introduction Flashcards
(34 cards)
1
Q
extensive system
A
- species are extensively (low density, lots of space, high unit per area)
- lots of land and the weather is not to harsh
- solely livestock production
- mixed farming system
- rainfed mixed farming
- irrigated mixed farming
- grasslands systems
2
Q
intensive system
A
- small amount of land and high numbers per unit area
- landless livestock production systems
- landless ruminant
- landless monogastic
3
Q
when to use an extensive pasture based system
A
- time of mating
- time of calving
- what will new stock be used for (replacement?)
- what is done with the excess offspring
- time of weaning (management procedures before weaning)
- pasture quality/quantity
- strategic health treatments
4
Q
nutritional needs of an animal
A
- energy and protein
- vitamin requirements
- minerals and trace elements
- how much depends on physiological state (pregnant, growing)
- palatability and digestibility/quality of the fee on offer
5
Q
required infrastructure
A
- paddock number, size, sheds, yards, feed
6
Q
stocking rate
A
the number of livestock on a given piece of land over a period of time (typically 12 months)
- used to determine profitability of an enterprise (eg: meet per hectare)
7
Q
why is stocking rate important
A
- aim to maximise pasture utilisation
- graze sufficient stock to make best use of availbale pasture, without negative impact on stock health or environment
8
Q
relationship between potential stocking rate and annual rainfall…
A
- greater the rainfall> enhanced pasture growth> increased SR
- Irrigation> enhanced pasture growth>increased SR
9
Q
what impacts stocking rate
A
- rainfall
- soil quality
- land features (hills, flat)
10
Q
Stocking density (head/hect)
A
the number of livestock per hectare at any one point in time
- widely based on feed available
11
Q
high vs low intensity grazing
A
high: dairy or irrigated pastures
low: sheep or beef cattle fed on native pastures
12
Q
carrying capacity
A
- the population of animals that a farm can sustain in the longterm, given the features of the environment
13
Q
what can we affect about an annual management calander
A
- time of joining to influence when livespring are born
- when to harvest wool
- what we do when livestock are born and when to sell
- timing strategic animal health management
14
Q
time and length of joining
A
- the season effects fertility in some species (limitation)
- are there reproductively healthy males
- how to achieve max pregnancy % as this is most labour and equipment efficient
15
Q
when to harvest ?
A
- depends what you are selling animals for
- when to slaughter
- on sold after fattening
- do you sell or keep breeding stock
- milk
- fibre
16
Q
what to do with offspring
A
- fat lambs
- sell males, keep females for replacement hiefers
- castrate rams
- vaccination and drenching
- what time to wean ?
17
Q
when do we wean calves
A
1-2 days old
18
Q
when do we wean lambs
A
12-16 weeks
19
Q
matching the needs of the stock to the available pasture
A
- females and males need different amounts of nutrition
- time of lambing and carving effects how much food
- class of stock
- lactating animals have the greatest energy requirments
20
Q
combined cropping and animal systems
A
- this is common in the wheat belt (mid level rainfall zone)
- crops are grazed during winter and early spring
- crops re harvested in the summer
- sheep graze stubble over summer
- allows increase in SR
- provides extra feed supply when nutrition is limiting
21
Q
open system
A
- you can externally source animals
- biosecurity risk
- allows for good genes
22
Q
closed system
A
- all reproduction happens on farms we grow rams and AI
- gene pool is largely in the farm
- issue of inbreeding
23
Q
reproductive parameters
A
- Natural mating vs AI
- the age at first mating
- time for parturition
- the gestation length
- the ratio of males to females
- number of offsrping which can be produced
24
Q
why is reproduction important
A
- want to maintain flock, herd, group size
- Replace animals after they die or are beyond effective breeding age
- allow for genetic selection (want most productive animals)
- impacts on management ( more labour and feed and attention required for pregant or lacating animal)
25
reproduction and disease
- disease spread via sexual transmission
- increase metabolic disease risl during pregnancy or lactation
26
gestation cow
9 months
27
gestation sow
3 mmonths 24 days
28
gestation ewe
5 moths
29
seasonality impact
- as day length shortens animals will cycle as day length increase they don't cycle
- you must join when animal is cycling and at a time which is favourable for offsrping to be born(spring)
- not always ideal to have animals give birth at natural time from management perspective
- can use hormones to induce oestrus
30
causes of reproductive loss
- genetics the size of the animal during mating, the calf is too big to deliver
- nutrition
- infectious disease
- predators
- environment too hot or cold
31
what is solely livestock production
- in which more than 90% of dry matter fed to animals comes from rangelands, pasture and other annual forages and purchased feeds and less than 10%
32
what are mixed farming systems?
- which more than 10% of the dry matter fed to animals comes from crop by crop products or stubble more than 10% of the total value of production comes from non livestock farming activities
33
what are landless livestock production systems
- subset of the soley livestock production systems in whcih less than 10% of the dry matter fed to animals is farm produced and in which annual average stocking rates are above 10 LU per hectare
34
what is landless ruminant production systems
- the use of ruminant species principally cattle, where feed is mainly introduced from outside the farm system and stocking rates are high
