egg production in Europe, where hens are
• Systems can be: raised on organic feed, have access to outdoor ranges
- Extensive and are not treated with synthetic medications or feed
- Semi-extensive additives.
- Intensive/pasture
- Grass fed vs intensively raised
- Organic Uniqueness of animal products and importance in human nutrition:
Extensive - Low input and outputs per unit area Proteins in the right proportions needed in human body
- Raised on large areas of natural or semi-natural High bioavailability (iron, zinc, vitamin B12 readily absorbed from
pastures with minimal human intervention animal products compared to plant sources)
, Essential fats: omega 3’s crucial for brain function and heart health. - Animal production: 44%
Calcium and vitamin D: essential for bone health. - Horticulture: 28.6%
- Field Crops: 27.4%
Utilization of Land Area
- Approximately 83.4% of Farmland in RSA = Grazing Land.
- Cattle, Sheep and Goat farming uses 53% of agricultural land.
- Look at slide 8/34 for natural livestock production regions of SA. Major role players in the sector:
1. Poultry (R50 244.28 million)
2. Beef (R39 586.3 million)
• Total Gross Value of Agricultural Production (2020/2021) = R346 035 3. Dairy (R18 270.6 million)
million.
• Animal production contributes 44% of total gross value of agricultural
production.
• 7.2% of growth of agricultural sector as a result of animal products.
- Only sector to grow in covid.
