Economic viability of dairy heifer production on pasture in crop-livestock integration system

Abstract

The objective of this work was to evaluate the profitability of the integrated crop-livestock (ICL) system in comparison to the cultivation of winter cereals and cover plants for soybean and maize cropped under no‑tillage in the summer. The following were compared: simulated data from a conventional agricultural system with production of maize and soybean grains in the summer and cultivation of wheat and ground cover plants in the winter; and data from a published work in which combinations of pastures (diversified or pure) and animal categories (light or heavy) were evaluated in a system with the production of maize and soybean in the summer and grazing during the winter. Economic analysis was carried out based on previous experimental results and simulated for a 100‑ha property. ICL with rearing of dairy heifers in winter annual grazing, as a replacement to winter cereal crops and ground cover crops for no-tillage, is the most profitable alternative for producers.