Optimized Antiparasitic Programme on the Productivity Gains in Stocker Cattle in the Americas - Term Paper Example

The total population of cattle worldwide was estimated at 1.4 billion in the mid-1990s (Worldalnamic, 2006). Of this figure, 22 percent is found in South America and 13 percent in North and Central America. According to an estimate provided by the United States Department of Agriculture (2006a), the cattle population in the United States is about 105,700,000 (One hundred and five million, seven hundred thousand). Of this number, 33.6 million are made up of beef cattle. These animals are reared under various production systems.

These livestock systems can be categorized into three types in terms of size, namely the small-scaled subsistence farms, semi-intensive farm units, and large commercial farms. Outputs from the small farms are mostly for home consumption and also for sale to the neighborhood and the local market. The larger farm units are however more commercially oriented and have a wider scope of operations. Their farm outputs, therefore, are sold on the domestic market and also for export. Steinfeld and Maki-Hokkonen (2006) have classified livestock production systems of the world on the basis of animal species used, predominant feed resources, and also integration with crops.

According to these authors, livestock production systems can be broadly divided into two, namely the sole livestock production system and the mixed farming system. The latter can either be a rain-fed system or under irrigation.  The former, on the other hand, comprises the landless ruminant production system and the grassland-based system.  The sole livestock production system is where more than 90 percent of the dry matter fed to animals emanate from pastures, rangelands, animal forages, and purchased feeds.

In these systems, less than 10 percent of the total production is derived from non-livestock farming activities. In the United States, an example of the landless ruminant production system is the large-scale feedlots, where animals are placed on concentrate feed over limited time periods and fattened before they are sold.