Critical analysis and the economic use of the system of crop husbandry in farms of the regions South, Southeast and Midwest Brazil

• Grant number: 10/15098-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: November 01, 2010
• End date: April 30, 2011
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Animal Husbandry
• Principal Investigator: Augusto Hauber Gameiro
• Grantee: Felipe Perrone Braz
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia (FMVZ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The expansion of livestock production in Brazil began in mid-1970 due to the low value of land, offers for credit and the emergence of forage species with high adaptability to climate and low soil fertility. Around 44% of the national cattle herd is represented by beef cattle, which are grown in the pastures, a major source of food (PERON et al., 2004). However, degradation of pastures is increasingly evident in conventional systems, showing that these types of farm livestock are poorly or even unsustainable over the years. Systems Integration Cattle Farming (CLI) appear as possible sources of sustainable production in agriculture in Brazil (Alvarenga, 2004). The aim of this study is to survey and analyze the socioeconomic profile of farms and producers, who opted for the implementation of CLI in their activities. Therefore we shall analyze the different reasons that led to adoption of the system, which was their real difficulties to implement the CLI, major changes in the management of property after deployment of the new method of production, differences in productivity and profitability before and after the adoption of CLI; environmental gains, and general opinion of producers regarding the integration system deployed. For this data collection will be conducted through questionnaires designed so that one can define the main motivations and perceptions of farmers who adopted the CLI. Data will be collected in the largest possible number of rural properties of southern, southeastern and central west through the questionnaires directly to farmers who implemented the CLI. The results may provide insights for future work related to the topic, facilitating the directions of research and scientific work, and eliminate gaps in research on integrated systems socioeconomic character. (AU)