Understanding Livestock Farming: Trends and Challenges

Livestock Farming: An Overview

Traditional livestock farming involved diverse species coexisting in small farms, utilizing older techniques. Current extensive livestock systems have undergone significant structural transformations.

A) Structural Changes in Livestock Density

These transformations can be summarized by increased specialization:

• Livestock farming tends to specialize in meat or milk production. This has led to the replacement of native breeds with foreign breeds and the near-total disappearance of mixed breeds. However, there's some recovery of native breeds, supported by European Union grants.
• Extensive livestock farming focuses on weight gain in cattle grazing in meadows.
• Intensive or industrial factory farming, where animals are fed mixed feed, has significantly increased, leading to feed scarcity.
• Most livestock farms lack natural fresh grass year-round (except in Atlantic Spain), creating a high dependence on imported fodder and compound feed, which have seen sharp price increases.
• The size of many farms remains inadequate despite increasing concentration.
• Livestock farming in the European Union faces strong competition from countries with surpluses. Quotas have been set for some products, like milk.
• Animal health has improved considerably, although outbreaks still affect exports.

B) Livestock Production Trends

Livestock production has increased its share of final agricultural production to reach 38.6%. In areas like Asturias, Galicia, and Catalonia, livestock farming accounts for over 60% of agricultural output.

• Bovine milk production is located extensively in northern peninsular regions and intensively near cities to serve urban markets and save on transportation. Dairy farming is also growing in importance in Andalusia.
• Bovine meat production is located in mountainous areas. Milk and meat production face strong surpluses in the European Union.
• Sheep farming is primarily for meat production, which is in high demand for Manchego cheese production.
• Nomadic livestock farming involves seasonal shifts.
• Shelf livestock farming is a subsidiary of livestock farming.
• Feedlot livestock farming for fattening lambs achieves higher yields.
• Pig farming is partly for fresh consumption and delicatessen meats.
• Intensive and industrial pig farming dominates in Catalonia, while extensive farming based on indigenous breeds is located in Extremadura.
• Poultry farming is for meat and egg production and is located in Catalonia. Chicken meat production is a very demand-sensitive sector. Consumption of ostrich meat is declining.