Environmental Impact Assessment (Volume III) of Livestock Production in Grassland and Mixed Rainfed Systems in Temperate Zones and Grassland and Mixed-Rainfed Systems in Humid and Subhumid Tropic and Subtropic Zones (Except Africa)

62598

EN

Other

Livestock grazing systems in humid areas (LGH) are most prevalent in South America where countries such as Argentina, Brazil, Columbia, and Paraguay account for 62.6 percent of the agricultural land in the LGH (see Table III.1). China, Australia, and the U.S. account for the remainder with 70 percent of the LGH human population and 18 percent of its agricultural land in China. This category represents about 75 percent of the livestock grazing systems in humid zones worldwide with the remaining 25 percent in Africa. The agricultural land in the LGH is 88 percent pastureland but is rather densely populated at the rate of 1.9 ha/capita overall and 0.5 ha/capita for China. The LGH represents about 13 percent of the world’s pastureland and accounts for 12 percent of the world’s cattle, and 6.4 percent of its sheep and goats (Table III.2). As with the agricultural land, South America accounts for the majority of the LGH cattle (83 percent) and sheep (57 percent). However, most of the goats (57 percent) are found in China. Significant numbers of sheep are found in Australia and China. Livestock feed demand (based on livestock unit equivalents) for the three types of livestock in the LGH comes primarily from cattle (89 percent).

1996

http://www.fao.org/WAIRDOCS/LEAD/X6119E/X6119E00.HTM

X6119

AG

AGA

Argentina

South West Pacific