The advantages of small animals in farming systems

Farming systems can be roughly divided into on the one hand large scale, highly mechanized and energy intensive systems managed as corporate agri-businesses and on the other hand small-scale farms, which employ family labour and use limited external inputs. In the small systems, a closer integration of the different components, recycling and optimized use of local resources can enhance productivity. This approach aims to imitate the functioning of natural ecosystems, which are sustainable, primarily because the inputs are provided by nature. In the small integrated farm the livestock component has a central role to play. In addition to providing meat and other animal produce the animals are important for the recycling of residues and wastes, converting these from sources of pollution into valuable inputs such as organic fertilizer or biogas. The selection of appropriate livestock species is therefore an important consideration in the development of an integrated farming system. This article argues that smaller species of animals are more appropriate than larger ones.