Production and integrated crop-livestock systems: Can we harness technology or will it drive us?

Authors: Hendrickson, John; Liebig, Mark; Archer, David; Whippo, Craig; Clemensen, Andrea; Scott, Drew; Christensen, Rachael

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/29/2023
Publication Date: 10/29/2023
Citation: Hendrickson, J.R., Liebig, M.A., Archer, D.W., Whippo, C.W., Clemensen, A.K., Scott, D.A., Christensen, R. 2023. Production and integrated crop-livestock systems: Can we harness technology or will it drive us?. Meeting Abstract. 1.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: American agriculture is efficient at maximizing caloric production per acre in many agricultural landscapes. This efficiency is due to technological innovations that have intensified land use with industrialized agricultural practices resulting in simplified landscapes. However, public expectations of agriculture are changing to value more diverse ecosystem services such as wildlife and pollination services; soil and air quality; landscape aesthetics; and lifestyle preferences. Maximizing alternative services, while maintaining productivity, in the context of integrated crop-livestock systems will require development of new concepts and the innovative application of emerging technology. Some of these include: 1) better aligning land use with land potential; 2) increasing the use of perennials in agricultural systems; 3) considering multiple enterprise systems; 4) developing alternative economic opportunities and 5) adapting to increased atmospheric CO2concentrations. While many of these concepts may appear to revert to agriculture of previous generations, it is critical to understand that recent advances in technology could allow for more complex agricultural landscapes to be developed. For example, artificial intelligence (AI) can be a valuable tool to align land use with land potential and for breeding and trait assembly. Breeding efforts now focus on traits suited for specialized systems, either in a monoculture field or feedlot but future efforts need to extend to integrated crop-livestock systems. We expect future evaluation of land productivity will include nutritional quality as well as caloric output, which will alter cropping choices. The use of robotics can reduce the management constraints of complex systems and improve livelihood outcomes. The greatest challenge may not be in developing alternative integrated crop-livestock systems, but rather in developing the social, economic and political structures needed to develop technologically sophisticated integrated crop-livestock system that still meet societal expectations.