module 3-away from the range: other types of extensive livestock production Flashcards
what are Pastoralists
they are nomadic people with large, migratory herds and/or flocks grazing over communal lands. Inputs are limited to controlling the movement of animals over large areas to follow the natural feed supply
why do pastoralists raise livestock
Typically, the pastoralist communities raise livestock for their own use and the production system is not market-driven
what kind of lands are pastoralists employed
Pastoral systems are employed in areas where crop cultivation is limited due to low and unpredictable rainfall, steep terrain or extreme climatic conditions
what species do pastoralists raise
Livestock species maintained by pastoralists include goats, sheep, cattle, camels, yaks, reindeer, vicunas, llamas and alpacas
what countries does pastoralism occur
Pastoralism exists in a broad range of geographic areas encompassing all continents except Antarctica. Pastoralists inhabit the drylands of Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, mountainous regions of Asia and Latin America, and the tundra in circumpolar zones.
where is a high concentration of pastoralism
The pastoralist system is extensively followed in many areas of the world, the highest concentration being in Africa where it is estimated that fifty million people are pastoralists and an additional 200 million are agro-pastoralists who integrate crop production and livestock herding
how many livelihoods do pastoralism provide
Globally, pastoralism provides livelihoods for hundreds of millions of households and manages one billion animals; in the world’s poorest regions, pastoralism may provide the only source of income
how much of the world’s meat is sourced by pastoralism
Approximately ten percent of the world’s meat production is provided by pastoralism
how many animals does pastoralism manage
it manages one billion animals
what are nomads
Highly mobile groups with no regular pattern of movement. No permanent place of residence. No cultivation of crops.
what are transhumance
Herders move animals to distant grazing areas, usually seasonally. A permanent residence exists.
what is Sedentary including semi-nomadism
Animal owners travel to distant grazing areas for long periods of time. The people have a permanent place of residence and practice supplementary cultivation
what is Vertical mobility
Regular movement of herds from valleys to mountains in regions such as Turkey, the Iranian plateau, North Africa, the Himalayas, Kyrgyzstan, and the Andes. Movement is associated with higher-rainfall zones. Houses may be built at regularly used sites.
what is horizontal mobility
An opportunistic movement that tends to follow the rain. Movement patterns are short-term, often disrupted by climatic, economic, or political change.
what are the different kinds of pastoralists
1) nomads
2) transhumance
3) sedentary semi-nomadism
what are the different kinds of mobility for pastoralists
1) vertical
2) horizontal
why is pastoralism beneficial and nessicary in some countries
Pastoralism is a rational and sustainable livelihood strategy for people living in marginal lands. Mobility, moving animals to available resources, rather than moving the resources to the animals, is a key feature of the sustainability of pastoralism enabling the pastoralists to take advantage of seasonal pastures, water, and fixed resources such as salt patches and avoid challenges such as drought, peak biting insect seasons and political disruption
how do livestock benefit the land in pastoralism
The livestock contribute to maintaining range biodiversity and provide a connection between ecosystems by transporting seeds; trampling and grazing improve the water-holding capacity of the soil, reduce the risk of fires and contribute to soil fertility through nutrient cycling
why is pastoralism beneficial to livestock species
Pastoralists also contribute to livestock species diversity by maintaining species adapted to their local areas and the climatic and disease challenges endemic to those areas
what kind of animals do subsistence farmers have on what kind of lands
Subsistence farmers generally have mixed farms that include a small number of pigs, poultry, sheep and/or goats that scavenge or graze communal lands
how many people are supported by subsistence farming
It is estimated that 500 million smallholder farms support 2 billion people through subsistence farming
what is subsistence farming
farms of less than five acres
what benefits subsistence farm animals offer
The livestock add value to crop by-products, residues, and kitchen wastes when these are available
what benefits do subsistence farm animals offer to communities
Livestock produced by subsistence farms provides supplemental food to the family or the community and only rarely are surpluses available for marketing
what do subsistence farmers provide as a safety net
The livestock provides a food safety net for times between harvests or when crops fail.
what is ranching
Ranching is a market-driven enterprise that involves large herds of cattle or sheep following natural cycles for reproduction
besides the ranch what other land can be provided to support livestock
communal land may be used to augment land owned by individual producers for grazing livestock
in ranching what is human labor used for
Human labor is used to provide supplemental feeding, disease treatment or prevention; it may also extend to moving animals periodically for grazing management
how often can labor be required of an intense ranch grazing system
Intensive grazing management systems may entail the movement of animals as frequently as every two to three days thus requiring more intensive inputs.
what animals can be used for ranching
Other species that may be ranch-raised in a manner similar to that used for cattle and sheep include alternative livestock such as caribou, bison, elk, and deer
